Capture of Santa Dorothea, 15 July 1798, by Thomas Whitcombe, 1816
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History | |
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Spain | |
Name: | Santa Dorotea |
Builder: | Ferrol |
Launched: | 1775 |
Captured: | By the Royal Navy, 15 July 1798 |
UK | |
Name: | Santa Dorothea |
Acquired: | 15 July 1798 by capture |
Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Egypt" |
Fate: | Broken up in June 1814 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | 34-gun fifth-rate frigate |
Tons burthen: | 95766⁄94 (bm) |
Length: |
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Beam: | 39 ft (11.9 m) |
Depth of hold: | 12 ft (3.66 m) |
Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
Complement: | 240 |
Armament: |
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HMS Santa Dorothea was a Royal Navy 34-gun fifth rate. This frigate had previously served in the Spanish Navy under the name Santa Dorotea. Built in Spain in 1775, she served during the early years of the French Revolutionary Wars until being captured while sailing as part of a squadron off Cartagena. Taken into British service, she spent the rest of the French Revolutionary and most of the Napoleonic Wars under the white ensign, until being broken up in 1814.
Santa Dorotea was built in Ferrol in 1775. In 1798 she was assigned to a small frigate squadron under Commodore Don Felix O'Neil and departed Cartagena in company with the frigates Pomona, Proserpine and Santa Cazilda on 8 July.Santa Dorotea's captain for the expedition was Don Manuel Gerraro. Their attempts to raid shipping in the area were unsuccessful, and while returning to port at 09:00 on 15 July, the 64-gun HMS Lion, under Captain Manley Dixon, spotted them. Dixon approached the squadron, closing on Santa Dorotea, which had begun to fall behind her consorts, having lost a topmast sometime earlier. Realizing that Manley was attempting to cut off and engage Santa Dorotea, O'Neil ordered the front three frigates to turn around and sail to her defence. They passed close to Lion, commencing fire at 11:15.Lion replied, and O'Neil made two further attempts to distract Lion, while Santa Dorotea tried to damage her pursuer with her stern guns. The Spanish broadsides had no real effect, and Dixon was able to come alongside and exchange broadsides with Santa Dorotea.
Lion outgunned Santa Dorotea by nearly two to one and was able rapidly to inflict severe damage on her. Within minutes her mizzenmast had fallen and her mainmast and rudder were severely battered. O'Neil gave up attempting to relieve the beleaguered Santa Dorotea and made for Cartagena at 13:10. Isolated and unable to escape, Gerraro surrendered.Santa Dorotea had been badly damaged with at least 20 men killed and 32 wounded from a crew of 371. Lion had lost just two men wounded in the exchange: a seaman lost a leg and a midshipman was shot in the shoulder. Although Lion{{'""s rigging had been badly torn, there was no structural damage at all. Securing his prize, Dixon spent the next day conducting extensive repairs before sending Santa Dorotea to Earl St Vincent off Cadiz.