Battle of the Sound





























Battle of The Sound
Part of Second Northern War (Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660))

Eerste fase van de Zeeslag in de Sont - First phase of the Battle of the Sound - November 8 1658 (Jan Abrahamsz Beerstraten, 1660).jpg
First Phase of the Battle of the Sound
by Jan Abrahamsz Beerstraaten













Date 29 October 1658 (O.S.)
Location
The Sound or Øresund
Result
Dutch victory[1]
Belligerents

Sweden Swedish Empire

 Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders

Carl Gustaf Wrangel
Klas Hansson Bjelkenstjerna

Witte de With †
Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam
Pieter Floriszoon †
Strength

43 ships (30 warships)[2]
4,055 sailors
2,423 soldiers[1]

45 ships (33 warships)[1]
4,000 sailors
3,000 soldiers[1]
Casualties and losses

5 ships (3 warships)[2]
1,200 dead, wounded and captured[1]

1 warship[2]
1,400 dead, wounded and captured[1]




Drawing by Willem van de Velde the Elder




Painting by Peter van de Velde.


The naval Battle of the Sound took place on 8 November 1658 (29 October O.S.) during the Second Northern War, near the Sound or Øresund, just north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Sweden had invaded Denmark and an army under Charles X of Sweden had Copenhagen itself under siege. The Dutch fleet was sent to prevent Sweden from gaining control of both sides of the Sound and thereby controlling access to the Baltic Sea as well as of its trade.


The Dutch, under the command of Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam with Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer as his flag captain, who had sailed to the Baltic in support of Denmark, had 41 ships with 1413 guns while the Swedes, under Lord High Admiral Carl Gustaf Wrangel, had 45 ships with 1838 guns. The Dutch were grouped into three squadrons, while the Swedes separated their ships into four. The seven Danish ships with about 280 guns were unable to assist their Dutch allies because of adverse northern winds and could only watch. Obdam, who first received very complicated written instructions from the Grand Pensionary, Johan de Witt, and went so far as to request them again "in three words", summed up his mission in a single sentence: "Save Copenhagen and punch anyone in the face who tries to prevent it". This was a direct reference to the English, whose powerful fleet had recently defeated the Dutch in the First Anglo-Dutch War; in the event, however, the English did not intervene. The Swedes attacked aggressively, but failed to gain the upper hand, primarily because the approaching Dutch had the weather gage. The Dutch forced the Swedish fleet to end the blockade of the Danish capital, enabling its resupply by Dutch armed transport ships, which eventually forced Charles to abandon the siege entirely.


The Swedes lost five ships in the action compared to one Dutch ship, however, remaining allied ships were more damaged. Also, considering the slightly fewer losses of men in the Swedish navy; 1,200 compared to 1,400 (439 killed, 269 captured and slightly more than 650 wounded allies), the battle is considered a tactical draw. Strategically, however, it was a major allied victory.[1]



Ship lists

































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Dutch Republic

Dutch Republic
This page contains slightly different details for the Dutch ships



Ship name

Guns

Notes

Van (Vice Admiral Witte de With)

Brederode (de With)
59
Ran aground, captured by Wismar and sank; de With killed

Landman
40


Zeeridder
22


Princesse Louise
32


Cogge
40


Windhont
23


Prins Willem
28


Wapen van Medemblick
36


Groningen
36


Center (Lt. Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam)

Eendracht (Obdam)
72


Rotterdam
52


Zon
40


Wapen van Rotterdam
40


Wapen van Dordrecht
40


Halve Maen
40


Duyvenvoorde
40


Stavoren
40


Deutecom
24


Waegh
40


Gouden Leeuw
38


Hoorn
28


Princes Albertina
36


Rear (Vice Admiral Pieter Floriszoon)

Jozua (Floriszoon)
50
Pieter Floriszoon killed

Breda
28
Captured but abandoned and recaptured

Jupiter
32


Alkmaar
36


Westfriesland
28


Wapen van Holland
38


Eendracht
38


Caleb
40


Jonge Prins
30


Wapen van Monnickendam
26


Transports

Judith
24


Vergulden Haen
16


Liefde
24


Medea
24


Perel
23


Fruytboom
23


Denmark Denmark

Ship name

Guns

Notes

Danish Squadron (Bjelke)

Trefoldighed (Bjelke)
66


Tre Løver
60


Norske Løve
48


Hannibal
44


Graa Ulv
36


Johannes
20


Hojenhald
8


Sweden Sweden

Ship name

Guns

Notes

1st squadron (Sjohjelm)

Cesar (Sjohjelm)
54


Amarant
46


Apollo
46


Wismar
44


Vestervik
40


Fides
36


Hjort
36


Södermanland
38


Svan
38


Östergötland
36


Halfmåne
28


2nd squadron (Carl Gustaf Wrangel and Strussflycht)

Victoria (C.G. Wrangel)
74


Måne
46


Merkurius
46


Mars
44


Svärd
44


Pelican
40
Captured by Wapen van Rotterdam

Örn
38


Samson
32


Morgonstjerna (merchantman)
48
Captured by Eendracht

Goteborgsfalk (merchantman)
24


Krona
68


3rd squadron (Bjelkenstjerna)

Drake (Bjelkenstjerna)
66


Carolus
54


Falk
40


Nordstjerna
40


Delmenhorst
36
Captured by Hollandia and Wapen van Medemblik

Leopard
36
Damaged by Brederode; burnt after action

Rafael
36


Samson
36


Jägare
26


Konung David (merchantman)
42


St Johannes (merchantman)
36


Kalmarkastell (merchantman)
32


4th squadron (G. Wrangel)

Hercules (G. Wrangel)
58


Maria
46


Småland
46


Svenska Lejon
40


Svan
36


Fenix
30


Fortuna
30


Salvator
30


Hök
28


Rose (merchantman)
40
Captured by Landman

Ångermanland (merchantman)
20



References





  1. ^ abcdefg Swedish Naval Administration, 1521-1721: Resource Flows and Organisational Capabilities, Jan Glete, BRILL (2010). pp. 180.


  2. ^ abc Svenska slagfält (2003) - Lars Ericson, Martin Hårdstedt, Per Iko, Ingvar Sjöblom, Gunnar Åselius. pp. 198





  • Naval Wars in the Baltic 1522-1850 (1910) - R. C. Anderson

  • Svenska slagfält (2003) - Lars Ericson, Martin Hårdstedt, Per Iko, Ingvar Sjöblom, Gunnar Åselius



External links


  • List of sailing warships

Coordinates: 55°45′N 12°45′E / 55.750°N 12.750°E / 55.750; 12.750







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