Raid on Puerto Caballos (1594) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raid on Puerto Caballos (1594) |
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| Part of Anglo–Spanish War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spain |
 England |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Diego Ramírez | Captain James Langton | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 7 ships 200 militia & sailors |
2 ships 1 prize frigate |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 ship captured 6 ships burned |
Light | ||||||
The Raid on Puerto Caballos was a big event during the Anglo–Spanish War. A small group of ships, paid for by the Earl of Cumberland, sailed to the Caribbean. Captain James Langton led this group. On March 16, 1594, Langton attacked Puerto Caballos, a port in what is now Honduras. After three days of fighting, he captured seven Spanish ships. These ships were led by Diego Ramirez. Langton also took a lot of valuable goods.
What Was the Raid on Puerto Caballos?
England and Spain had been at war for almost ten years. During this time, English ships often attacked Spanish colonies and trading vessels. These attacks were carried out by "privateers." Privateers were like legal pirates. They were private ships allowed by their government to attack enemy ships.
One such trip was planned by the Earl of Cumberland in late 1592. Captain James Langton led the main ship, the Anthony. Another ship, the Pilgrim, was led by Captain Francis Slingsby. They also had a smaller boat called the Discovery. They left Plymouth, England in early 1593.
By August, they reached the Caribbean. They stopped at St Lucia and Martinique for supplies. They captured a few Spanish ships. Then, they attacked Margarita Island in Venezuela, taking 2,000 ducats (a type of money). Over the next seven months, Langton caused trouble for Spanish ports and ships. He even blocked the port of Hispaniola for two months. There, he captured nine Spanish ships. He also went inland to attack farms and sugar mills. In February, he beat two Spanish frigates (warships). He captured one and added it to his fleet. His other ship, the Pilgrim, went back to England with some of the stolen goods. After this, Langton headed to Puerto Caballos, a port often targeted by privateers.
The Attack on Puerto Caballos
On March 16, 1594, Langton saw the port of Puerto Caballos. He sailed his ship, the Anthony, into the bay. He used fake flags to trick the Spanish. He saw many ships waiting in the harbor. Langton quickly captured the harbor pilot boat. Then, he demanded that the seven large Spanish ships surrender. These ships were waiting to load cargo and were led by Diego Ramírez.
The Spanish immediately refused to give up. So, the next morning, Langton started a long gunfight. His ships fired cannons at the Spanish ships and the town. This caused damage to both.
The next day, Langton still hadn't fully won. He decided to try one last plan. He set a 20-ton captured ship on fire. Then, he sent this burning ship towards Ramírez's main ship. This caused a lot of panic among the Spanish. The defenders gave up and left their ship.
Langton quickly took advantage of this. The English sailors boarded Ramírez's 250-ton ship, the San Diego. Its captain, Luis de Sevilla, was killed during the fight. After that, the English boarded the other Spanish ships one by one. Some of the ships were tied together. Besides the San Diego, Langton captured the 200-ton Espíritu Santo. He also took the 120-ton San Antón de la Magdalena and the 140-ton Presentación. Three smaller ships, each 100 to 120 tons, were also captured.
Langton then went ashore. He tried to get a ransom (money) for the captured ships. But the Spanish refused to pay. So, Langton burned one of the smaller ships. The Spanish still refused. Langton then saw all the valuable goods he had found. He realized he didn't need a ransom. Instead, the English focused on taking all the goods from every ship. They put everything onto Ramírez's former flagship, which Langton now used as his main prize ship. Langton was happy with what he had taken. On the third day, the English left with their six captured ships. Their cannons fired as they left, keeping the Spanish from attacking them.
What Happened After the Raid?
The English ships returned to Plymouth, England, by May 25. Everyone was very excited. The Earl of Cumberland himself was there to see the goods counted. They didn't find much gold treasure. But they did get over 5,000 animal hides. They also found 57 chests and 64 bags of indigo (a blue dye). There were 10 chests of sugar and almost 30 pounds of pearls. They also took 10 tons of blockwood and nine gold buttons with emeralds. A single gold bar was also found. Plus, they got brass cannons from the Spanish ships and other items.
This trip was very successful. It made Langton a very rich man. It also helped pay for more expeditions. These included Walter Raleigh's El Dorado Expedition and the Preston Somers Expedition to Caracas. It also helped fund the unlucky return of Drake and Hawkins to the Caribbean the next year. Puerto Caballos was attacked many more times before the war ended. The last attack was in 1603. That's when Christopher Newport captured the port and held it for eighteen days.
