Battle of Cape Spartel The Battle of Cape Spartel was an indecisive naval battle between a Franco - Spanish fleet under Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova and a British fleet under Admiral Richard Howe . These forces met on 20 October 1782 after Howe successfully resupplied Gibraltar , then under siege by Bourbon forces during the American War of Independence . Background . When Spain entered the American War of Independence in 1779 , one of its principal objectives was the capture of Gibraltar from Great Britain . Shortly after war was declared , forces of Spain and France began the Great Siege of Gibraltar , blockading land access to the peninsula and enacting a somewhat porous naval blockade . Britain successfully resupplied Gibraltar in both 1780 and 1781 , and recognized the need to do so again in 1782 . The matter was seen as a critical by British political and military leaders , because Spain was seeking cession of the territory in peace talks . The British Channel Fleet , which was under the command of Admiral Richard Howe , had a number of conflicting objectives to manage in the summer 1782 . In addition to protecting the English Channel from Franco - Spanish incursions , the fleet also had to deal with the possibility of Dutch action on the North Sea against the transport of critical naval supplies from the Baltic , and it was expected to protect the convoy that would resupply Gibraltar . Even though intelligence received on 25 August indicated the Dutch fleet was in port at Texel , ten ships of the line were despatched to the North Sea while the convoy for Gibraltar took shape at Spithead . These ships returned to port on 4 September . The convoy that sailed on 11 September included 35 ships of the line , a large convoy of transports destined for Gibraltar , and additional convoys destined for the East and West Indies . Admiral Howe ' s orders were to deliver the supplies to Gibraltar and then to return to England . Because of bad weather and contrary winds , the fleet destined for Gibraltar did not arrive at Cape St . Vincent until 9 October . The Franco - Spanish fleet tasked with the blockade of Gibraltar was anchored in Algeciras Bay . It consisted of 49 ships of the line , and was under the command of Spanish Admiral Luis de Córdova . The Spanish ships ( numbering 35 ) were not in good condition . On 10 October a storm wrought havoc on the allied fleet : one ship of the line was driven aground , another was sent under Gibraltar ' s guns , and a third was swept through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean . Admiral Howe met with all of his captains , and gave detailed instructions for ensuring the safe arrival of the transports . On 11 October the transports began entry into the straits , followed by covering fleet . Four transports successfully anchored at Gibraltar , but the remainder were carried by the strong currents into the Mediterranean . The fleet followed . Taking advantage of a WNW wind , de Córdova ' s fleet sailed in pursuit , while the Spanish admiral sent his smaller vessels to shadow the British . The British regrouped about 50 miles east of Gibraltar off the Spanish coast on 13 October , but sailed south toward the Moroccan coast upon the approach of the allied fleet . With a fair wind on the 15th the British reentered the straits , and successfully brought the convoy into Gibraltar between the 16th and 18th . Battle . On 19 October the allied fleet was sighted to the east of Gibraltar . Admiral Howe , seeking to avoid battle in the straits , weighed anchor and sailed west , with the allies following . Once clear of the straits , he reduced the fleet ' s sails , offering de Córdova , who held the weather gage , the option of doing battle . On the 20th , de Córdova signalled ' general chase ' , disregarding division places . The British line of battle was to starboard of the Franco - Spanish . At around 1 pm , and after Cordova ' s flagship , the 120 - gun " Santísima Trinidad " reached the centre of the combined line , both fleets were about two miles apart . The British reduced sail in order to tighten their line of battle . At 5 : 45 the van of the Franco - Spanish fleet opened fire . The British returned fire , while Howe signalled ' retreat all sail ' , making at least 14 Franco - Spanish ships redundant , among them two three - deckers . No British ships were really engaged , despite the efforts of de Córdova ' s ships , which chased the British fleet . On the 21st , both fleets were some 12 miles apart . De Córdova made repairs and was ready to resume the action . However , no battle took place the next day as Howe had sailed back to Britain in line with his orders . Aftermath . Howe succeeded in his main aim , ensuring that the convoy arrived safely , and returned to England . The success in resupplying the hard pressed garrison at Gibraltar ensured its survival at a time when British forces were suffering a demoralising succession of losses at Minorca , Florida and the West Indies . The timely resupply combined with the failed Franco - Spanish attack of 13 September on Gibraltar also greatly strengthened the British hand at peace talks begun earlier in October . British diplomats steadfastly refused to part with Gibraltar , despite offers by Spain to trade most of its gains . The sailing qualities of their ships ( in particular the use of copper sheathing ) enabled the British to decline an action . The Spanish Navy struggled to build faster ships to avoid these situations such as that of the Battle of Cape St . Vincent – the Moonlight Battle - two years before , when Rodney ' s coppered 18 - ship fleet chased down and engaged de Lángara ' s 11 - ship fleet . The Spanish Navy had been slow to begin coppering its own vessels . It was also limited by the slow speed of some of its older and heavier ships , like the " Santisima Trinidad " . Order of Battle . British ( Howe ) . 34 ships of the line ( according to Schomberg ) Franco - Spanish ( De Cordova y Cordova ) . 46 ships of the line Spanish French The following ships took no part in the action : Spanish French