Battle of Cape Torrachia

The Battle of Cape Torrachia was a naval battle that took place during the Bonaventurian Wars on March 29, 1806 between the Antargentine Armada and naval forces of the Fifth Coalition. The battle resulted in an Coalition victory.

### Overview

During the spring and summer of 1806, the War of the Fifth Coalition got underway as Liotain, Firocco, and Celtica gathered their forces to prepare for an invasion of Antargentina. As part of the Coalition's preparations, the Liotainians planned to land an army in Valpo to establish a foothold in the center of Antargentine territory. In order to accomplish this invasion, they needed to knock out the smaller Antargentine battle fleet based in Navarro.

Although the Antargentine fleet had taken possession of captured ships from Pictfearr and Eirenn, their own native fleet had been trapped inside the Gulf of Argent and Nestorian Sea by the combined Firoccan and Liotainian navies. Nevertheless, they retained nine ships-of-the-line based in Navarro and three more in Bascanet. Additionally, during Bonaventura's invasion of Celtica, the Armada Antargentina captured six ships-of-the-line in the Celtican port city of Mena.

Anticipating the Coalition's moves, Antargentina's ranking admiral Juan de la Torre ordered the captured Celtican ships manned and moved to join with the Bascanet Squadron, which in turn would move north to rendezvous with the fleet in Navarro. This task was handed to Admiral de la Torre's stepbrother, Inigo Ragusa.

Preparations for the removal of the Celtican ships became clear to the Liotainian coastal forces based in Eletrinai. The Royal Liotainian Navy began assembling a force to continue both their distant blockade on Navarro as well as intercept Ragusa's fleet before it could reach Navarro. The Firoccan Navy, eager to contribute to the fight, wanted to handle the task themselves, but only could assemble a force of three ships-of-the-line. The Liotainians added another six ships, with the Coalition fleet falling under the overall command of Admiral Martinaitis.

The Coalition squadron attempted to intercept the six ships en route from Mena to Bascanet, but the Antargentine fleet slipped past them at night and successfully reached Bascanet on March 14th. The fleet left again on March 27th and moved steadily up the Gulf of Argent, unaware that they were trailed by the Coalition fleet.

### Order of Battle

#### Coalition Fleet

* 6 Liotainian ships-of-the-line
* 3 Firoccan ships-of-the-line

### Action

As Ragusa steered southeast to pass Cape Torrachia in Valpo, his fleet was forced closer to the Liotainian coast. Martinaitis, having been foiled in two earlier ambush attempts, waited here with his fleet. Having extensive local knowledge, Martinaitis knew the prevailing winds blew from the west in the morning, and expected that Ragusa would attempt to use it to slip past Cape Torrachia in the pre-dawn hours, when they were at their greatest moment of risk.

The Coalition fleet spotted the Antargentine ships shortly before dawn on the 29th. Ragusa immediately tried to turn around and return to Porto San Leo, but the west wind no longer allowed him to do this. Three of his ships were stuck in irons for nearly ten minutes as they attempted to turn. With the dual threat of the nearby coast and the Coalition fleet, Ragusa finally decided to turn around and fight.

Ragusa's hesitation cost his fleet the opportunity to clear the cape before the Coalition fleet came into range. The three Firoccan ships in formation, eager to get into combat with the enemy, broke formation to get at the Antargentine ships faster. As a result, they took a great deal of punishment in the opening broadsides, but rapidly caused chaos in the Antargentine line.

Four of the former Celtican ships at the rear of the line, still partially crewed by captured Celtican sailors, showed little stomach for the fighting, but the three Antargentine ships at the front of the line, including Ragusa's flagship, fought a ferocious action, dismasting the Liotainian flagship. However, the battle was decided to the rear, as the Firoccans and trailing Liotainian ships forced the trailing Antargentine ships to strike their colors after only a half-hour of action.

Three Antargentine ships, with their crews in disarray, drifted toward the rocky shore of Cape Torrachia and grounded on the rocks before the Coalition could take possession of the ships. One ship was pulled off the rocks but foundered shortly thereafter. Four more ships struck their colours, and only two ships successfully escaped, making their way into Navarro the following morning.

### Results

Despite the short duration of the combat, casualties on both sides were fairly heavy. The three Firoccan ships took heavy damage in the opening minutes of the battle as they rushed to get to grips with their opponents. Following the Battle of Torrachia, the Firoccan commander ordered his ships, together with their prizes, to leave for repairs.

Three of the Antargentine ships went ashore in the aftermath, with significant loss of life among the crews.

The four captured Antargentine ships were split evenly between the Firoccans and Liotainians.

In the aftermath of the battle, many ships from the Liotainian fleet were sent for repairs, and were not ready for action for several months. As a result, Admiral de la Torre sent the Navarro Squadron to sea in June, where it fought and won the Battle of Cape Benitachell against the Liotainian navy.