Battle of Cartagena de Indias

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The Battle of Cartagena de Indias (Spanish: Sitio de Cartagena de Indias, lit. 'Siege of Cartagena de Indias') took place during the 1739 to 1748 War of Jenkins' Ear between Spain and Great Britain. The result of long-standing commercial tensions, the war was primarily fought in the Caribbean; the British tried to capture key Spanish ports in the region, including Porto Bello and Chagres in Panama, Havana, and Cartagena de Indias in present-day Colombia. Two previous naval attacks in 1740 had failed and for the third attempt in March 1741, the British had opted for a combined naval and land campaign. The British were initially successful; destroying the chain barrier across the narrow channel of Boca Chica and capturing the Fort San Luis. However a night assault on Fort San Lazaro failed and the British were forced to retreat, having suffered over 9,500–11,500 fatalities, in great part to disease, and considerable material losses. Some units suffered death rates of 80 to 90 percent. The...

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