Action of 11 November 1779

Overview

The action of 11 November 1779 was fought between the Royal Navy frigate HMS Tartar and the Spanish Navy frigate Santa Margarita off Lisbon during the American Revolutionary War.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Action of 11 November 1779 was a single-ship engagement between HMS Tartar, commanded by Alexander Graeme, and the Spanish frigate Santa Margarita, commanded by Andrés de Viana, fought off Lisbon during the Anglo-Spanish War. The encounter took place in waters adjacent to neutral Portugal, reflecting the extension of the broader conflict into Atlantic approaches that were strategically significant for both British and Spanish naval operations. Beyond establishing that the two frigates met in combat off Lisbon, the recorded facts do not indicate a decisive outcome or document the action's effect on the wider campaign.

Commanders (2)