Battle off Cape Palos

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle off Cape Palos
partof=Barbary Wars


caption=
partof=Second Barbary War
date=June 19, 1815
place=off Cape Palos, Mediterranean sea
result=Decisive American victory
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2= N/A
strength1=1 sloop
1 brigantine
2 schooners
strength2=1 brig
casualties1=none
casualties2=1 brig captured, 1 small boat sunk
80 POW
23 KIA
several wounded
The Battle off Cape Palos was the second last battle of the Second Barbary War. The battle began when an American squadron under Stephen Decatur attacked and captured an Algerian brig.

Background

After capturing the Algerian flagship Meshuda and sending her to Cartagena under the escort of USS Macedonian, Stephen Decatur and his squadron continued on there way towards Algiers. On June 19, 1815 the Estedio, a 22 gun Algerian brig, was sighted.

Battle

Decatur began pursuit of the Algerians and chased them into shoal waters near the coast of Spain off Cape Palos. Fearing that his larger vessels might get beached he sent the smaller vessels in his squadron the USS Epervier, USS Spark, USS Torch, and USS Spitfire to deal with the brig. Here the vessels fought a short engagement lasting a half an hour before the Algerians began to abandon their vessel and surrender. As the Estedio crewmembers began to flee towards the cape in the ships boats, the American vessels began firing upon the boats and sunk one. The remaining 80 crew on the Estedio surrendered. Besides the eighty captured the Estedio lost at least 23 men killed.

Aftermath

After the battle the Estedio was taken to Cartagena and interned, being returned to Algiers at the end of the war. Decatur's squadron regrouped and continued on its way to Algiers to force the dey to terms.

ources

http://books.google.com/books?id=-FtRftnUcAoC&pg=PA140&dq=estedio&sig=lxDxUnEn34FN1pIcYKVh83n6v58#PPA140,M1
http://books.google.com/books?id=sRWhmVTnndoC&pg=PA104&dq=estedio&sig=DHvwg7twUzcdWezWSp7fUQAnt_g#PPA104,M1