Action of 5 October 1804

5 October 1804, Off Cape Santa María, southern Portugal

British victory; one Spanish frigate blown up and three taken with their treasure

Spain was still neutral in 1804, but under a secret treaty it was paying France a large subsidy, and Britain expected it to join the war once its treasure from America was home. Four frigates under Rear-Admiral José de Bustamante were bringing silver and gold from Montevideo to Cádiz, and Admiral Cornwallis sent Commodore Graham Moore with four frigates to stop them. On 5 October they met off Cape Santa María. Moore sent an officer across to ask Bustamante to surrender his squadron; he refused, and after a shot across Medea's bows both sides opened fire. Within ten minutes the magazine of Mercedes blew up, killing about 200 of the 240 aboard; among them were most of the family of the future Argentine leader Carlos María de Alvear, who watched from Medea with his father. Medea and Santa Clara struck within half an hour, and Lively ran down Fama that afternoon. The three ships and their cargo were worth some £900,000. Spain declared war on Britain in December.