Battle of Havana (1748)

Battle of Havana
Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear, War of the Austrian Succession
End of Knowles' action off Havana, 1 October 1748 by Samuel Scott
Date 12 October 1748 Location Caribbean Sea, near Havana, Captaincy General of Cuba Result Tactical British victory Strategically indecisive Safe passage of Spanish treasure fleet
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Charles Knowles	Andrés Reggio y Brachiforte
Strength
2 third-rates, 5 fourth-rates	2 third-rates, 4 fourth-rates, 1 frigate
Casualties and losses
59 killed and 120 wounded	1 ship captured 1 ship destroyed 1 ship heavily damaged 86 dead and 197 wounded 470 captured

The Battle of Havana was a naval engagement that took place between the British Caribbean squadron and a Spanish squadron based near Havana during the War of Jenkin's Ear. The battle occurred on the morning of the 12th and ended on the 14th October 1748. The belligerents consisted of two squadrons under the command of Admiral Don Andres Reggio of the Spanish Navy and Admiral Sir Charles Henry Knowles of the Royal Navy, respectively. The British succeeded in driving the Spanish back to their harbour after capturing the Conquistador and ran the vice-admiral's ship Africa on shore, where she was blown up by her own crew after being totally dismasted and made helpless. Although the advantage had clearly been with Knowles, he failed to use this to deliver a decisive blow. The battle was the last major action in the War of Jenkin's Ear which had merged with the larger War of the Austrian Succession.

By 1747 actions fought between Great Britain and Spain in the America's during the War of Jenkin's Ear had led to stalemate; British forces had failed to subdue any of the Spanish colonies and had lost heavy casualties as a result, while Spain had also failed to subdue any British colonies. Naval warfare did not play a significant role in the outcome of the War of Austrian Succession. There were however a few individual actions of importance. The rise to prominence of First Baron George Anson of the Royal Navy through his raiding of Spanish possessions off the West Coast of the Americas in 1740 during his circumnavigation of the globe. Britain's blockade of Toulon which effectively paralysed a combined Franco-Spanish fleet based there and also interdicted this ports potential role as a base for convoy activity until the Battle of Toulon on February 11, 1744. This battle resulted in the retirement of the blockading fleet by its commander. A planned French invasion of England was stopped by severe weather and the Royal Navy in March and April of the same year but after this naval operations were tied mainly with privateers.

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