Battle of La Guaira

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Battle of La Guaira
Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear
Engraving of the attack by the British fleet on La Guayra (1743)
Date 2 March 1743 Location La Guaira, Viceroyalty of New Granada present-day Venezuela Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Charles Knowles Chaloner Ogle	Gabriel de Zuloaga Mateo Gual José de Iturriaga
Strength
Land: 2,400 Sea: 8 ships of line 9 frigates, bomb vessels and fireships, 2 transports[1]	1,000
Casualties and losses
~600 killed ~1,300 total[1]	300 killed or wounded

The Battle of La Guaira or La Guayra, took place on 2 March 1743 in the Caribbean, off the coast of La Guaira, present day Venezuela. La Guaira was a port of the Royal Gipuzkoan Company of Caracas, whose ships had rendered great assistance to the Spanish navy during War of Jenkins' Ear in carrying troops, arms, stores and ammunition from Spain to her colonies, and its destruction would be a severe blow both to the Company and the Spanish Government. A British expeditionary fleet under Sir Charles Knowles was defeated, and the expedition ended in failure. 600 men were killed, among whom was the captain of HMS Burford, and many of the ships were badly damaged or lost. Knowles was therefore unable to proceed to Puerto Cabello until he had refitted.^[2]