Vlieter incident facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vlieter incident
Part of the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland during the War of the Second Coalition
Surrender of Samuel Story's Texel Squadron
Date 30 August 1799 (1799-08-30) Location near Wieringen, Netherlands 52°54′00″N 4°58′12″E / 52.9000°N 4.9700°E / 52.9000; 4.9700 Result Batavian surrender
Belligerents
Great Britain	Batavian Republic
Commanders and leaders
Andrew Mitchell	Samuel Story
Strength
17 ships	8 ships of the line 3 frigates 1 sloop
Casualties and losses
None	8 ships of the line captured 3 frigates captured 1 sloop captured

The Vlieter incident happened on August 30, 1799. It was a moment when a group of ships from the Batavian Navy gave up to the British navy. This event took place during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland. It happened in a watery channel called De Vlieter, close to Wieringen.

Why the Incident Happened

The Dutch Republic Changes Sides

Back in 1794, the Dutch Republic was invaded by French armies. This made their leader, William V, Prince of Orange, flee to England. The Dutch then formed a new country called the Batavian Republic. They decided to become allies with France.

A New War and an Invasion Plan

Later, a new conflict started, called the War of the Second Coalition. Great Britain and Russia decided to invade the Batavian Republic in August 1799. They hoped that the Dutch people would rise up against the French-backed government. The former Dutch leader, William V, and his son, the Hereditary Prince, tried to help this invasion. They spread messages and talked to unhappy officers.

Doubts About the Navy's Loyalty

Many people thought the Batavian navy might not be loyal to the new government. Some officers in the navy actually supported the old Dutch leader, William V. A British officer, Major General George Don, believed the Dutch fleet would surrender without a fight.

Preparing for a "Bloodless" Capture

To make this happen, the British fleet brought special flags, called the Prinsenvlag, which supported William V. They also brought pamphlets and Dutch people who had left their country. The Hereditary Prince was one of them. Some officers who had left the navy in 1795 tried to get others to start a mutiny.

The British Fleet Arrives

The invasion fleet left England on August 13. Bad weather delayed them at first. But on August 22, British Vice-Admiral Andrew Mitchell reached Den Helder. He asked Admiral Story, who commanded the Dutch ships there, to switch sides. Story refused. The British ships then pulled back for a few days.

On August 26, the Anglo-Russian fleet arrived at Texel. They flew the Prince of Orange's flag. They started landing troops on August 27. The Dutch fleet did not stop them, as they had moved further inland. The Dutch land commander, General Herman Willem Daendels, ordered his troops to leave the forts after losing a battle.

Mutiny and Surrender

A sad Storey, a cartoon showing Admiral Story looking sad after the incident

On August 28, Admiral Story's ships returned to the Vlieter channel. They had to anchor because strong winds stopped them from attacking the British. When the Dutch sailors saw the Prince's flag flying on the forts and churches, some of them started to rebel.

Sailors Refuse to Fight

On one ship, the Leyden, the captain, Van Braam, could have stopped the rebellion. But he chose not to. He told Admiral Story that the situation on the other ships was "difficult." Admiral Story himself was having trouble with a mutiny on his own ship, the Washington.

A Request for a Truce

Story sent two captains, Van Capellen and De Jong, to talk to the British commander, Andrew Mitchell. Story wanted to tell Mitchell that his fleet was ordered to fight. But he also asked for more instructions from his government. He suggested a temporary truce to avoid fighting. Story later said this was a trick to gain time and restore order.

The British Ultimatum

Mitchell, however, did not fall for the trick. He probably knew that the two Dutch negotiators were actually involved in the mutiny. Mitchell gave Story one hour to surrender. If not, the British fleet would attack.

A Difficult Decision

Faced with this, Story called a meeting with all his captains. A British officer present said that Van Capellen, De Jong, and Van Braam tried to convince everyone to accept the surrender. They said they supported the old government and disliked the current one.

Before the meeting, the crew of Story's ship, the Washington, had fully mutinied. They refused to use the cannons and threw supplies into the sea. It was clear that fighting was impossible. The officers also felt that fighting would not stop the invasion. They couldn't sink their own ships because the crews wouldn't allow it. Some thought it was better to surrender without a fight. This way, the ships might go back to the old Dutch leader, instead of becoming prizes for the British.

So, the captains all agreed to lower the Batavian Republic's flag and become prisoners of war. However, they refused to raise the Orange flag, showing they were not switching sides. Mitchell accepted the surrender in the name of the Prince of Orange. He ordered the Prince's flag to be raised, and some officers followed this order. Many in Holland saw this as an act of betrayal.

After the Surrender

Meanwhile, more mutinies happened on other ships. Some officers were hurt. British officers had to step in to restore order. After the surrender, the Prince visited the ships. He had hoped to take command of the surrendered fleet himself, but the British did not allow it. The Dutch sailors were sent ashore, and British crews sailed the captured ships to England. Only five old frigates were given to William. These were sailed to England later.

What Happened Next

The Invasion Continues

After this success, the Anglo-Russian invasion faced problems. The people of North Holland did not support the Prince as much as expected. The Batavian army fought well with the French army. They defeated the Allies in two battles. Because of this, the Allies left North Holland in October.

Trials for the Officers

Since this was the second time a Dutch fleet had surrendered (the first was in 1796), the Batavian Republic decided to hold a court-martial. They wanted to punish the officers responsible for the surrender and the mutineers. Many officers were in England, so their trials had to wait.

One captain, N. Connio, was sentenced to death and executed. Another captain, Dirk Hendrik Kolff, was also sentenced to death but escaped. Captain De Jong was found not guilty of treason but was punished for not doing his duty. He was removed from the navy and banished for life.

Later Trials and Outcomes

In 1802, a new military court took over the trials. This court tried Story, Van Capellen, Van Braam, and Kolff even though they were not present. They were found guilty of not doing their duty, being cowards, and being disloyal. They were removed from the navy and banished for life. If they returned, they would face execution.

Story moved to Germany and always said he was innocent. He died in 1811. The others were more fortunate. They were forgiven in 1814 when the old Dutch leadership returned to power. Van Capellen even became a vice-admiral in the new Royal Netherlands Navy.

Dutch Ships Surrendered

Admiral Story's group of ships was only part of the Batavian fleet. Other ships were in Amsterdam and Hellevoetsluis.