Battle of Cape St. Vincent

The fleet action was fought on 14 February 1797 between the British and Spanish navies off Cape St. Vincent in Portugal, part of the War of the First Coalition and one of the opening battles of the recently declared war between Britain and Spain. At 11:00 a.m., Jervis ordered his ships to form in a line of battle ahead and astern of Victory as most convenient; the British fleet then sailed south as a single line to pass between the two Spanish columns. The British under Admiral of the Blue Sir John Jervis defeated the larger Spanish fleet under Lieutenant-general José de Córdoba y Ramos, which had left Cádiz to confront the British navy.