Capture of Vigo and Pontevedra

Capture of Vigo and Pontevedra
Part of War of the Quadruple Alliance

Present day view of Fort Castro in Vigo which was captured by the British in 1719
Date10 October 1719
Location
Galicia, Spain
Result

British victory

Belligerents
 Great Britain Spain
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Great Britain Lord Cobham
Kingdom of Great Britain James Mighels
Kingdom of Great Britain George Wade		 Spain Fadrique González de Soto
Strength
1 ship of the line
3 frigates
8 bomb vessels and
fire-ships
4,000 soldiers[1]		 3 Forts
~1,000 soldiers & militia
Casualties and losses
300 casualties, sick or dead to disease[2] Vigo
300 killed or wounded,
468 captured
7 ships captured or burned
Pontevedra
200 surrendered[3]

The capture of Vigo and Pontevedra (also known as the British expedition to Vigo and Pontevedra) occurred in October 1719 during the War of the Quadruple Alliance when a British expedition made a descent on the Spanish coast.[4] They then captured the settlements of Vigo, Redondela and Pontevedra after some resistance, which they occupied for ten days destroying or capturing a vast haul of military stores before withdrawing.[5][6]

  1. ^ Fernández Duro, Cesáreo (1902). Armada española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y de León, tomo VI. Sucesores de Rivadeneyra. Sucesores de Rivadeneyra. p. 170.
  2. ^ "No. 5792". The London Gazette. 20 October 1719. p. 1.
  3. ^ Campbell, John (1812). Lives of the British Admirals: Containing Also a New and Accurate Naval History, from the Earliest Periods, Volume 4 Lives of the British Admirals: Containing Also a New and Accurate Naval History, from the Earliest Periods. C. J. Barrinton. pp. 385–88.
  4. ^ Rodger p. 229.
  5. ^ Francis pp 31-33
  6. ^ Dalton, Charles (1912). George The First's Army 1714~1727 -- Volume 2. Oxford University. p. 7.