Battle of Dungeness (1666) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Dungeness (1666) |
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| Part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France Dutch Republic |
 England |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Job Forant |
Thomas Allin |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 14 ships | 24 ships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 116 killed or wounded 400 captured 1 ship captured |
70 casualties | ||||||
The Battle of Dungeness (also known as the Battle of Cape Dungeness) happened on 17 September 1666. It was a naval battle during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. A combined fleet of French and Dutch ships, led by Job Forant, met a larger English fleet. The English ships were commanded by Admiral Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet.
The English attacked during bad weather. This led to several confused fights. Many French and Dutch ships were badly damaged. The battle ended when the English captured the French ship Le Rubis.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo-Dutch War was a big fight between the Kingdom of England and the Dutch Republic. It had been going on for about a year. Both countries wanted control over colonies around the world. Most of the fighting took place at sea. Battles happened in European waters and in the West Indies.
France was an ally of the Dutch Republic. Denmark also supported the Dutch. By 1666, the English fleet was strong. They controlled the North Sea after winning the St James's Day Fight. The Dutch navy had also suffered a big loss. This happened during an English attack known as Holmes's Bonfire.
France Joins the Fight
King Louis XIV of France decided it was time to act. He thought the English would be busy. A huge fire, called the Great Fire of London, had just ended on 5 September. Louis wanted the French and Dutch navies to join forces against England.
A group of eight French ships sailed from Toulon. They were led by Job Forant. A small Dutch group of ships joined them. This made a total of fourteen ships. The combined French and Dutch fleet entered the English Channel. They wanted to meet the main Dutch fleet in the Netherlands.
Meeting the English Fleet
However, the fleet ran into bad weather. Off the coast of Dungeness, they met a much larger English force. This English fleet had 25 ships. It was commanded by Admiral Thomas Allin.
The Battle Begins
Confused Fighting at Sea
Admiral Allin chased the combined French and Dutch fleet. Soon, a battle began. The weather was very foggy, so it was hard to see. This made the fighting very confusing.
The English ships had an advantage. They were in a better position to attack. They caused a lot of damage to two French ships. These were Le Bourbon (with 66 guns) and Le Mazarin (with 48 guns). These ships were fighting six English ships. Even with heavy damage and many injured sailors, they managed to escape. They sailed to Le Havre.
Other French and Dutch ships also had to leave the fight. These included the French ships Le Mercœur and L'Oms. The Dutch ships Prins te Paard and Oosterwijk also pulled out. The French ship Le Dragon (with 42 guns) was almost surrounded. It fought its way out, causing damage to the English. It then reached the port of Dieppe.
The Capture of Le Rubis
The French ship Le Rubis was a new ship. It had sixty guns. It got separated from its fleet in the bad weather. Its captain, Gilles de La Roche-Saint-André, then saw Allin's English fleet. The English thought it was the whole French and Dutch fleet.
Captain de La Roche-Saint-André realized his mistake too late. He tried to fight, but his ship was greatly outnumbered. He had no choice but to surrender. The rest of the French and Dutch ships managed to retreat to safety.
After the Battle
Fate of Captain de La Roche-Saint-André
Captain Gilles de La Roche-Saint-André was treated with respect by his English captors. King Charles II ordered his immediate release. The Duke of York even offered him a sword before he returned to France.
Captain de La Roche-Saint-André was highly respected in France. Because of his good reputation, he was promoted in the French Royal Navy in 1667.
What Happened to Le Rubis
The captured French ship Le Rubis was taken by the English. It was renamed HMS French Ruby. It served in the English Navy until 1686.
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