Battle of Cape St Vincent
1797 CE · Atlantic Ocean, off Portugal
The Battle of Cape St Vincent was fought in 1797 CE in Atlantic Ocean, off Portugal between Great Britain vs Spain; British victory over a fleet nearly twice its size.
Battle of Cape St Vincent: quick facts
- Date
- 1797 CE
- Location
- Atlantic Ocean, off Portugal
- Belligerents
- Great Britain vs Spain
- Commanders
- John Jervis, with Horatio Nelson, vs José de Córdoba
- Result
- British victory over a fleet nearly twice its size.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Cape St Vincent?
Admiral Jervis led a smaller British fleet against a larger Spanish fleet off Cape St Vincent, Portugal, during the French Revolutionary Wars. Commodore Horatio Nelson, acting on his own initiative, broke from the British line and threw his ship HMS Captain into the path of the escaping Spanish fleet. In a legendary feat of daring, Nelson boarded and captured two Spanish ships in succession, including the massive San Josef. The victory prevented Spain from joining its fleet with the French and made Nelson a national hero.
Did you know?
Nelson's unauthorized act of leaving the British line at Cape St Vincent technically violated naval regulations, but his spectacular success meant Admiral Jervis chose to praise rather than punish him.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Cape St Vincent on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.