Battles of Tobago

For the 1781 battle, see Invasion of Tobago.

Action of March 1677
Part of the Franco-Dutch War
A painting of the battle
Date 3 March 1677 Location Off Tobago, Caribbean Sea 11°15′0.0″N 60°40′1.2″W Result Dutch victory
Belligerents
Dutch Republic	France
Commanders and leaders
Jacob Binckes	Jean II d'Estrées
Strength
4 ships of the line 4 frigates 1 fireship 1 merchant ship	8 ships of the line 1 frigate
Casualties and losses
300 killed 1 ship of the line destroyed 1 ship of the line captured 1 frigate sunk	1,500 killed 2 ships of the line destroyed 2 ships of the line captured

The action of March 1677, also known as the Battle of Tobago, took place on 3 March 1677 between a Dutch fleet under the command of Jacob Binckes and a French squadron commanded by Jean II d'Estrées attempting to recapture the island of Tobago in the West Indies. There was much death and destruction on both sides. One of the Dutch supply ships caught fire and exploded; the fire then quickly spread in the narrow bay causing several warships, among them the French flagship Glorieux, to catch fire and explode in turn which resulted in great loss of life. The French fleet retreated but would make a second attempt to captured Tobago at the end of the year with a much stronger fleet.

Order of battle

France

• Glorieux (flagship, 64 guns) - (Jean, Comte d'Estrées) Destroyed; 60 killed
• L'Intrépide (56 guns) - (Louis de Gabaret) Captured
• Le Precieux (54 guns) - Captured
• Le Marquis (46 guns) - (Chevalier de Lézines) Destroyed
• Le Galant (46 guns) - Damaged
• Le Fendant (54 guns) - (Charles de Courbon de Blénac) Damaged
• Fortuné (52 guns) - (Nicholas Lefèvre de Méricourt)
• Le Laurier (40 guns) - (Charles-François de Machault de Belmont)
• Le Soleil d'Afrique (40 guns) - Captain killed

Dutch Republic

• Beschermer (flagship, 54 guns) - (Jacob Binckes) 50 killed
• Huis te Kruiningen (58 guns) - (Roemer Vlacq) Captured; 56 killed
• Zeelandia (34 guns) - (Pieter Constant) 44 killed
• Middelburg (38 guns) - (Jan Swart) Destroyed
• Sphaera Mundi (41 guns)
• Gouden Ster (30 guns) - (Pieter Cooreman) Captain killed
• Hertog van York (26 guns) - (Frederick Sweers)
• Alcion (24 guns) - (Cornelis Stolwijk) Sunk
• Popkensburg (24 guns) - (Pieter Slolwyck)
• Sint Salvador (6 guns)