Battle off Cape Palos

For the 1938 battle of the Spanish Civil War, see Battle of Cape Palos.

The Battle off Cape Palos was the last battle of the Second Barbary War. The battle began when an American squadron under Stephen Decatur attacked and captured an Algerine brig.

Background

After capturing the Algerine flagship Meshuda and sending her to Cartagena under the escort of USS Macedonian, Stephen Decatur and his squadron continued on their way towards Algiers. On June 19, 1815 the Estedio, a 22 gun Algerine brig, was sighted.

Battle

Decatur began pursuit of the Algerines and chased them into shoal waters near the coast of Spain off Cape Palos. Fearing that his larger vessels might get beached he sent the smaller vessels in his squadron the USS Epervier, USS Spark, USS Torch, and USS Spitfire to deal with the brig. Here the vessels fought a short engagement lasting a half an hour before the Algerines began to abandon their vessel and surrender. As the Estedio crewmembers began to flee towards the cape in the ship's open boats, the American vessels began firing upon the boats and sank one. The remaining 80 crew on the Estedio surrendered. Besides the eighty captured the Estedio lost at least 23 men killed.

Aftermath

After the battle the Estedio was taken to Cartagena and interned, being returned to Algiers at the end of the war. Decatur's squadron regrouped and continued on its way to Algiers to force the dey to terms.

Sources

• From Bunker Hill to Manila Bay
• The End of Barbary Terror