The action of 8 May 1744 was a minor naval engagement of the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
in which two French ships of the line, the 60-gun
''Content'', and the 64-gun
''Mars'', captured the British 70-gun
HMS ''Northumberland'' after a desperate action lasting four hours.
''Northumberland''s captain, Thomas Watson, and her second lieutenant were among those killed.
Battle
On 8 May, Vice-Admiral
Sir Charles Hardy's squadron cruising off
Berlengas
The Berlengas are a Portuguese archipelago consisting of small Atlantic islands off the coast of Peniche, Portugal, in the Oeste region. These islands were traditionally known to British mariners as "the Burlings". The only inhabited island is ...
discovered a sail to the north, and the ''Northumberland'' was ordered to chase in that direction.
[Allen, p. 143.] The enemy sail was made out by the ''Northumberland'' to be a French ship of the line, and was found to be accompanied by two other ships; a 60-gun vessel and a frigate.
[Guérin, p. 258.]
Instead of signalling the force of the ships in sight to the vice-admiral, Watson continued standing towards them under full sail, and was soon out of sight of his own fleet.
The French ships were much separated;
and at 5 pm ''Northumberland'' caught up with the stern most, which proved to be the ''Mars''. ''Mars'' opened fire upon the ''Northumberland'', which was immediately returned with vigour. But Captain Watson, whose bravery must ever be considered to have ranked higher than his discretion, instead of continuing to engage the ''Mars'', pushed on and endeavoured to close the ''Content'' also; maintaining all the time, a running action with the ''Mars''.
When the French ship ''Content'' approached, a most furious battle took place. After nine hours of fighting by the ''Northumberland'' was rendered wholly unmanageable, and having had her wheel knocked to pieces, the ship flew up into the wind. At the same time Captain Watson was mortally wounded; and the master of the ship, who was later court-martialled, struck the British colours.
Notes
References
* Maurice Dupont, Étienne Taillemite. ''Les guerres navales françaises: du Moyen Age à la guerre du Golfe.''
* Léon Guérin. ''Histoire maritime de France:contenant l'histoire des provinces et villes maritimes, des combats de mer depuis la fondation de Marseille, 600 ans avant J.-C., de la flibuste, des navigations, voyages autour du monde, naufrages, célèbres, découvertes, colonisations, de la marine en général, avant, pendant et depuis le règne de Louis XIV jusqu'à l'année 1850, Vol. IV''
* O. Troude. ''Batailles navales de la France, Vol. I''
* Joseph Allen. (1872) ''Battles of the British Navy: from A.D. 1000 to 1840.'' Bell & Daldy Publishing. ASIN B00087UD9S
{{DEFAULTSORT:Action of 8 May 1744
Conflicts in 1744
Naval battles of the War of the Austrian Succession
Naval battles involving Great Britain
Naval battles involving France