Action of 6 May 1801
The action of 6 May 1801 was a single-ship action fought between the Spanish xebec-frigate El Gamo and the British brig-sloop during the War of the Second Coalition. Under the command of Commander Lord Cochrane, Speedy, with a crew of 54 men and mounting 14 guns, captured El Gamo, which mounted 32 guns and had a 319-strong crew onboard. The Spanish ship's captain, Francisco de Torres, was one of 14 Spaniards killed during the engagement, with the British capturing the rest of El Gamos crew and eventually selling the ship to the Regency of Algiers.
Background
In March 1800, Commander Lord Cochrane of the Royal Navy, who had been operating in the Mediterranean and fought numerous actions from the British base at Port Mahon, Minorca, took command of the 14-gun brig-sloop. On 6 May 1801, Speedy was cruising off Barcelona at dawn when she sighted a large ship, which turned out to be El Gamo, a 32-gun xebec-frigate of the Spanish Navy crewed by 318 men under Francisco de Torres. El Gamo was armed with 8- and 12-pounder long guns along with 24-pounder carronades, which amounted to a total broadside of 190 pounds, more than seven times that of Speedy. At the time of the engagement, Speedy only had 54 men onboard, as Cochrane had detached members of the ship's crew as prize crews.Battle
Instead of evading the Spanish ship, Cochrane ordered his crew to close on her, and at 9.30 a.m. El Gamo fired a warning shot at Speedy and hoisted Spanish colours. In response, Cochrane ordered American colours to be hoisted. The Spanish hesitated, allowing Speedy to get closer, hoist British colours, and evade El Gamos first broadside. Speedy evaded another broadside, holding her fire until she ran alongside the Spanish ship and locked her yards in El Gamos rigging. The Spanish ship's guns were mounted too high and could not be sufficiently depressed, causing their shots to now pass through Speedys sails and rigging. Cochrane's crew opened fire with 4-pounders guns loaded with double and triple shot, their shots passing up through El Gamos sides and decks; the first British broadside killed de Torres and the Spanish ship's boatswain.Seeing their disadvantage, El Gamos second-in-command mustered a boarding party, which the crew of Speedy responded to by drawing off, pounding the party's massed ranks with cannon shot and musket fire before closing in again. After thrice having their attempts to board the British ship frustrated, the Spanish returned to their guns. Cochrane decided to board El Gamo, and assembled his remaining crew into two parties, leaving only Speedys surgeon to command and crew Speedy. The first boarding party, consisting of 20 men under Cochrane's brother Archibald, boarded the Spanish ship from her bow after having darkened their faces to resemble Barbary corsairs. The Spanish rushed to repulse the first boarding party, but were then attacked by the second party which boarded via El Gamos stern. A hard-fought battle ensued between the two crews, until Cochrane called down to Speedys surgeon, ordering him to send the rest of the crew over. As the surgeon was the only man left on Speedy, the order was given to make the Spaniards think they were outnumbered. At the same time, Cochrane ordered the Spanish ensign to be torn down. Thinking that their officers had struck the colours, the remaining Spaniards stopped fighting.