Spanish ship Galicia (1750)
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''Galicia'', was a Spanish
third-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks (thus the related term two-decker). Years of experience proved that the third r ...
ship of the line of the
Kingdom of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
's Armada Real in service between 1750 and 1797.


Commission and construction

The name ''Galicia'' is a reference to the region of Galicia in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
's northwest. ''Galicia'' was likely commissioned sometime in the mid 1740s though the exact date is unknown. The vessel was
laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one o ...
and constructed at the
Havana Shipyards The Havana Shipyards are located in the Bay of Havana, Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several min ...
, Hispaniolal. She was built under the system designed by Antonio Castaneta along with her sister ships, and .


Service

In 1751, under the command of Luis de Velasco, ''Galicia'' left Havana with ''Infante'' and ''Princesa'' sailing to Cartagena de Indias. Once loaded at Cartagena de Indias, the ships proceeded in a convoy of the '' Flota de Tierra Firme'' to Havana and then on to
Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
. On 1 March 1752, ''Galicia'' left Havana together with ''Infante'', ''Princesa'' and , all arriving at Cádiz on 30 April of the same year. In 1754, ''Galicia'' transported a shipment of heavy guns from
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
to Cartagena. In 1759, ''Galicia'' was at Cartagena. Later that year, after the death of King Fernando VI of Spain, a fleet of 36 ships was assembled at Cartagena under the command of the Juan José de Navarro Viana y Búfalo, the 1st Marqués de la Victoria of the flagship '' El Fénix''. The fleet was tasked with picking up King
Carlos III of Spain it, Carlo Sebastiano di Borbone e Farnese , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Philip V of Spain , mother = Elisabeth Farnese , birth_date = 20 January 1716 , birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain , death_d ...
and his family from
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
to bring them to Barcelona, leaving Cartagena on 19 August 1759 and arriving at Naples in September. General and Vice Admiral Don Pedro Fitz-James Stuart served as the commander of one of the fleet's divisions with the 70-gun ''Galicia'' as his flagship. ''Galicia''s captain was for the voyage was Juan Antonio de la Colina Rasines. The squadron was captained by Major General Joaquín de Aguirre and consisted also of the ships (74), (74) and (74). The fleet arrived at Barcelona on 15 December 1759 whereupon Pedro Fitz-James Stuart was named as '' Primer Caballerizo del Rey''. In March 1760, ''Galicia'' was at Cartagena. In 1761, ''Galicia'' left Cartagena bound for Mallorca for the purpose of recruiting
sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...
s. After successfully recruiting seamen, the ship returned to Cartagena where the recruits were distributed amongst ''Galicia'', ''Soberano'' (74), ''Terrible'' (74), and (64). In November 1761, the minister Julián de Arriaga of the Audiencia Real de Sevilla ordered
Gutierre de Hevia Gutierre de Hevia y Valdés, 1704 to 2 December 1772, was a Spanish naval officer who reached the rank of Admiral and became commander of the Spanish Marine Infantry. He was court-martialled for his role in the 1762 capture of Havana but reinstat ...
, Marqués del Real Transporte and commander of the Spanish fleet at
La Habana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
, to order ''Galiaga'' and ''Arrogante'' to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
to support anti-British operations in the theater. On 20 November 1761, ''Galicia'' left
Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
with destination for
Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains ...
, Hispaniola under the command of Captain Don José de Aguirre on a mission transporting 200 dragoons of the Regimiento de Dragones de Edimburgo (Edinburgh Dragoon Regiment) under the command of Colonel Carlos Caro. The troops would go on to take the field under Caro's command against British forces commanded by Colonel Guy Carleton at
Guanabacoa Guanabacoa is a colonial township in eastern Havana, Cuba, and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) of the city. It is famous for its historical Santería and is home to the first African Cabildo in Havana. Guanabacoa was briefly the capital ...
during the Battle of Havana. ''Galicia'' and ''Arrogante'' arrived at Santiago de Cuba on 31 January 1762 where the dragoons were offloaded. ''Galicia'' then took up defensive positions around Santiago de Cuba together with (68) and (74) and the frigate ''Arrogante''. During the Battle of Havana, ''Galicia'' remained defending Santiago de Cuba together with ''Monarca'', ''Arrogante'' and the frigate (26). On 31 July 1763, ''Galicia'' arrived at Havana from Santiago de Cuba escorting a convoy of eight merchantmen carrying 200 troops of the Granada and
Murcia Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...
regiments together with three
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
from the Aragón Regiment. Later the same year, ''Galicia'' took up a position escorting the ''Flota de Tierra Firme'' back to Cádiz. In 1764, ''Galicia'' was at Cádiz. The same year, she was careened and fitted with new rigging and masts at
Arsenal de la Carraca Arsenal de la Carraca, also Naval Station of La Carraca, is a naval shipyard and a naval base in San Fernando, Cádiz, San Fernando, Spain. It is a naval base for the construction and repair of ships, and the storage and distribution of arms and a ...
near Cádiz. In 1765, under the command of Captain Don Juan de Soto, ''Galicia'' was assigned to the fleet under the command of Admiral Don Juan José de Navarro Viana y Búfalo, the 1st Marqués de la Victoria. The fleet was made up of ''Rayo'', ''Arrogante'', ''Triunfante'', ''Atlante'', ''Galicia'', ''Princesa'', ''Guerrero'', ''Velasco'', ''Poderoso'', two chambequines and five minor vessels. The fleet sailed from Cádiz on 17 May. After briefly stopping at Cartagena, it sailed on to
Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
, arriving on 17 July to drop off the infanta Doña Luisa María Teresa de Parma, daughter of Felipe I de Parma and pick up the Princess
Maria Luisa of Spain Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain (Spanish: ''María Luisa'', German: ''Maria Ludovika''; 24 November 1745 – 15 May 1792) was Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and Grand Duchess of Tuscany as the spouse of Leopold II, ...
, daughter of King Carlos III. The fleet returned to Cartagena on 11 August where it dropped off the infanta Doña Luisa María Teresa de Parma and the Marques of la Victoria, Juan José de Navarro Viana y Búfalo. Command was then handed over to Admiral Don
Luis de Córdova y Córdova Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova (8 February 1706 – 29 July 1796) was a Spanish admiral. He is best known for his command of the Spanish fleet during the Anglo-Spanish War. His best remembered actions were the capture of two merchant c ...
. A smaller fleet was formed, sailing from Cartagena on 23 August, consisting of ''Rayo'', ''Princesa'' and ''Guerrero'' which was tasked with escorting two
tartan Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
s and a saetía back to Cádiz. In 1779, ''Galicia'' was at Cádiz under the command of Captain Don Juan Clavijero attached to the observation squadron of the armada under the command of Admiral Don
Luis de Córdova y Córdova Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova (8 February 1706 – 29 July 1796) was a Spanish admiral. He is best known for his command of the Spanish fleet during the Anglo-Spanish War. His best remembered actions were the capture of two merchant c ...
. ''Galicia'' would remain with Córdova throughout the campaign and took part in the blockades of 1779–1782. In 1782, ''Galicia'' took part in the
Battle of Cape Spartel The Battle of Cape Spartel was an indecisive naval battle between a Franco-Spanish fleet under Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova and a British fleet under Admiral Richard Howe. These forces met on 20 October 1782 after Howe successfully resup ...
where she saw heavy action suffering 5 killed and 17 wounded. In 1793, ''Galicia'' was at Ferrol for refitting. She sailed from Ferrol the same year under the command of Captain Don Francisco Ruiz y Cárdenas as part of a squadron of six ships under the command of Commodore Francisco Javier Melgarejo to unite with the Spanish fleet at Cartagena under the command of Admiral Don Francisco de Borja for the campaign in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
. In 1794, ''Galicia'', still attached to Commodore Francisco Javier Melgarejo's squadron was patrolling the waters off the Bay of Biscay. In 1797, due to a rotting hull for lack of careening, ''Galicia'' was scrapped.


Commanders


References


Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Galicia Ships of the Spanish Navy