 Capture of the El Gamo (Clarkson Frederick Stanfield, 1845) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Spain | |
| Name | El Gamo |
| Namesake | Spanish for "the fallow deer" |
| Captured | 6 May 1801 by HMS Speedy |
| Fate | Sold to the Regency of Algiers as a merchant ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | 32-gun xebec-frigate |
| Displacement | ≈600 tons |
| Sail plan | Interchangeable xebec-rigged and ship-rigged |
| Complement | 319 |
| Armament |
|
El Gamo was a 32-gun xebec-frigate of the Spanish Navy captured by the Royal Navy sloop-of-war HMS Speedy in the action of 6 May 1801. The engagement was notable for the large disparity between the size and firepower of El Gamo and Speedy; the former was around four times the size, had much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of Speedy, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time. [1] After her capture, the British sold El Gamo to the Regency of Algiers as a merchant ship.
