Battle of Toulon (1744)

Battle of Toulon
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession
The Battle of Toulon by José Manuel de Moraleda. Watercolour on paper, 1783.
Date February 22 1744 Location Mediterranean Sea, near Toulon, France Result Strategic Franco-Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain France	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Juan José Navarro	Thomas Mathews, Richard Lestock, William Rowley
Strength
27 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 3 others, (1,806 guns)	30 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 6 others, (2,280 guns)
Casualties and losses
149 dead, 467 wounded, 6 ships damaged	~800 dead or wounded, 10 ships damaged, 1 ship sunk

The naval Battle of Toulon or Battle of Cape Sicié took place on February 22 and 23 February 1744 (New Style) between 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Toulon, France (Cape Sicié is near Toulon). A Spanish convoy defeated Britain's Mediterranean fleet.The french fleet only went to battle at the end of this, when the british fleet retreated.

Engagement

On 22 February. 30 British ships under Thomas Mathews attacked a fleet of 27 Spanish ships under Don Juan José Navarro . Mathews had been following the French fleet in case either side declared war on the other as part of the War of the Austrian Succession. At 5:00 p.m., both sides drew away from each other. They attacked each other from afar the next day, but the British suffered heavily, and on 24 February Mathews retreated to Italy.

Mathews' second in command, Vice Admiral Lestock, later petitioned King George II of Great Britain to hold a court-martial against many of the British officers, including Mathews. Mathews and several other officers were dismissed from the Royal Navy.

Order of Battle

Spain ( including the french ships under Bruyere de la Court(Juan José Navarro)

Van
Boree 64
Tolosa* 60
Tigre 50
Eolo 64
Alción* 56
Duque de Orleans 68
Esperanza* 74 (flag of de Gavaret)
Center
Tridente 64
Dichoso* 60
Aquilon 44
Sólido* 64
Diamante 50
Firme 70
Terrible 74 (flag)
Sancti Spiritus* 68
Serio 64
Rear
Oriente* 60
América* 60
Neptuno* 60
Poder* 60 - Damaged and captured but recaptured, scuttled next day
Constante 70
Real Felipe* 114 (flag of Juan José Navarro)
Hércules* 64
Brillante* 60
Alcón* 60
San Fernando* 64
Soberbio* 60
Santa Isabel* 80
3 frigates
2 brulotes
1 battleship being used as a hospital ship

Ships marked * were Spanish.

Britain (Thomas Mathews)

Van
Chatham 50
Nassau 70
Chichester 80
Boyne 80
Barfleur 90 (flag of Rowley)
Princess Carolina 80
Berwick 70
Stirling Castle 70
Bedford 70
Center
Dragon 60
Royal Oak 70
Princess 70
Somerset 80
Norfolk 80
Marlborough 90
Dorsetshire 80
Essex 70 (Richard Norris)
Rupert 60
Namur 90 (flag)
Rear
Salisbury 50
Romney 50
Dumkint? 60
Revenge 70
Cambridge 80
Neptune 90 (flag of Lestok)
Torbay 80
Russell 80
Buckingham 70
Elizabeth 70
Kingston 60
Oxford 50
Warwick 60
3 frigates
3 brulotes
3 bergantines (brigantines?)

External links

• The 1911 Encyclopedia
• La campaña de don Juan José Navarro en el Mediterráneo y la batalla de Sicié (1742-1744)