Action of 26 May 1789

The action of 26 May 1789 was a minor naval engagement fought off Algiers, Mediterranean Sea, in which a small Portuguese division, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, spotted an Algerian xebec accompanied by a captured French ship, the Le Désir, of which he was forced to abandon and flee, pursued by the Portuguese brigantine Lebre.

Action of 26 May 1789
Date 26 May[1] (or beginning of June)[2] 1789 Location Off Algiers, Mediterranean Sea 36°45′14″N 3°3′32″E Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Portugal	Algiers
Commanders and leaders
José Breyner	Unknown
Strength
1 ship of the line 1 frigate 1 brigantine	1 xebec 2 galleys 4 launches 1 captured ship
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1 captured ship lost

Background

The Strait Squadron was a squadron which almost annually was sent by the Portuguese Navy to patrol the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, organized in 1520 by King Manuel I of Portugal, escorting and protecting Portuguese and allied ships in the region from enemies, especially Barbary pirates.

On 18 April 1789, the Strait Squadron, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, departed from Lisbon, it was constituted by one ship of the line, two frigates, two brigantines and one cutter.^[1][2][3] Those were:^[2][3]

Name	Type	Guns	Commander
Nossa Senhora da Conceição	Ship of the line (Flagship)	90 guns	Capitão de mar e guerra Joaquim José dos Santos, carried coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner
Nossa Senhora da Vitória	Frigate	48 guns	Capitão de mar e guerra Manuel da Cunha Souto Maior
Nossa Senhora da Graça	Frigate	46 guns	Capitão de mar e guerra Paulo José da Silva da Gama
Galgo	Brigantine	20 guns	Capitão-tenente Herculano José de Barros
Lebre	Brigantine	24 guns	Capitão-tenente Daniel Thompson
Coroa	Cutter	20 guns	Capitão-tenente Mateus Pereira de Campos

In May,^[1] or in the beginning of June,^[2] a division of the Strait Squadron, constituted by the ship of the line Nossa Senhora da Conceição, of 90 guns, by one of the frigates and by the brigantine Lebre, of 24 guns, went to cross to the vicinity of Algiers.^[1][2]

Action

Shortly afterwards, they found an Algerian xebec of 26 guns who returned to the base accompanied by a French ship, the Le Désir, which he had seized.^[1][2][4] Immediately attacked by the Portuguese ships, he was forced to let go of his prey and flee to Algiers pursued by the Lebre.^[1][2] The Algerian xebec took refuge along the coast under the shelter of the fortresses.^[2] After a few hours of exchanging fire, with no possibility of approaching the xebec, given the shallow water depth in the area and the arrival of two galleys and four launches from Algiers, the Portuguese ended up withdrawing.^[2]

Aftermath

The French ship was sent to Lisbon, under the escort of the Lebre,^[2] and then handed over to the consul of France.^[1] He entered Lisbon on 15^[4] (or 19) June, and left it again on 24 June, towards the Strait of Gibraltar.^[2][4]

See also

• Action of 27 May 1802