Battle of the course Sicié
The battles of the course Sicié , or battles of Toulon , of the February 22nd 1744 is a Franco-Spanish naval victory over the British navy. It has the effect of being delivered before the declaration of official war between France and England. A Spanish fleet demolishes the English fleet of the Mediterranean there. The French fleet arrived only when the English ships were withdrawn.
The situation
Recall on the political situation
Spain and Great Britain are in war since 1739. France is in peace but prepares to enter in war against Great Britain.The orders given to the English admiral enjoignent to him to prevent the Spaniards attacking the territory of the Allied states in Italy, but also from attacking the French, if they took the sea with the Spaniards.
The French admiral, for its part, has order to take the sea with the Spaniards under his orders. He must force the English blockade. But, to save appearances, it must avoid drawing the first.
The provision of the forces
The French fleet, in Toulon, included/understood 16 ship of the lines. It was under the orders of general lieutenant Court the Heather.
The Spanish fleet grouped 12 vessels following the Real-Felipe , of 110 guns. This squadron, which sought to bring troops to Genoa had had to shelter with Toulon to escape the English.
The English are, them, with damping in the roads of Hyères.
Involved forces
Franco-Spanish forces
The squadron of avant-garde, under the orders of the chief of squadron Pierre de Gabaret, has 8 vessels; that of the center, has 6 French vessels and two Spanish; the rear-guard, under the orders of Gift Navarro, gathered the 10 other Spanish vessels.
Among these Spanish vessels, 6 are warships of origin: they are the Real Felipe , Santa Isabel , El Constante , América , Hércules and San Fernando . The others are ships of the Carrera of Indias , the Spanish company of the Indies. The principal difference between the two types is in the Caliber of embarked artillery: 24 or 36 pounds for the linerships, 12 or 18 for the ships of company. Thus, the value with the combat of two ships of the same apparent force, 60 guns for example, is very different.
Apart from the line, one found 3 Frégate S, being used for to repeat the signals made by the admiral. The Sapphire , of 32 guns, is attached to the avant-garde; Atalante , of 32 also is attached to the body of battle, like the east another frigate of 24 guns. With the Spanish squadron, a frigate of 30 guns. The Franco-Spanish fleet counted 2 more Brûlot S and a Ship-hospital.
English forces
The English aligned 29 ships. Against admiral Rowley, on the Barfleur , the avant-garde, 9 vessels ordered. The Lestock vice-admiral, the rear-guard, 10 vessels, and the Matthews vice-admiral the center, 10 vessels.
Apart from the line of battle, the English also have three Frégate S, the Diamond (40 guns), the Durstey (22 guns) and the Winchelsea (22 guns), two Brûlot S, the Ann Galloway (8 guns) attached to the red squadron, and the Mercury attached to the rear-guard from Lestock and 3 Brigantin S. There are also a ship-hospital, Sutherland (18 guns), two transport and two supply craft. They are apart from the line and do not take share with the combat.
Admirals
- Short the Heather (1666-1752).
- Don Juan Jose Navarro (1678-1772)
- Matthews (1676-1751)
- Lestock (1679? - 1746)
- Rowley (1690? - 1768)
The combat
8 February 10th: operations
The Franco-Spanish ones install on February 8th, benefitting from a wind of north. But it is weak and turns to the North-West. The following day, the Spaniards (rear-guard) did not reach the full sea yet.Informed by their frigates, the English install, but the wind which turns to south-west obstructs the operation.
February 10th, the combined fleet formed its line of battle, course in the south. The English appear, with the wind, on the back. The wind falls and ends up turning to the east.
The English take their battle order. In a very traditional way, one lines up by order of seniority of the admirals. While being starport tack, the commander-in-chief places himself in the center, oldest with the avant-garde and more " jeune" , with the rear-guard. However, while leaving the roads of Hyères, it is Lestock and its squadron which are at the head. But port tack… Consequently, English divisions of the squadron start to permute their positions! …
Around 3 p.m., Matthews hoists the signal ordering to form the line of battle. At this time there, the body of English battle is with 4 miles nautical approximately in the east of the Franco-Spanish ones. Rowley, in front of, in 5 miles and Lestock, behind is with approximately 3 miles in the North-East of the other English.
With 18:30, the night starts to fall (solar hour at the time). The English are not yet on line. Matthews sends its signal of night. The 4 lanterns with the supported stays of foresail of 8 blows of guns, order to remain port side hauls, course in the south. He thinks that its subordinates will finish taking their place in the line of battle before obeying the signal of night. He of it is nothing.
During the night, the Franco-Spanish fleet derives towards the west. Like the English, except Lestock which, more close to the coast, is taken along towards the east by the current. In the morning, Lestock is to 7 or 8 miles in the east of the remainder of the squadron.
February 11th: fights
At daybreak, Matthews renews its signal of " to form the ligne". To 7:30, it raises a white house to its mast of house to announce to Lestock to force veils. It is the signal n° 12 of the Instructions of combat. If he had wanted to make sign with Rowley, blue squadron, he would have raised a blue house to the same place. Lestock does not react. Matthews then sends a lieutenant in a boat to give its order of sharp voice. Without result, even after a second sending of boat. A little later Matthews returns the signal " to form the line of bataille". For this order, it is a house union-jack sent to the horn of mizzen and supported of a blow of gun. This signal will remain in place until the end of the combat and will play a part in the poor service of the English sailors.
The 2 lines of vessels run on parallel roads, full southern, spaced approximately 3 nautical miles.
The English admiral notes that the French follow its changes of aerofoil to remain on its level and to prevent it from aiming at the Spaniards. About midday, nothing changed and Matthews fears that the French simply do not seek to move away it, to attract it with broad to make it possible to the Spaniards to pass their troops to Italy without risk.
About midday, the English admiral decides to pass to the attack. He transfers with starboard, right on the French line, involving his squadron in frontline towards the Franco-Spanish ones. But the signal to form the line always floats with its chechmate of mizzen…
Consequently the rear-admiral Rowley, who orders the avant-garde, does not include/understand too the operation. He transfers with starboard, imitating his chief, but the 4 ships of head continue on the same course. Probably to prevent that the French transfer and can take between 2 fires the English squadron which moves towards the Spaniards.
The English have the advantage of the wind: wind of North east, the Franco-Spanish fleet sails course in the south. The English attack it on his left side. It is in conformity with the usual English tactic: while placing side of the wind, one is Master of the moment and the place of the attack. For the French, the usual tactics are to be under the wind. That makes it possible to get clear more easily; the pieces of artillery on the side of the wind have less risk to be found too low and the smoke of the blows of gun does not come to stop the sight of the enemy. The English aim at the Spanish squadron, benefitting from existing space between this one and the French center. The Namur of Rowley faces the Real Felipe . It is still a respect of the traditions which see the chiefs clashing directly.
It should be noted that in the combat, the English ships continue to respect the signals made by Matthews. They remain wholesale on the same line, without seeking to operate to overpower the Spanish ships successively.
Matthews thus opposes two of its squadrons, white and red, with the only blue, Spanish squadron. Lestock, which orders the English blue squadron, and which hates its chief follows the order received " to form the line of bataille" , being unaware of the following order " to engage the combat". It cannonades, by far, the last Spanish ships.
The cannonade causes damage on both sides. The Hércules supports the attack of 3 English vessels and must leave the line. The Poder , ship of company, supports the attack of the Somersert , 80 guns. Then it must be measured with the Bedford , Dragon and Kingston . It ends up bringing its house in front of the Berwick of Hawke. English side, it is the Marlborough which suffers more, with more than 150 killed or wounded men, almost démâté.
The English use a Brûlot, Ann Galloway . It crosses the English line, large releases, and aims at the Spanish flagship, the three-decker Real Felipe which exchanges bordered on broadside with the Namur . The ship of Gift Jose Navarro is released by the Brillante , its Matelot of back which cannonades the Brûlot and the fact of exploding without it not causing damage. Lieutenant Mackey, commander, the bomb disposal expert and 4 sailors out of the 45 men of crew are killed in the explosion.
When the French admiral, noncommitted, announces to his avant-garde to transfer to take the English between 2 fires, it is 15:00. What takes time because Gabaret, initially, the signal does not see. The first 3 French vessels start to transfer then, indicator that their chief does not operate, take again the initial course. Short its order reiterates. When Gabaret carries out it, it transfers " in succession" whereas the order was to transfer simultaneously.
Rowley then announces to its ships to transfer in their turn. The French pass to range of mousquet of the back of the 3 ships of English head but do not draw. In the passing, the Franco-Spanish ones take again possession of the Poder , before even as Hawke could withdraw its crew of catch, but the ship is so damaged that it will be cast the following day.
Matthews makes transfer its ships in its turn and the action ends.
Tactics
fights in line of file (encountered problems)Use of scathing attacks.
Transmission of the orders (encountered problems).
Consequences
Nobody seeks to take again the combat. The French and the Spaniards gain Carthagène and the English Minorque.
The military consequences were limited. Toulon was freed, making it possible to the Spaniards to leave France.
But the disciplinary consequences were more important. Matthews passes in martial court, it is put at the retirement. Lestock, it, are discharged, having been able to shelter behind a blind obedience with the received orders.
The Spaniards complain about little support received their allies. That costs Court the Heather its command.
On the other hand, for its action, Don Navarro receives the title of marquis of the Victoire (" marked of Victoria").
The importance of this naval battle is to be sought on another plan. It will make become aware of the sclerosis of the naval thought which controls the large European marines. The respect of great geometrical evolutions of squadrons, wanted by the theorists, leads to make pass the research of the victory behind the absolute respect of the orders. Transmission of the orders being handicapped by the weakness of the means left at the disposal of the admirals.
The battle of the Cape Sicié has as a consequence the search and the improvement for novel modes of command which the British will be able the first to apply.
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