▁took ▁his ▁ships ▁to ▁sea ▁and ▁within ▁ 4 8 ▁hours , ▁he ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁fur ious ▁battle . ▁Land ▁and ▁sea ▁forces ▁saw ▁action ▁at ▁Martín ▁García ▁island , ▁a ▁fort ified ▁island ▁ ▁from ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁known ▁as ▁" the ▁Gib ral tar ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Pl ate ", ▁which ▁commanded ▁the ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁rivers ▁Par an á ▁and ▁Uruguay . ▁Brown ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁island , ▁and ▁his ▁flags hip , ▁Her cules , ▁was ▁badly ▁batter ed ▁and ▁ran ▁a ground . ▁Argent ine ▁forces ▁attacked ▁by ▁land ▁and ▁sea ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁and ▁after ▁a ▁st iff ▁contest , ▁he ▁succeeded ▁in ▁gain ing ▁possession ▁of ▁Martín ▁García . ▁The ▁Spanish ▁commander ▁took ▁his ▁ships ▁to ▁Monte video ▁purs ued ▁by ▁Brown ▁whose ▁naval ▁forces ▁were ▁increased ▁by ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁three ▁armed ▁merchant ▁vessels . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁block ading ▁squad ron ▁was ▁now ▁block aded ▁itself ▁by ▁Brown ▁and ▁his ▁fleet . ▁Monte video ▁was ▁threatened ▁with ▁star v ation . ▁Brown , ▁pret ending ▁to ▁retre at , ▁drew ▁the ▁Spanish ▁forces ▁away ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁May ▁from ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁the ▁fort ▁guns , ▁and ▁two ▁days ▁afterwards , ▁an ▁eng agement ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁which ▁Brown ' s ▁leg ▁was ▁sh atter ed ▁by ▁a ▁can non ball . ▁Und eter red , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁issue ▁orders ▁and ▁direct ▁operations ▁while ▁lying ▁on ▁the ▁deck ▁of ▁Her cules .