#Wager attack full#
#Wager attack plus#

The estimated $1bn (ВЈ662m) treasure of the San JosГ©, which is still on the bottom of the ocean but located in 2015, is estimated to be worth about 4 billion US dollars based on the speculation that it likely had 7 million Spanish pesos in registered gold on board at the time of its sinking, similar to its surviving sister ship, the San JoaquГn.

The rest of the Spanish fleet also reached Cartagena safely, with the exception of the hulk ConcepciГіn which, cornered by the British, beached itself on Baru Island where the crew set the ship alight. After a few salvos, however, the San JoaquГn successfully made away towards Cartagena harbour, and the British decided against following them. At dawn, the British discovered the San JoaquГn, and Wager ordered the Kingston and Portland to capture the ship. After a brief fight, which left 14 British and 90 Spanish dead, the Santa Cruz was taken however, she had no government treasure in her - only 13 chests of pieces of eight and 14 pigs of silver which seem to have been private property.

#Wager attack full#

Д«y now it was dark, but there was a full moon and Wager succeeded in finding the Santa Cruz at 2 a.m. There were only 11 survivors out of the 600 crew and passengers on board JosГ© FernГЎndez de SantillГЎn went down with his ship. The ship sank immediately, taking its precious cargo and almost the entire crew to the bottom of the sea. Around 7 p.m., after an hour and a half of fierce fighting and with only 60 meters between the two ships, the San JosГ© suddenly blew up. The Expedition attacked the San JosГ© and approached the vessel with the clear intention of boarding the ship. which, after two hours of battle, escaped into the night with the help of the ConcepciГіn. The Kingston attacked the San JoaquГn around 5 p.m. The Spanish took up defensive positions, but the British knew they had to attack the largest ships, because they had the most money on board. they noticed Wager's squadron approaching. The next day there was very little wind, and around 3 p.m. The Spanish fleet reached Isla de BarГє on the evening of 7 June and anchored there. The Santa Cruz had the rest, only a fraction of the other two ships. The San JosГ© had 7 to 11 million pesos on board, and the San JoaquГn 5 million. The gold and silver was concentrated on the 3 largest vessels.

Santa Cruz (44 guns), Capitan de la Rosa.

San JoaquГn (64 guns), Capitan Villanueva.

San JosГ© (64 guns), Capitan JosГ© FernГЎndez de SantillГЎn.

The Spanish fleet was composed of fourteen merchant ships, a lightly armed hulk, and three escorting warships:

#Wager attack plus#

He could not wait much longer as the hurricane season was approaching and the rest of the fleet, plus their escort under Jean Du Casse were waiting in Havana and threatened to leave without him.

Nevertheless, the commander of the treasure fleet, JosГ© FernГЎndez de SantillГЎn, decided to sail from Portobelo to Cartagena on 28 May. Here the Spanish were aware of their presence, and the governor of Cartagena sent warnings to the Spanish fleet, which was anchored in Portobelo. In April the squadron took in supplies on the small island of PequeГ±a BarГє, part of the Rosario Islands, just 30 miles away from Cartagena. Vulture (28 guns), fire ship under Commander Caesar Brooks.Portland (50 guns), Captain Edward Windsor.Kingston (60 guns), Captain Simon (Timothy) Bridges.Expedition (70 guns), Captain Henry Long.

In the spring of 1708 Charles Wager was on an expedition in the Caribbean with a squadron of four ships: