Action of 6 May 1801

Action of 6 May 1801
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
The action and capture of the Spanish xebeque frigate El Gamo, by Charles Edward Dixon
Date 6 May 1801 Location Off Barcelona, Mediterranean Sea Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Thomas Cochrane	Francisco Torres †
Strength
1 brig	1 xebec
Casualties and losses
3 killed 9 wounded[1]	14 killed 41 wounded 261 captured 1 xebec captured[1]

The action of 6 May 1801 was a minor naval engagement between the 32-gun xebec-frigate El Gamo of the Spanish Navy under the command of Don Francisco de Torres and the much smaller 14-gun brig HMS Speedy under the command of Thomas, Lord Cochrane. El Gamo was captured despite being four times as large, with much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of Speedy, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time of the engagement.