The battle began when an American squadron under Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. attacked and captured an Algerian brig.

After capturing the Algerian flagship Meshuda and sending her to Cartagena under the escort of USS Macedonian, Stephen Decatur and his squadron continued on their way towards Algiers.

Decatur began pursuit of Estedio and chased her into shoal waters near the coast of Spain off Cape Palos.

As Estedio's crew members began to flee towards the cape in her boats, the American vessels fired on them, sinking them.

[1] Decatur's squadron regrouped and continued on its way to Algiers to force Dey Omar Agha to terms.