Battle of Cape St Vincent

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The Battle of Cape St Vincent was a major 1797 naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars in which the British fleet defeated a larger Spanish force, marking an important early victory that helped establish Horatio Nelson’s fame.

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Observed surface forms (3)


Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf battle of the French Revolutionary Wars
naval battle
belligerent Royal Navy
Spanish Navy
BritishCasualties relatively light
BritishCommander Admiral Sir John Jervis
surface form: Admiral John Jervis

Horatio Nelson
surface form: Commodore Horatio Nelson
BritishShipsOfTheLine 15
capturedShips four Spanish ships of the line captured by British
careerImpact significantly advanced Horatio Nelson’s career
combatantStrength British fleet smaller than Spanish fleet
commander Horatio Nelson
John Jervis
José de Córdoba y Ramos
conflict French Revolutionary Wars
countryInvolved Great Britain
Kingdom of Spain
date 14 February 1797
followedBy Blockade of Cádiz
JervisTitle later Earl St Vincent
location Atlantic Ocean
off Cape St Vincent
off southern Portugal
NelsonRank Commodore
nickname Nelson’s Patent Bridge for Boarding First Rates
notableEvent Nelson captured San José by boarding from San Nicolás
Nelson disobeyed orders to engage the enemy more closely
Nelson led boarding of San Nicolás
notableFor British fleet defeating a larger Spanish force
early fame of Horatio Nelson
partOf War of the First Coalition
politicalEffect boosted British morale during French Revolutionary Wars
enhanced reputation of Royal Navy
precededBy Spanish entry into war against Britain in 1796
result British victory
shipInvolved HMS Captain
HMS Culloden
HMS Excellent
HMS Victory
Spanish ship San José
Spanish ship San Nicolás
SpanishCasualties significant
SpanishCommander Admiral José de Córdoba y Ramos
SpanishFlagship Santísima Trinidad
SpanishFlagshipType first-rate ship of the line
SpanishShipsOfTheLine 27
strategicEffect helped prevent Spanish–French naval coordination in the Atlantic
secured British control of sea routes off Portugal
theatre Atlantic theatre of the French Revolutionary Wars
year 1797

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

HMS Vanguard battle Battle of Cape St Vincent
this entity surface form: Battle of St Vincent
this entity surface form: Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)
subject surface form: Nelson's Column
Horatio Nelson notableBattle Battle of Cape St Vincent
HMS Victory notableEvent Battle of Cape St Vincent
this entity surface form: Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)
Edward Berry participantIn Battle of Cape St Vincent
HMS Orion participatedInBattle Battle of Cape St Vincent
HMS Goliath tookPartIn Battle of Cape St Vincent