Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)

The Battle of Cape St. Vincent (Spanish: Batalla del Cabo de San Vicente) was a fleet action fought off Cape St. Vincent on 16–17 January 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. A Royal Navy fleet under Admiral of the WhiteSir George Rodney defeated a smaller Spanish Navy fleet under Squadron CommanderJuan de Lángara in what became known as the Moonlight Battle (batalla a la luz de la luna), unusual since the Age of Sail saw almost exclusively daytime battles. It was the first major British naval victory of the war, and proved the maneuvering value of copper sheathed hulls.

On 21 June 1779 Spain had joined its ally France, which was allied with the United States, in their war with Britain. Rodney was escorting a supply convoy with a powerful fleet of 18 ships of the line to relieve the Spanish siege of Gibraltar, when he encountered Lángara's fleet south of Cape St. Vincent on 16 January 1780. When Lángara saw the size of the British fleet, he rushed toward the safety of Cádiz, but the copper-sheathed British ships chased him down. In a running battle that lasted from mid-afternoon until after midnight, the British captured four ships of the line, including Lángara's flagship Fénix.

Two other Spanish ships of the line were also captured but then retaken by their crews. Although Rodney's after action report claimed both ships were grounded and wrecked, one safely returned to Cádiz and resumed service. Following the battle, Rodney successfully resupplied Gibraltar and Minorca before continuing on to the British West Indies. Lángara was released on parole; his career did not suffer from the defeat, and he was promoted to lieutenant general by Charles III of Spain.