Battle of Scheveningen
|
|
Beerstraaten,_Battle_of_Scheveningen.jpg
The Battle of Scheveningen (also known as the Battle of Texel or the Battle of Ter Heide) was the final naval battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place on 8–10 August 1653 between the fleets of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces.
After their victory at the Battle of the Gabbard in June 1653 the English fleet of 120 ships under General at Sea George Monck blockaded the Dutch coast, capturing many merchant vessels. On 3 August, Dutch Admiral Maarten Tromp put to sea in the Brederode with a fleet of 100 ships to lift the blockade at the island of Texel where Admiral Witte de With's 27 ships were trapped by the English. On 8 August the English sighted Tromp and attacked, allowing de With to slip out and rendezvous the next day with Tromp off Scheveningen.
The English caught up with the combined Dutch fleet early on 10 August and attacked. Tromp was killed early in the battle by a sharpshooter in the rigging of William Penn's ship. His death was kept secret in an attempt to keep up the morale of the Dutch, but by the late afternoon thirty ships had been sunk or severely damaged and the Dutch were forced to retreat to the Texel. However, the English had to return to port to refit and were unable to maintain the blockade.
Both sides claimed a victory in the battle, but Tromp's death was a severe blow to the Dutch. Few now expected to beat the English, and peace negotiations began in earnest, leading to the Treaty of Westminster (1654).nl:Slag bij Ter Heijde