Battle of Ziaohai Mountain Island

The Battle of Xiaohai Mountain Island (July 7, 1806) was a naval battle during the Bonaventura Wars, fought between four frigates of the Royal Liotainian Navy and four frigates of the Antargentine Armada.

### Preface

During 1806, four Antargentine frigates - formerly Pictish ships from Pictfearr and Eirenn - were assigned to raid Firoccan and Liotainian shipping on the Astyrian coast. The squadron, under Commodore Francisco Alegria, had proven quite adept at avoiding patrols. During the month of May, suspecting that Firoccan and Liotainian frigates would hunt for them, Alegria dashed north to raid commerce along the west coast of Fusou, Ji, and Joseon, before returning to the Astyrian coast early in July.

A small squadron of Firoccan ships, including a ship-of-the-line, followed Alegria north, leaving a squadron of Liotainian vessels under Commodore Mazvydas to continue patrolling the Astyrian coast. The Firoccans eventually determined that Alegria had left the area in mid July, and returned south too late to assist in the battle.

A second Firoccan squadron, composed of two frigates and a ship-of-the-line, was also in the area, but engaged in escorting an important troop convoy bound to Firocco from Lyria and Montserraria. The convoy

### Order of Battle

#### Royal Liotainian Navy (Commodore Mazvydas):

* *Sviraiciai* (40)
* *Saravai* (40)
* *Keretoja* (40)
* *Priesinimas* (32)

#### Antargentine Armada (Commodore Alegria):

* *Nuestra Senora del Norte* (44)
* *Santa Casilda* (38)
* *Fleche* (36)
* *Sirena* (36)

The two forces were very closely matched, with the Liotainian ships rated for a total of 152 guns (although in actuality possessing 168) while the Antargentines mounted 154 guns. However, the overall broadside weight of the two squadrons was almost identical, at 2,687 pounds versus 2,682 pounds.

Mazvydas possessed two fairly fresh and modern frigates, the *Sviraiciai* and the *Saravai*, each rated for 40 guns, although in practice they carried 48, with the bulk of their firepower in their main-deck 8kg (17.6-pounder) long guns. Built in Rietavas, these two vessels were widely regarded as the finest frigates of the RLN.

Mazvydas's third ship, *Priesinimas*, was a perlinés (a shallow-draft frigate) pressed into service from the Coastal Fleet. Although rated for (and carrying) only 32 guns, she carried 26x 11kg (24.25-pounder) long guns on her main deck, and six 11kg carronades on her upper deck. In overall broadside weight, therefore, she actually outgunned her consorts.

*Keretoja*, the final Liotainian frigate, was physically larger than the *Priesinimas* and rated for 40 guns. Built in 1799, she'd been sold to Syrellia in 1801 but then purchased back in 1804. The ship was armed with 28x 6kg (13.23-pounder) long guns on her main deck, and twelve 4kg (8.8 lb) long guns on her quarterdeck, giving her weaker firepower than any other ship involved (though by a very narrow margin).

Alegria, meanwhile, flew his flag on the *Nuestra Senora del Norte*, a former Pictish 64-gun ship-of-the-line that was razeed (cut down) to a frigate. The "Senora" boasted formidable firepower despite her rating of only 44 guns, as she carried 26x 24-pounder guns on her main deck, and an upper-deck battery of 18x 12-pounders. The "Senora" also had a large crew, despite several months of raiding.

The smaller 38-gun *Santa Casilda* was likewise built in Pictfearr, but seized for the Armada's use the prior year. The *Santa Casilda* had 22x 18-pounder long guns, but also included ten 24-pounder carronades on her upper deck, and six other cannon. Nearly half of her crew was composed of pressed Pictish sailors, however, most of whom had little enthusiasm for fighting for their Antargentine officers. *Fleche* was almost identical to the *Santa Casilda*, but lacked two of the chase guns found on her sistership.

*Sirena* had been built in Eirenn but not commissioned prior to her takeover by the Armada in 1803. With her main deck battery of 22x 12-pounder long guns, she was the most lightly-armed ship in the entire action, although she had a high reputation as a fast vessel.

### Weather Conditions

Both combatants noted the "apocalyptic" weather. The summer on the northwest Astyrian coast had been quite dry, and forest fires casting a foreboding haze over the entire sky. The sun appeared briefly at dawn, blood-red, before a heavy overcast moved in from the south, bringing lightning and occasional wind-bursts, but no rain.

Xiaohai Mountain Island, visible to the south, had a wildfire burning on its peak through most of the day.

### Action

Early on the morning of July 7th, Antargentine lookouts aboard the *Sirena* spotted sails on the southwestern horizon, just to the northwest of Xiaohai Mountain Island. Alegria, who had received news of the Firoccan convoy from Lyria, initially believed he had found a detached ship of the convoy, and sailed in pursuit.

Due to visibility conditions, the Liotainian ships did not notice the Antargentines for nearly an hour, which Alegria used to close the distance. Due to her flush-decked hull, *Priesinimas* was mistaken for a corvette, leading Alegria to believe his margin of superiority was much higher than it actually was.

Mazvydas was eager for a fight, but cautious of the enemy forces. Although he held the weather gauge, he was concerned about the proximinity of the Astyrian coastline and the wildfires visibly burning there. The smoky haze left Mazvydas uncertain of the Antargentine numbers, and at one point the Liotainians believed they faced six, rather than four, frigates.

At noon, Alegria was still working upwind toward the Liotainians, while Mazvydas waited to commit to battle. However, at 12:30, Mazvydas finally determined he faced only four ships, and solidly identified all of them. When Alegria, due to changing wind conditions, was forced to tack back toward the southeast, Mazvydas immediately followed, attempting to quickly close the range on the tail end of the Antargentine squadron, specifically the *Sirena*.

*Sirena* immediately crowded on sail to avoid the attack, and Alegria turned the *Nuestra Senora del Norte* back to provide more firepower. The two squadrons passed each other, exchanging violent fire for several minutes, before mutually drawing back out of range. *Priesinimas*, at the rear of the Liotainian squadron, pumped two powerful broadsides into the *Fleche*, causing serious damage, but taking casualties in return, prompting Alegria to recognize the threat she presented.

Alegria, now possessed of the weather gauge, attempted once more to press the combat, turning his fleet south. In the middle of this maneuver, *Fleche* abruptly lost the top of her foremast and fell out of position, causing Alegria to engage with only three ships against four. He attempted to break through the Liotainian line between *Sviraiciai* and *Saravai*, and then overwhelm and defeat the isolated Liotainian ships as *Fleche* came up.

Instead of allowing this, Mazvydas turned and brought *Sviraiciai* broadside-to-broadside with the *Nuestra Senora del Norte*. The trailing *Saravai* matched up with *Santa Casilda*, while *Priesinimas* and *Keretoja* attacked the *Sirena*. While the *Keretoja* and *Sirena* were well-matched against each other, the addition of the *Priesinimas* and her abnormally heavy broadside made this a very uneven fight indeed, and *Sirena* was completely dismasted after only eight minutes of fighting, taking heavy casualties.

The *Keretoja*, having taken the least damage and being a swift sailer, left *Sirena* to be finished off by the *Priesinimas*, and crowded on sail to assist *Sviraiciai* and *Saravai* ahead of her. *Keretoja*'s assistance proved timely, as she passed onto the unengaged side of *Santa Casilda* and pummeled her with four well-organized salvos, killing her captain and two of the senior Antargentine officers. The Pictish sailors aboard *Santa Casilda* immediately ceased obeying their Antargentine officers, and raised the shout "*Geal is Dearg a suas*" (Up with the red and white), a Pictish war-cry. Many of the Antargentine sailors fled belowdecks. With *Santa Casildas* crew in a state of near-mutiny, the most senior officer remaining aboard struck the ship's colors.

*Sviraiciai* remained locked in a duel with *Nuestra Senora del Norte*. Although the Liotainian flagship resisted fiercely, the larger *Senora* was slowly winning the fight. *Saravai* and *Keretoja* left the *Santa Casilda* behind, and pressed on sail to aid their flagship.

At this point, Alegria recognized that he had lost the action, and sought to disengage. Mazvydas in the *Sviraiciai* refused to allow this, raising the signal for "General Chase." *Keretoja*, approaching from astern, mis-timed her approach and entangled her bowsprit in the mizzen sheets of the *Senora*. As the two ships fought to disentangle themselves, *Keretoja* lost her bowsprit while *Senora* lost most of the yards on her mizzenmast. Along with this rigging, the Antargentine colours aboard *Senora* were brought down; leading the Liotainians - and indeed, much of *Senora'*s own crew - to assume she'd surrendered.

With his ship's rigging damaged and the two largest Liotainian frigates still hounding him, Alegria held on only a few more minutes, but finally ordered a white flag waved. *Saravai* did not see this and fired two more broadsides into the *Senora* before ceasing fire.

### Results

The battle largely ended Antargentine commerce raiding in the Encircled Sea, as they did not have any remaining naval bases outside of the Gulf of Argent. Antargentine fleets occasionally attempted to run the naval blockade of the Strait of Morai, but these attempts largely ended in failure.