Map of a sea battle between the Dutch and French fleets in Rockly Bay at Tobago on 3 March 1677

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Map of a sea battle between the Dutch and French fleets in Rockly Bay at Tobago on 3 March 1677

Binckes, Jacob

Title Leupe: "De Roode Klipbaai (Tabago) met den aanval der Franschen op het Staten-eskader onder Binckes 1676".

In 1677 Tobago was attacked twice by French expeditionary fleets under Admiral Jean Duc d’Estrées, in February and December. In a decisive sea battle on 3 March the first assault was successfully repulsed, but in d’Estrées’ second attack the French were more fortunate: on 12 December the powder magazine of the Dutch fort blew up after sustaining a direct hit by a mortar bomb, which killed Binckes and around 250 of his men. Nevertheless, this victory did not lead to French colonization of Tobago, although the island was ceded to the French under the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1678. Ultimately Tobago became a permanent British possession in 1763.

This bird’s eye view shows the battle in Rode Clip Baay (Rockly Bay) on the southeastern side of the island on the third of the March. This drawing was an enclosure with a report of the events by Commander Binckes to the Grand Pensionary Caspar Fagel dated 23 April 1677 (VELH258A), from which the wording of the legend has been borrowed.

North is lower right.

Please contact Nationaal Archief for reuse and copyrights.

Is part of:

Sterrenschans, fort at Rockly Bay Scarborough

Creator

Binckes, Jacob (draughtsman)

Period

1677

Material

paper

Technique

pen

Kind

drawing

Dimension

42 x 55 cm.42 x 55 cm.

Number

VELH258A

Owner

Nationaal Archief

Tags

Map/Chart/Plan, battle / taking / war (fight)

Inscription

Verklaringen: [in het bijbehorende verslag door Jacob Binckes] een legenda bij de nummers 1 t/m 29, de letters A t/m L en c, d, g, h, i : Explanations: [in the accompanying report by Jacob Binckes] a key to the numbers 1 to 29, the letters A to L and c, d, g, h, i : 1. Command:r Heertie Carstens d’ fluit de Zaijer geprepareert tot een brander. 2. Cap:t Pieter Constant t’ Schip Zelandia. 3. Command:r Cornelis Stolwijck de Prijs Halcion. 4. De Heer Command:r Binckes t Schip de Bescherminge. 5. Command:r Frederick Sweers t victualij Schip Ducq d’ Jorck. 6. Cap:t Roemer vlacq t’ Schip t’ Huijs te Cruijningen. 7. Command:r Dirck Schoen victualie Schip de goude Monnick. 8. Cap:t Jan Swart t’ Schip Middelburch. 9. Cap:t Pieter Coreman de Goude Star. 10. Cap:t Pieter Stolwijck t Schip Poppjesburch. 11. Cap:t Galtie Galties t schip Leijden. 12. Command:r Jan Erasmusz t’ advijs Jacht de Fortuijn. 13. t Scheepie Starrenb[urch] door Leckagie van Surinnam hier Ingekomen. 14. Command:r Weijlof Langereijs t Victulalij schip de Sphæramundi waar in eenige vrouwen en Negers hadden ge-embarqueert. 15. Een Portugijs scheepie komende van Brazil alhier door Leckagie alhier. Van Nombre 16 tot 29 zijn de Incomende france schepen. A-L, c, d, g, h, i. Beschrijvingen van de opeenvolgende stadia van het gevecht, niet getranscribeerd. A-L, c, d, g, h, i. Descriptions of the successive stages in the battle, not transcribed.

Sources and literature

Heijer, H. den, Grote Atlas van de West-Indische Compagnie = Comprehensive Atlas of the Dutch West India Company, II, de nieuwe WIC 1674-1791 = the new WIC 1674-1791 (2012)