Battle of Maguelone | |||||||
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Part of the Peninsular War | |||||||
A painting of Robuste by Antoine Roux | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United Kingdom | France | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Cuthbert Collingwood | François-André Baudin | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
15 ships of the line 5 frigates |
3 ships of the line 2 frigates Several transport ships | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2 ships of the line scuttled |
The Battle of Maguelone was a naval engagement which occurred on 25 October 1809 during the Peninsular War between a French Imperial Navy squadron of three ships of the line and two frigates and a six-ship squadron of the British Royal Navy. In a running battle, the French squadron covered the retreat of a convoy they were escorting and attempted to escape from the British by sailing in shallow waters close to the shore of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone. After two French ships of the line ran aground, their crews evacuated and scuttled them after removing valuable equipment, including the cannons onboard. The remaining ships of the French squadron then escaped to Toulon. A British cutting out party subsequently attacked the convoy off Roses, Girona on 1 November, destroying most of it and capturing three ships.