1748 naval battle between British and Spanish squadrons in the War of Jenkins' Ear
The last major naval engagement of the War of Jenkins' Ear, fought off Havana in October 1748 between British and Spanish squadrons.
Key Facts
- Date range
- 12–14 October 1748
- British commander
- Admiral Sir Charles Knowles
- Spanish commander
- Admiral Andrés Reggio
- Spanish ship captured
- Conquistador
- Spanish ship destroyed
- Africa (blown up by own crew after dismasting)
- Conflict context
- War of Jenkins' Ear / War of the Austrian Succession
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The War of Jenkins' Ear, which had merged with the broader War of the Austrian Succession, brought British and Spanish naval forces into sustained conflict in the Caribbean. Rival squadrons operating near Havana created conditions for a direct fleet engagement as the war neared its conclusion.
On the morning of 12 October 1748, Admiral Sir Charles Knowles's British Caribbean squadron engaged Admiral Andrés Reggio's Spanish squadron off Havana. Over two days of fighting, the British captured the Spanish ship Conquistador and drove the Africa ashore, where her crew destroyed her after she was totally dismasted. The Spanish were forced back to their harbour.
Although Knowles held a clear advantage, he failed to press it for a decisive victory. The battle nonetheless stands as the final major action of the War of Jenkins' Ear, after which the wider conflict was settled by diplomacy. No further significant naval engagements followed in that theatre.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Admiral Sir Charles Knowles.
Side B
1 belligerent
Admiral Andrés Reggio.