Action of 8 May 1744
Encyclopedia
The Action of 8 May 1744 was a minor naval engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession
in which two French ships of the line, the Content of 60 guns, and the Mars of 64, captured the British ship of the line HMS Northumberland
, after a desperate action by the latter of 4 hours. Watson, captain of the British ship and the 2d Lieutenant, among several other men were killed.
Watson, Instead of signalling the force of the ships in sight to the vice-admiral, continued standing towards them under full sail, and was soon out of sight of his own fleet. The French ships were much separated; and at 5h. P. M. having arrived up with the stern most, which proved to be the Mars, that ship opened a heavy fire upon the Northumberland, which was immediately returned with vigour. But Captain Watson, whose bravery must ever be considered to have ranked higher than his discretion, instead of continung to engage the Mars, pushed on and endeavoured to close the Content also; maintaining all the time, a running action with the Mars.
When the French ship Content approached, a most furious battle took place. After nine hours of fighting by the Northumberland was rendered wholly unmanageable, and having had her wheel knocked to pieces, the ship flew up into the wind. At the same time Captain Watson was mortally wounded; and the master of the ship, who was later court-martialled, struck the British colours.
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
in which two French ships of the line, the Content of 60 guns, and the Mars of 64, captured the British ship of the line HMS Northumberland
HMS Northumberland (1705)
HMS Northumberland was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard and launched in 1705.She was rebuilt twice during her career, firstly at Woolwich Dockyard, where she was reconstructed according to the 1719 Establishment and relaunched on 13 July 1721...
, after a desperate action by the latter of 4 hours. Watson, captain of the British ship and the 2d Lieutenant, among several other men were killed.
Action
On 8th May, Sir Charles Hardy's squadron cruising off Berlengas discovered a sail in the northward, and the Northumberland was ordered to chase in that direction. The enemy sail was made out by the Northumberland to be a French ship of the line, and to be accompanied by two other ships; one of 60, and the other a frigate.Watson, Instead of signalling the force of the ships in sight to the vice-admiral, continued standing towards them under full sail, and was soon out of sight of his own fleet. The French ships were much separated; and at 5h. P. M. having arrived up with the stern most, which proved to be the Mars, that ship opened a heavy fire upon the Northumberland, which was immediately returned with vigour. But Captain Watson, whose bravery must ever be considered to have ranked higher than his discretion, instead of continung to engage the Mars, pushed on and endeavoured to close the Content also; maintaining all the time, a running action with the Mars.
When the French ship Content approached, a most furious battle took place. After nine hours of fighting by the Northumberland was rendered wholly unmanageable, and having had her wheel knocked to pieces, the ship flew up into the wind. At the same time Captain Watson was mortally wounded; and the master of the ship, who was later court-martialled, struck the British colours.