The Spanish Convoy of 1750: Heaven’s Hammer and International Diplomacy

Spanish flotas (convoys) traversed the Atlantic throughout the colonial period, shuttling men and goods between the Old and New Worlds. In August 1750, at the height of hurricane season, a small convoy of seven ships left Havana for Cadiz. A fierce storm scattered the ships from North Carolina’s outer banks to Maryland’s eastern shore. Spanish merchants, military officers, and sailors struggled to survive, protect their valuable cargo, and, eventually, find a way home. They faced piracy, rapacious English officials, and discord among crew and passengers (including dozens of English prisoners). Two and a half centuries later, the discovery of the wreckage of the convoy’s flagship, La Galga, set off a legal battle between Spain and American treasure companies over salvage rights.