Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor was small battle in 1800 between a French
privateer
, a Spanish
fort and the United States Navy
during the undeclared Quasi War between France and the United States
.
In early May 1800, Captain
Silas Talbot
organized a naval expedition to Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo
. His object was to harass French
shipping around the colony
of their Spanish ally. After capturing the small French sloop Sally, the USS Constitution
arrived at Puerto Plata. A French corvette
was seen at anchor in the harbor.
Unwilling to take fire from Spanish defenses, the USS Constitution sailed around to a beach
, out of the Spanish forts range
. There she off loaded a landing force of about 100 marines and sailors
. The landing party then marched on the Sandwich while the prize sloop Sally was sent in to attack by way of sea. No doubt shocked at the approaching American force, the French hardly put up a fight and the Sandwich was captured. Then the Americans turned their attention on Fortaleza San Felipe
, which had been taking pot shots at the Americans since they came into range. After another brief fight, the Spanish defenses were overrun and the marines spiked the fort's cannon
.
With the capture of the Sandwich, and the assault on the Spanish fort, U.S. forces returned to their ships, and sailed home. The Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor was one of the few land battles during the Quasi War. Detailed casualties of the engagement are unknown; what is known is that not many people became casualties that day.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fort and the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the undeclared Quasi War between France and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In early May 1800, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Silas Talbot
Silas Talbot
Silas Talbot was an officer in the Continental Army and in the Continental Navy. Talbot is most famous for commanding the USS Constitution from 1798 to 1801.-Biography:...
organized a naval expedition to Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo
Colony of Santo Domingo
The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo was the first Spanish colony in the New World, and later became the Dominican Republic. Originally known as "La Española", the colony was organized as the Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1511. After years of struggles with the French, the Spanish remained...
. His object was to harass French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
shipping around the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of their Spanish ally. After capturing the small French sloop Sally, the USS Constitution
USS Constitution
USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest floating commissioned naval vessel...
arrived at Puerto Plata. A French corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
was seen at anchor in the harbor.
Unwilling to take fire from Spanish defenses, the USS Constitution sailed around to a beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
, out of the Spanish forts range
Range of a projectile
right|thumb|250 px|The path of this projectile launched from a height y0 has a range d.In physics, assuming a flat Earth with a uniform gravity field, a projectile launched with specific initial conditions will have a predictable range. As in Trajectory of a projectile, we will use:The following...
. There she off loaded a landing force of about 100 marines and sailors
Sailors
Sailors is the plural form of Sailor, or mariner.Sailors may also refer to:*Sailors , a 1964 Swedish film*Ken Sailors , American basketball playerSports teams*Erie Sailors, baseball teams in Pennsylvania, USA...
. The landing party then marched on the Sandwich while the prize sloop Sally was sent in to attack by way of sea. No doubt shocked at the approaching American force, the French hardly put up a fight and the Sandwich was captured. Then the Americans turned their attention on Fortaleza San Felipe
Fortaleza San Felipe
Fortaleza San Felipe is a historic Spanish fortress located in the north of Dominican Republic in the province of Puerto Plata. Is also known as El Morro de San Felipe and was used to protect the City of Puerto Plata from pirates and corsairs...
, which had been taking pot shots at the Americans since they came into range. After another brief fight, the Spanish defenses were overrun and the marines spiked the fort's cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
.
With the capture of the Sandwich, and the assault on the Spanish fort, U.S. forces returned to their ships, and sailed home. The Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor was one of the few land battles during the Quasi War. Detailed casualties of the engagement are unknown; what is known is that not many people became casualties that day.