| Raid on Nassau (1720) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofWar of the Quadruple Alliance | |||||||
 Map ofNew Providence, Nassau andHog Island in the North East | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spain |  Great Britain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Francisco Javier Cornejo José Cordero | Woodes Rogers Captain Hildesley | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3 frigates 9 brigantines & sloops 1,300[1]–2,000[2] | 2 frigates 600 troops[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 sloop wrecked[3] | Unknown | ||||||
 | |||||||
TheRaid on Nassau took place from 24 February to 1 March 1720, at the end of the 1718 to 1720War of the Quadruple Alliance. ASpanish expeditionary force attacked the British settlement ofNassau, Bahamas, but was repulsed.
In 1718, former privateer CaptainWoodes Rogers was appointedGovernor of the Bahamas, in which role he suppressed pirates, reformed the civil administration and restored trade. In February 1719, he learned the Spanish intended to conquer the Bahamas, but instead they were diverted torecapture Pensacola from the French.[4] This gave him time to further consolidate his position by rebuildingFort Nassau, which was completed in January 1720.[5]
By then, in theCaribbean there was armed aggression between British and Spanish ships due to the clandestine trade of the former;[6][7] this increased with the outbreak of theWar of the Quadruple Alliance. In fact theTreaty of The Hague ending the war had been signed just before the raid although not yet in effect.
The governor ofCuba, Gregorio Guazo, seeing how Rogers continued to colonise the Bahamas, organised a military force to capture Nassau.[8] Three Spanish frigates of theArmada de Barlovento were to form the backbone of the fleet under the command ofFrancisco Javier Cornejo. This naval element was further bolstered by nineprivateer vessels including brigantines and sloops. The land forces consisted of approximately 1,300–2,000 men with a range of military experience, as well as 1,400 regular soldiers.[1]
At the end of February 1720, Cornejo's expeditionary force left Havana and sailed through theFlorida Straits to captureNew Providence.[9] Rogers had assembled around sixty guns in Fort Nassau, along with a hundred soldiers and some five hundred localmilitia.[2] He also had twofrigates available, the 32-gunFelicia, and 24-gunHMSFlamborough under Captain Jonathan Hildesley.[9]
The Spanish attacked from the north, leavingPrinciple andHercules, their two large warships, at anchor in deep water.[10] On February 24, Cornejo appeared off Nassau harbour in the 36-gunSan Jose, and a number of smaller warships including theSan Cristoforo and eight sloops.[4][10] Their arrival took the British by surprise, but Cornejo did not immediately attack due to the presence ofDelicia andFlamborough, although Rogers had to persuade Hildesley to stay.[9] Cornejo delayed until next day, when a storm forced the Spanish to cut their cables and head for the open sea.[3]
The Spanish made another attempt, this time avoiding the heavy defences of Fort Nassau.[2] They cruised alongHog Island which sheltered the city's harbour, to the east and west in order to block the entrance.[10] On the night of 25 February, the Spanish attempted to land three columns on the backside of Hog island and cross the narrow eastern channel in small boats.[11] Quietly they rowed toward the shore, but were spotted by two sentries in a small redoubt[3] who opened fire.[2] Realising surprise was lost, the Spanish retreated out of range.[12]
A second force landed in the west, causing considerable damage to outlying property,[1] before they ran into opposition from the 500 militia, and also withdrew.[10][13] Later that day, another storm forced the Spanish fleet out to sea, withSan Cristoforo wrecked on theBahama Banks.[3] By 1 March, they were back in Havana,[12] having captured over a hundred slaves and considerable booty.[1]
Rogers was unaware of Cornejo's departure until several weeks later, when he received news that the Spanish fleet had been hit by a storm.[3] Despite their victory, he was unable to pay his garrison.[14] Having expended his own fortune on Nassau's defences and with his health failing, Rogers left forCharleston, South Carolina on 6 December 1720, then set sail forLondon in March 1721. He arrived three months later to find a new governor had been appointed in his stead, and wasimprisoned for debt.[15]