Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, early modern

Battle of Cartagena de Indias

Battle of Cartagena de Indias was a naval engagement fought on 13 March 1741 at Cartagena, in what is now Colombia; it lasted 2 months. It was part of the War of Jenkins' Ear, which ran from 1739 to 1748. The recorded result: Spanish victory.

See it on the globe Read the article

Ataque a Cartagena de Indias por los ingleses en 1741
Ataque a Cartagena de Indias por los ingleses en 1741. Luis Fernández Gordillo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought13 March 1741lasted 2 months
WhereCartagena, Colombia10.385N, 75.539W
OutcomeSpanish victory
BelligerentsKingdom of Great Britain; British AmericaagainstSpain; Viceroyalty of New Granada; Province of Cartagena
Part ofWar of Jenkins' Ear1739 to 1748

Where it sits in the War of Jenkins' Ear

Battle of Porto Bello, 1739Action of 8 April 1740, 1740Siege of St. Augustine, 1740Siege of Fort Mose, 1740Battle of Cartagena de Indias, 1741Battle of Santiago de Cuba, 1741Battle of Bloody Marsh, 1742Battle of La Guaira, 1743Battle of Puerto Cabello, 1743Voyage of the Glorioso, 1747Action of 18 March 1748, 1748Battle of Santiago de Cuba, 1748Battle of Havana, 174817391748Battle of Cartagena de Indias, 1741
13 placed engagements of the War of Jenkins' Ear in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date13 March 1741
to 20 May 1741
PlaceCartagena, Colombia
10.385N, 75.539W
KindNaval engagement, early modern
Territorial changeSpain consolidates its control in South America
Strength27,400–30,000 military personnel: 12,000 regulars, marines, and militia; 15,398 Royal Navy sailors; 29 ships of the line; 22 frigates; 71 sloops-of-war; 2 hospital ships; 80 troop ships; 50 merchant ships3,000–4,000 military personnel: 2,700 regulars; 600 sailors and 300 militia; 600 Indian archers; 6 ships of the line and numerous shore-based guns
Casualties and losses9,500–11,500 dead; 7,500 wounded and sick; 1,500 guns lost; 6 Royal Navy ships lost; 17 Royal Navy ships of the line heavily damaged; 4 frigates and 27 transports lost800 dead; 1,200 wounded; 6 ships lost; 5 forts; 3 batteries
Commanders
  • Edward Vernon
  • Thomas Wentworth (general)
  • Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet
  • Sebastián de Eslava
  • Blas de Lezo
  • Campuzano Polanco family
  • Carlos Desnaux
Battle of Cartagena de IndiasBattle of Cartagena de IndiasRaid on Cartagena de IndiasCapture of the San JoaquinBattle of Cartagena de IndiasNew Granadan Siege of Cartagena de IndiasSpanish Siege of Cartagena de IndiasBattle of Cartagena de IndiasBarranquillaSanta MartaSincelejoEl Carmen de BolívarLoricaTolúMaganguéSabanalarga100 km10.385N, 75.539W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 7 times between 1586 and 1820.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1741

Battle of Cartagena de Indias is one of 2,009 engagements of the 18th century in the atlas and one of 42 in present-day Colombia.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2366970, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Cartagena de Indias, revision 1383689530, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.