First Battle of Cape Finisterre | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession | |||||||
![]() Lord Anson's victory off Cape Finisterre, Samuel Scott | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
![]() |
![]() | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() |
![]() ![]() | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
14 ships of the line 1 frigate 1 sloop 1 fireship |
4 ships of the line 8 frigates 4 corvettes 30 merchant ships | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
520 killed and wounded[2] |
800 killed and wounded 3,000 captured 4 ships of the line captured 4 frigates captured 4 corvettes captured 6 merchantmen captured[2] |
The First Battle of Cape Finisterre (14 May 1747[3]) was waged during the War of the Austrian Succession. It refers to the attack by 14 British ships of the line under Admiral George Anson against a French 30-ship convoy commanded by Admiral de la Jonquière. The French were attempting to protect their merchant ships by using warships with them. The British captured 4 ships of the line, 2 frigates, and 7 merchantmen, in a five-hour battle in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Finisterre in northwest Spain. One French frigate, one French East India Company warship, and the other merchantmen escaped.