01/06/2023
- Some historic important facts about Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
On 24-25 July, 1797, a British fleet led by Admiral Horatio Nelson attacked the Spanish port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The British were hoping to capture a Spanish treasure ship that was anchored in the harbor.
The British attack was a disaster. The Spanish defenders were well-prepared, and the British were outnumbered and outgunned. Nelson himself was wounded in the arm and had to be carried from the battlefield.
The British were forced to withdraw from Tenerife, and the treasure ship remained in Spanish hands. The British suffered heavy casualties: 102 men drowned, 45 killed, 5 lost, and 105 wounded. Nelson himself lost his right arm.
The Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was a major setback for the British. It showed that they were not invincible, and it gave the Spanish a morale boost. However, the battle also showed that the British were willing to fight for control of the Atlantic Ocean, and this eventually led to their victory in the Napoleonic Wars.
They lost 200 men killed and wounded, and they had 100 cannons destroyed. However, the Spanish victory was a major morale boost for the Spanish people, and it showed that they were capable of defeating the British.
The Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was also a turning point in Nelson's career. He was forced to retire from active duty after losing his arm, but he returned to the sea a few years later and went on to win a number of other victories, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
