Battle of the Gulf of Roses

The Battle of the Gulf of Roses, also known as action of 14 February 1795, was a minor naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars fought in the Gulf of Roses between a ship of the line of Juan de Lángara’s fleet and a French squadron of a frigate and a corvette. For orders of Lángara, the Spanish Ship of the Line Reina María Luisa of 112 guns, chased the French frigate, named Iphigenie, more than one day, forcing her to strike her colors. The corvette, which separated three days before in a storm, was supposed to be lost.^[2]

Battle of the Gulf of Roses
Part of the War of the Pyrenees
The Gulf of Roses
Date 14 February 1795 Location Off the Gulf of Roses, Mediterranean Sea 42°11′16″N 3°11′18″E Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain	France
Commanders and leaders
Juan de Lángara	Captain Guet (POW)
Strength
1 ship of the line	1 frigate
Casualties and losses
Minor	280 killed or wounded 1 frigate captured[1]
Location within Spain Show map of Spain Battle of the Gulf of Roses (France) Show map of France Battle of the Gulf of Roses (Mediterranean) Show map of Mediterranean

Several days later, on 30 March, when the Montañés of 74 guns was carrying the prize, she was attacked by a strong French squadron of eight ships of the line and two frigates which initially waved the Spanish flag.^[3] Thanks to her superior speed, she was able to reach the port of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, and after a hard fight in which she fired 1,100 cannonballs,^[4] the attacking forces were rejected with the only loss aboard the Montañés of three men killed and few wounded.^[4] The French withdrew to Menorca.

Notes

1. Marcelino p.203
2. Debrett p.39
3. Marcelino p.204
4. Marcelino p.205

References

• Debrett, John (1795). collection of State papers, relative to the war against France now carrying on by Great-Britain and the several other European powers. London: J. Debrett.
• Marcelino Travieso, José (1856). La marina: revista científica, militar, administrativa, histórica, literaria, política y de comercio. Vol. 2. Madrid: Imprenta de T. Fortanet.