Action of 18 September 1639 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 18 September 1639
Part of the Eighty Years' War
Date 1639 Location Near Calais(present-day France) Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United Provinces	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Maarten Tromp	Antonio de Oquendo
Strength
29 ships	67 ships
Casualties and losses
Unknown One ship lost	Unknown No ships lost

The Action of 18 September 1639 was a naval battle during the Eighty Years' War. It took place near Calais, which is in modern-day France. This fight involved the Dutch navy, led by Admiral Maarten Tromp, and a much larger Spanish fleet.

What Happened in the 1639 Naval Battle?

The Fleets Meet

This battle happened between September 17 and 19, 1639. A Dutch group of ships, called a squadron, was led by Admiral Maarten Tromp and Admiral Witte Corneliszoon de With. They met a much bigger Spanish fleet.

The Spanish fleet was led by Antonio D'Oquendo. It had about 40 to 45 warships, known as "men-of-war." It also had 40 to 50 transport ships. These transport ships were carrying around 13,000 Spanish soldiers. The soldiers were on their way to Dunkirk.

Admiral Tromp, with only 12 ships, first saw the Spanish fleet on September 16. He waited for Admiral de With to arrive with five more ships before starting the attack.

A Clever Tactic: Line of Battle

Even though Tromp had far fewer ships, he gained an advantage. He used a new fighting method called the "line of battle." This meant his ships formed a long line. This allowed them to fire all their cannons at the enemy at the same time. This was the first time this tactic was used in a major battle.

The fight continued into the night. The next day, Commodore Joost Banckert arrived. He brought 12 more ships to help the Dutch.

The Battle Continues

The fighting went on until the Dutch ships started to run out of gunpowder. At this point, the Spanish commander, D'Oquendo, decided to retreat. He sailed his fleet to a safe anchorage called the Downs. He hoped to find protection from the English navy there.

This battle eventually led to a much bigger fight called the Battle of the Downs. In that later battle, D'Oquendo's fleet was completely defeated by the Dutch.