Galicia was one of a class of three 70-gun ships ordered in 1748 to a specification laid down by Ciprian Autran, and was designed and built at Havana by Pedro de Torres.

[1] General and Vice Admiral Don Pedro Fitz-James Stuart served as the commander of one of the fleet's divisions with the 70-gun Galicia as his flagship.

The squadron was captained by Major General Joaquín de Aguirre and consisted also of the ships Terrible (74), Atlante (74) and Soberano (74).

[3] The fleet arrived at Barcelona on 15 December 1759 whereupon Pedro Fitz-James Stuart was named as Primer Caballerizo del Rey.

[8] During the Battle of Havana, Galicia remained defending Santiago de Cuba together with Monarca, Arrogante and the frigate Palas (26).

The fleet was made up of Rayo, Arrogante, Triunfante, Atlante, Galicia, Princesa, Guerrero, Velasco, Poderoso, two chambequines and five minor vessels.

After briefly stopping at Cartagena, it sailed on to Genoa, arriving on 17 July to drop off the infanta Doña Luisa María Teresa de Parma, daughter of Felipe I de Parma and pick up the Princess Maria Luisa of Spain, daughter of King Carlos III.

A smaller fleet was formed, sailing from Cartagena on 23 August, consisting of Rayo, Princesa and Guerrero which was tasked with escorting two tartans and a saetía back to Cádiz.