The Battle of Toulon, also known as the Battle of Cape Sicié, took place between 21 and 22 February 1744 NS near the French Mediterranean port of Toulon. Although France was not yet at war with Great Britain, ships from their Levant Fleet combined with a Spanish force, which had been trapped in Toulon for two years, to break the blockade imposed by the British Mediterranean Fleet.
The initial engagement on 21 February was largely indecisive and the British continued their pursuit until midday on 22nd before their commander, Admiral Thomas Mathews, called off the chase. With several of his ships in need of repair, he withdrew to Menorca, which meant the Royal Navy temporarily lost control of the waters around Italy and allowed the Spanish to take the offensive against Savoy.
In his report, Mathews blamed his subordinate Richard Lestock for the failure and the issue was hotly debated in Parliament. At the subsequent court-martial, Mathews was held responsible and dismissed from the navy in June 1747, while Lestock's political connections meant he was cleared of all charges. Another seven captains were removed from command for failing to engage the enemy and the investigation led to changes that required individual captains to be far more aggressive.
Order of battle
Franco-Spanish fleet
Franco-Spanish fleet Ship Rate Guns Commander NotesVan Borée Third-rate 64 Captain Marqueu Toulouse Fourth-rate 60 Captain Dárton Tigre Fourth-rate 50 Captain Saurin Éole Third-rate 64 Captain D'Alver Alcyon Fourth-rate 56 Captain Lancel Duc D'Orléans Third-rate 68 Captain Dornés Espoir Third-rate 74 Captain D'Hericourt (Ensign of Gavaret)Centre Trident Third-rate 64 Captain Caylus Heureux Fourth-rate 60 Captain Gramier Achiléon Fourth-rate 60 Captain Vaudevil Solide Third-rate 64 Captain Chateauneuf Diamant Fourth-rate 50 Captain Manak Ferme Third-rate 70 Captain Gorgues Terrible Third-rate 74 Vice-Admiral De CourtCaptain Jonquiere Sancti Espiritus Third-rate 68 Captain Poison Sérieux Third-rate 64 Captain CahylaRear Oriente Fourth-rate 60 Captain Joaquín Villena América Fourth-rate 60 Captain Aníbal Petrucci Neptuno Fourth-rate 60 Captain Enrique Olivares Poder Fourth-rate 60 Captain Rodrigo de Urrutia Captured by the British Recaptured and scuttled by the French Constante Third-rate 70 Captain Agustín Iturriaga Badly damaged and taken under tow Real Felipe First-rate 110 Admiral Jose NavarroCaptain Nicolas Geraldino Badly damaged and taken under tow Hércules Third-rate 64 Captain Cosme Álvarez Brillante Fourth-rate 60 Captain don Blas de la Barreda Alcón Fourth-rate 60 Captain José Rentería San Fernando Third-rate 64 Count of Vegaflorida Soberbio Fourth-rate 50 Captain Juan Valdés Santa Isabel Third-rate 80 Captain Ignacio Dautevil
4 frigates, 4 fire ships
British fleet
British fleet Ship Rate Guns Commander NotesVan Third-rate 70 Captain James Lloyd Third-rate 80 Captain William Dilkes Dilkes court-martialled and dismissed, later restored Third-rate 80 Captain Rowland Frogmore Frogmore died before being court-martialled Second-rate90 Rear-Admiral William Rowley (Red)Captain Meyrick de L'Angle Damaged; 25 killed, 20 wounded Third-rate 80 Captain Henry Osborn Third-rate 70 Captain Edward Hawke 17 members of the Prize crew taken prisoner when the French recaptured the Poder Third-rate 70 Captain Thomas Cooper Third-rate 70 Captain Hon. George Townshend Fifth-rate 40 Captain John Watkins Sixth-rate 20 Captain William MarshCentre Fourth-rate 60 Captain Charles Watson Third-rate 70 Captain Edmund Williams Williams court-martialled and dismissed Third-rate 70 Captain Robert Pett Damaged; 8 killed, 20 wounded Third-rate 80 Captain George Slater Third-rate 80 Captain Hon. John Forbes Damaged; 12 killed, 25 wounded Second-rate 90 Captain James Cornewall Badly damaged; 53 killed, 138 wounded Third-rate 80 Captain George Burrish Burrish court-martialled and dismissed Third-rate 70 Captain Richard Norris Norris court-martialled and dismissed Third-rate 60 Captain John Ambrose Ambrose court-martialled and suspended for a year (Flagship) Second-rate 90 Admiral Thomas Mathews (Blue) Captain John Russell Damaged; 8 killed, 20 wounded HMS Dursley Galley Sixth-rate 20 Captain Giles Vanbrugh HMS Anne GalleyShips of the Royal Navy:The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy J. Colledge, Ben Warlow p.17 Fire ship 8 Commander James Mackie Blew up, 25 killed HMS Sutherland Hospital ship 18Lieutenant Lord ColvilleRear Fourth-rate 50 Captain Peter Osborne Fourth-rate 50 Captain Henry Godsalve Third-rate 60 Captain Charles Wager Purvis Third-rate 70 Captain George Berkeley Third-rate 80 Captain Charles Drummond Second-rate 90 Vice-Admiral Richard Lestock (White)Captain George Stepney Third-rate 80 Captain John Gascoigne Third-rate 80 Captain Robert Long Third-rate 70 Captain John Towry Third-rate 70 Captain Joshua Lingen Third-rate 60 Captain John Lovatt Fourth-rate 50 Captain Harry Powlett Third-rate 60 Captain Temple West Fire ship 8 Commander Moses Peadle
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