User:Ficaia/List of sea fights involving Barbary corsairs

The Barbary corsairs were pirates and privateers who operated out of the Barbary states of north-west Africa, seizing merchant ships and launching raids (razzias) on European coastal towns and villages in quest of slaves and plunder, often under the aegis of the Ottoman Empire. Their reign began during the period of Ottoman expansion into North Africa in the 16th century and reached a high point in the early-to-mid-17th century, before declining in the face of the increasingly sophisticated and well-armed European ship of the line. Barbary corsairs fought numerous armed engagements with European merchant and military ships and raided settlements as far afield as Italy and Iceland. The following is a descriptive list of such engagements for which details survive.

Mentioned in British primary sources

Year	Engagements	Notes
1518	Charles V, King of Spain, afterwards Holy Roman Emperor, yielded to the request of Diego de Córdoba, Marquess of Comares, the beleaguered Spanish governor of Oran, despatching ten thousand veterans to permanently defeat the corsair presence there. Uruj Barbarossa was then stationed at Tilimsan with only 1,500 men, and when the Spanish hosts drew near he made a bolt by night for Algiers, taking his Turks and his treasure with him. The news soon reached the Spanish scouts, and the Marquis gave hot pursuit. A river with steep banks lay in the corsairs’ path and offered a chance of escape. Uruj scattered his jewels and gold behind him, hoping to delay the Spaniards; but Comares trampled over everything, and came up with the Turkish rear when but half their force had crossed the river. Their leader was already safe on the other side, but the cries of his rear-guard brought him back. He recrossed the fatal stream and threw himself into the fray. Hardly a Turk or a Moor escaped, but fought to the last.
1519	Hayreddin Barbarossa was appointed Ottoman Beglerbeg (Governor-General) of Algiers, and invested with the insignia of office, the horse and scimitar and horsetail-banner. Sultan Selim sent a guard of two thousand Janissaries to his viceroy’s aid, and offered special inducements to such of his subjects as would pass westward to Algiers and help to strengthen the Corsair’s authority. He reinforced his garrisons along the coast, at Meliana, Shershel, Tinnis, and Mustaghanim, and struck up alliances with the Arab tribes of the interior. A Spanish armada of some fifty men-of-war and transports, including eight galleys-royal, under the command of Admiral Don Hugo de Moncada, landed an army of veterans on the Algerine strand: they were driven back in confusion and many were destroyed in a storm.
1612	In Alexandria, Scottish traveller William Lithgow embarked as a passenger in a Slavonian ship coming from Ragusa, bound for Malta and Sicily. During the course of the voyage, seventeen of the mariners died, as did the four French pilgrims who had accompanied Lithgow from Cairo, and during the passage their ship was five times assailed by the "Cursares and Pyrats of Tunnis and Biserta", but they themselves were well provided with "good munition", "skilfull, martiall, and resolute Ragusans" and a "gallant ship" of 600 tonnes burthen carrying 28 pieces of ordnance, "two of them brazen", and 80 sailors, beside 9 merchants and passengers. "The greatnesse of our ship did more terrifie the roguish Runagats, then any violent defence we made: for they durst never set on us, unlesse they had beene three together; and yet we little regarded them, in respect of our long reaching Ordonance, and expert Gunners".
1620	In October, a squadron of six ships of war, and twelve hired ships, under the command in chief of Sir Robert Mansel, vice-admiral of England, sailed from Plymouth on an expedition to Algiers. By negotiation, forty Christian slaves were recovered. In the spring of 1621, this squadron, reinforced from England, attempted but largely failed to destroy the Algerine shipping in the harbour.
1661	Princess Katherine of Braganza, daughter of John, King of Portugal, was affianced to Charles II, and it was arranged that, as part of her dowry, she should bring to him the town and port of Tangier, on the coast of Marocco, and the town and islands of Bombay. To take possession of the former, James Ley, Earl of Marlborough was despatched from England in command of a small squadron. The Earl of Sandwich was commissioned to take the former from the Portuguese; but as, at the time, there were differences pending with the Algerines, on account of their long standing piratical practices, Sandwich was entrusted with a more powerful force, and was directed to endeavour to pacify Algier before proceeding to Tangier. Sandwich, accompanied by Sir John Lawson as second in command, sailed from England on 19 June with eighteen men-of-war and two fireships; and on 29 July, he appeared before Algier. Negotiations were begun; but they were presently broken off, and the Algerines fired on the fleet. The English Admiral, whose ships suffered badly in their masts and rigging, quickly came to the conclusion that the forts were too strong for him, and, leaving Lawson to blockade the port, proceeded to Tangier, where, having landed a garrison, he installed the Earl of Peterborough as the first English governor.
1662–1664	Lawson, who had been recalled to England, returned to the Mediterranean in 1662 to resume negotiations with the pirates, as well of Tunis and Tripoli as of Algier. At Algier he succeeded in redeeming a number of slaves; but, when he demanded the restoration of certain goods that had been seized, the Dey would have nothing further to say to him, and declared war. Lawson almost immediately took an Algerine pirate of 34 guns and 260 men, but before he was able to do more, he was recalled to England, Captain Thomas Allin, with local rank as admiral, and with his flag in the Plymouth, superseding him in the command of the station.
1666	In February, Captain Henry Osgood, of the Fox, 14 guns, being stationed in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar for the repression of piracy, found a large Algerine lying under a fort at Argilla, and after a hard eight-hour fight succeeded in cutting her out, with a loss of one man.
1669	Sir Thomas Allin, having quitted Algier, returned to England early in 1669, calling on his way upon the Dey, from whom he received renewed assurances that the provisions of the treaty would be observed. But as soon as Allin was clear of the Straits, the Algerines began afresh their depredations; so that, before he had been three months in England, Sir Thomas, with his flag in the Resolution, and with eighteen men-of-war, besides fireships and small craft, under his orders, was again despatched to the Mediterranean. He sailed from Plymouth on 22 July, arrived off Algier on 6 August, and, finding the Dey intractable, set at once about making reprisals. In the course of these, several actions were fought by detached English ships: On 7 September, Captain John Berry, of the Pearl, with the Portland and Nonsuch in sight, engaged the Algerine ship Gilt Lime Tree, 36 guns, and eventually, being assisted by his consorts, drove her ashore and burnt her. On 28 December, as the Mary Rose, a third-rate, carrying forty-eight guns, with a crew of 230 men, commanded by Captain John Kempthorn, was convoying a fleet of merchant ships through the Straits of Gibraltar, seven large Algerine corsairs, full of men, stood towards her. Captain Kempthorn ordered the convoy to make sail, while he, single-handed, advanced to engage the foe. The fighting continued into the following day, as the Algerines attacked the Mary Rose with much fury, and boarded her; but were beaten off with considerable loss. The convoy reached Cádiz in safety.
1670	Allin was, at his own request, replaced by Sir Edward Spragge as commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet. In July, being off Cape de Gata, the Advice, Captain Benjamin Young, and the Guernsey, Captain Argentine Allington, fell in with seven Algerine men-of-war, two of which mounted fifty-six guns each, and not one less than forty. The two English ships defended their merchantmen during part of two days; and, late in the afternoon of the second day, the corsairs drew off, having taken nothing. Both Young and Allington fell in engagement. The Advice also had seven sailors killed and fifteen wounded. In or about July, the Holmes, Captain Henry Clark, drove ashore two Salletines, and chased a third into her port. In the latter part of the year, Captain Clark was again particularly active and successful: On 5 October, he engaged a corsair off Sallee, and drove ashore and destroyed a prize which she had in company. On 14 October, he engaged two more large Salletines and a prize belonging to them. After ten hours' hot action, one of the pirates and the prize ran ashore, where they capsized. The remaining pirate anchored close in shore, and was there cannonaded, until night came on and she was able to escape. In this fight, Clark, who had two men killed and ten wounded, expended all his ammunition except ten rounds. In the latter part of the year, Commodore Richard Beach, who was second in command up the Straits of Gibraltar, co-operated efficaciously with the Dutch naval officer Willem Joseph van Ghent on several occasions: On 17 August, van Ghent on his flagship Spiegel, supported by English ships under Beach, captured and burnt six Algerine privateers, of from twenty-eight to thirty-four guns apiece, and freed many Christian slaves. Numerous other vessels were at various times driven ashore. On 14 December, Spragge, having his flag in the Revenge, was cruising off Formentera in company with the Little Victory shireship, 12 guns, Captain Leonard Harris, when he sighted three sail, two of which were Algerine men-of-war, and the remaining one of which was their prize. Spragge disguised his ship in hopes that the Algerines would allow her to come up with them; but in vain. The pirates saw through his device, and the Revenge was a heavy sailer. For three days the chase continued. During that period Spragge transferred a hundred of his men and some extra ammunition to the Little Victory, which, by means of her sweeps, at length overhauled one of the pirates, a ship of twenty-eight guns, and then so impeded her that the Revenge was ultimately able to prevent her escape. She ran herself ashore; but was boarded, and got off undamaged. The other ships, having previously parted company, were no more seen.
1671	x x
1672	Sir Edward Spragge continued in command of the squadron employed in suppressing the depredations of the corsairs. In 1672 Commodore Richard Beach, of the Monmouth, one of Spragge's squadron, captured a very larger pirate, mounting forty guns, and carrying 350 men. Commodore Beach was particularly successful while on this station, and fought many desperate actions with Algerine ships. This continued series of disasters had the desired effect; the Algerines rose upon and assassinated the dey, and elected another in his stead, who made peace with the English. Towards the end of April, having received intelligence that a squadron of Algerine corsairs was lying in Bugia Bay, Sir Edward Spragge, commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet, determined on attacking them. The expedition was however delayed till 2 May, when the boats of the fleet, commanded by Lieutenant Dominick Nugent, proceeded on this service, but owing to the premature ignition of one of the fire-ships, the attack failed. On 8 May, a second attempt was made, in which Captain Leonard Harris, commanding the Little Victory fire-ship, and Captains John Pearce and Edward Finn, commanding divisions of boats, distinguished themselves. The fleet, taking advantage of a breeze of wind, stood close in to the batteries and opened fire, and although the corsairs were protected by a strong boom and secured in the best manner from injury, yet the first was destroyed after much labour by the boats, and a fireship well directed being sent in among them, the whole, numbering ten ships, mounting from thirty-four to twenty-four guns, were totally destroyed. On the part of the English, seventeen men were killed and forty-one wounded.
1677	On 19 January, the 26-gun ship Guernsey, Captain James Harman, engaged the White Horse, Algerine ship-of-war, of fifty guns and 500 men. The crew of the Guernsey numbered only 110; but the action was continued with much determination. At length the Algerine, taking advantage of the Guernsey's disabled state, sheered off and escaped. Captain Harman received three musket-balls in his body, and also a severe contusion from a cannon-shot. He retained the command, however, until from exhaustion he sank upon his ship's deck, and three days afterwards expired. The loss of the Guernsey in the action was nine killed and many were wounded. Lieutenant John Harris, who ably supported his commander, was promoted in the month of August following. On 28 October, the galley-frigates Charles and James, Captains Thomas Hamilton and George Canning, engaged a large Algerine ship of war in Tangiers Bay. The action was desperate, and Captain Canning fell, and the Algerine was not captured until nearly the whole of her crew had been either killed or wounded.
1678	On 1 April, the 64-gun ship Rupert, Commodore Arthur Herbert, having in company the Mary, Captain Roger Strickland, brought to action the Tiger, a large Algerine war ship of forty guns and 400 men. The Rupert being much in advance of the Mary, engaged the Tiger alone; but the Algerine was stoutly defended, and until the Mary had arrived up, refused to surrender. The Tiger lost one-half of her crew before she struck. Captain Herbert (afterwards Lord Torrington) lost an eye, and nearly all his officers and nineteen men were killed, and between thirty and forty wounded.
1680	On 12 April, the Hampshire frigate, Captain Edward Pinn, engaged four Algerine ships of war between Tangier and Tarifia, capturing the Calabash of twenty-eight guns and a numerous crew. The 40-gun ship Adventure, Captain William Booth, heaving in sight, the other three Algerines made sail and escaped. The Hampshire had three men killed and nine wounded. Thirty Christian prisoners were found on board the prize.
1681	On 8 April the 40-gun ship Adventure, Captain William Booth, fell in with the Algerine ship of war Golden Horse, mounting forty-six guns, and commanded by Morat Rais, a notorious Dutch renegade. The crew of the Golden Horse comprised 508 Moors and ninety Christian slaves. At 2 a.m. the action commenced, and was continued at intervals till 3 p.m., when Morat Rais, having had his leg broken, discontinued the action. Just at this time, however, a large ship hove in sight under Turkish colours, which encouraged the Algerine to recommence the action, and it was prosecuted till night. Captain Booth considering it probable he would be attacked in the night by the stranger, gave orders to a fire-ship in company to burn either the Algerine he had been engaging, or the one then closing with him; but the fire-ship missed the objects, and at daylight the stranger was seen under English colours, and proved to be the 40-gun ship Nonsuch, Captain Francis Wheeler. The Golden Horse, being dismasted, then surrendered, having six feet of water in the hold, and 109 of her crew killed, and 120 wounded. In the middle of May, Captain Morgan Kempthorn, in the 42-gun ship Kingfisher, brought to action seven Algerine corsairs in the Mediterranean. The Algerines closed round the Kingfisher, and made several desperate attempts to board. Captain Kempthorn being supported by his officers and crew, resisted their fierce assaults, and received his death-wound while encouraging his men. The command then devolved on Lieutenant Balph Wrenn, who continued the defence of the ship, and the Algerines were at length driven from their object with great slaughter. The Kingfisher, besides her captain, had eight killed and thirty-eight wounded. Lieutenant Wrenn was immediately promoted, and appointed to command the 40-gun ship Nonsuch.
1685	On 12 June, Captain Thomas Lighton, of the Lark frigate, having under his orders the Greyhound, Captain Randall Macdonald, and Bonaventure, acting commander Stafford Fairborne, arrived off the bar of the Mamora river, in which were observed two large Sallee rovers. In consequence of some information respecting them, Captain Lighton determined to attempt their capture by boats, and Captain Macdonald was intrusted with the command of the expedition. At 8 p.m. the boats of the three ships proceeded on the service, and although the attack was expected and the boats were exposed to a severe fire from the batteries and shipping, Captain Macdonald boarded the Sallee ships, one mounting thirty-six the other twenty-six guns, and set them on fire. The British loss was one man killed and five wounded. Four Christian slaves were liberated.
1716	The piratical states being again on the alert and committing piracies, Vice-Admiral John Baker, commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, cruised against them. But the Sallee rovers for a time continued their depredations with impunity, owing to their drawing little water, which enabled them to evade the British cruisers. In October, Captain Arthur Delgarno, of the 20-gun ship Hind, fell in with one of their largest, a ship of twenty-four guns, which he engaged for two hours and a half, and compelled to strike. The vessel sank with all her crew immediately after surrendering. The Bridgewater destroyed another, mounting eight guns.
1797	On 31 January, the 32-gun frigate Andromache, Captain John M. Mansfield, having run far ahead of a squadron of frigates, under Lord Garlies, in the Lively, cruising off Tangiers, came up with a frigate, which, on being hailed, answered in Spanish, and the Andromache then opened fire. After forty minutes' close action, the stranger, having failed in several attempts to board, in which she lost a great many men, hauled down her colours. She proved to be an Algerine, about the same force as the Andromache, and had taken the latter for a Portuguese frigate. The British ship had three men killed and six wounded. The Algerine's loss amounted to sixty-six killed and fifty wounded.

Bibliography

• Allen, Joseph (1852). Battles of the British Navy. Vol. 1. London: H. G. Bohn. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Baker, Thomas (1989). Pennell, C. R. (ed.). Piracy and Diplomacy in Seventeenth-Century North Africa: The Journal of Thomas Baker, English Consul in Tripoli, 1677-1685. United States of America. ISBN 978-0-8386-3302-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Campbell, John (1812). Yorke, Henry Redhead (ed.). Lives of the British Admirals. Vol. 2 (New ed.). London: C. J. Barrington.
• Clowes, Wm. Laird (1898). The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to Present. Vol. 2. London: S. Low, Marston & Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• James, William (1837). The Naval History of Great Britain. Vol. 2. London: Richard Bentley.
• Lithgow, William (1632). The Totall Discourse Of the Rare Aduentures and painefull Peregrinations of long nineteene Yeares Trauayles, from Scotland, to the most Famous Kingdomes in Europe, Asia, and Affrica (facsimile ed.). London: Nicholas Okes.
• Lane-Poole, Stanley; Kelley, J. D. J. (1890). The Barbary Corsairs. The Story of the Nations. London: T. Fisher Unwin. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.