Battle off Cape Gata

Overview

The Battle off Cape Gata, which took place June 17, 1815, off the south-east coast of Spain, was the first battle of the Second Barbary War. A squadron of U.S. vessels, under the command of Stephen Decatur Jr., met and engaged the flagship of the Algerine Navy, the frigate Meshuda under Admiral Hamidou. After a sharp action, Decatur's squadron captured the Algerine frigate and won a decisive victory over the Algerines.

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

Significance

The Battle off Cape Gata opened the Second Barbary War and immediately set its tone. Decatur's squadron intercepted and captured the Meshuda, flagship of the Algerine Navy under Admiral Hamidou, off the south-east coast of Spain on June 17, 1815. The swift capture of the enemy's principal warship in the war's first engagement handed the United States a commanding early position in the conflict, removing Algiers's most prominent naval asset at the outset of the campaign. Algerian casualties numbered 406, underscoring the completeness of the defeat. The outcome demonstrated that American naval force could operate decisively in Mediterranean waters against the Barbary states, establishing the terms on which the rest of the war would proceed.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)