San Salvador (Guipúzcoan squadron)

:"The article you are about to read is about a ship from the Spanish Armada. For other uses and places that use this name, see San Salvador (disambiguation)."

The San Salvador was a Spanish galleon of the Spanish Armada as part of the Guipúzcoan squadron.cite book
last = Milne-Tyte
first = Robert
title = Armada!
publisher = Wordsworth Editions Limited
series = Wordsworth Military Library
origyear = 1988
year = 1998
location = Great Britain
isbn = 1853266884
pages = 58 ] It was damaged and captured as a result of the first encounter of the Armada with the Royal Navy in 1588. The "San Salvador" was lost at sea in the English Channel later that same year.

Capture

During the first encounter with the English fleet on July 31, 1588, during a lull in battle, the "San Salvador"'s gunpowder magazine exploded, lighting a portion of the ship on fire. The Spanish fleet was able to extinguish the flames and rescue some of the injured. 49 crew died as a result of this explosion; 23 had died previously due to combat.cite book
last = Martin
first = Colin
coauthors = Geoffrey Parker
title = The Spanish Armada
publisher = Manchester University Press
year = 1999
isbn = 1901341143
pages = 241 ] On August 1, the "San Salvador" was ordered to be scuttled, but instead was simply set adrift.cite book
last = Milne-Tyte
first = Robert
title = Armada!
publisher = Wordsworth Editions Limited
series = Wordsworth Military Library
origyear = 1988
year = 1998
location = Great Britain
isbn = 1853266884
pages = 64 ] The English dispatched an inspection party to the "San Salvador" and found approximately fifty burnt bodies aboard. The "Golden Hind", a ship in the English fleet, then towed the "San Salvador" to the English port at Weymouth.

Significance

The "San Salvador" was one of the heaviest armed in the Spanish fleet.cite book
last = Martin
first = Colin
coauthors = Geoffrey Parker
title = The Spanish Armada
publisher = Manchester University Press
year = 1999
isbn = 1901341143
pages = 149 ] The Spanish records rate the ship at 958 tons, while the English assessment rated the ship at only 600 tons.cite book
last = Martin
first = Colin
coauthors = Geoffrey Parker
title = The Spanish Armada
publisher = Manchester University Press
year = 1999
isbn = 1901341143
pages = 206 ] These are the only numbers available for calibration of the reported vessel tonnage between the two fleets (the Spanish tended to give higher ratings). Between the "San Salvador" and the "Rosario" (another ship captured during the first encounter), the English retrieved a significant amount of cannon shot and powder. One estimate places the 229 barrels of powder captured from these two ships at one quarter the total used by the English during the entire campaign.cite book
last = Martin
first = Colin
coauthors = Geoffrey Parker
title = The Spanish Armada
publisher = Manchester University Press
year = 1999
isbn = 1901341143
pages = 197 ]

After the campaign

The "San Salvador" became known as the "Great Spaniard" to the English fleet after its capture.cite journal
last = Boddie
first = John Bennett
title = Boddie of Essex, England and Virginia
journal = William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine
volume = 14
issue = 2
pages = 114–140
month = April | year = 1934
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-5597%28193404%292%3A14%3A2%3C114%3ABOEEAV%3E2.0.CO%3B2-D
accessdate = 2007-05-20] On November 15, 1588, notice was sent to Lord Charles Howard that the "San Salvador" had been lost at sea at Studland. Twenty-three men died with the ship; thirty-four were saved by a small man-of-war.

See also

*Spanish Armada
*Galleon

References