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BATTLE // July 22, 1797

Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

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Overview

The Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was an amphibious assault by the Royal Navy on the Spanish port city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Launched by Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson on 22 July 1797, the assault was defeated, and on 25 July the remains of the landing party withdrew under a truce, having lost several hundred men. Nelson himself had been wounded in the arm, which was subsequently partially amputated: a stigma that he carried to his grave as a constant reminder of his failure.

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

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Great Britain4,000
    medium
  • Spain1,700
    medium

Great Britain fielded a 2.4 : 1 numerical advantage

Casualties

  • Royaume de Grande-Bretagne123–300
    medium
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (2)

Great Britain

Spain

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Related

4 sibling battles · 4 factions

Last verified June 2026
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