Action of 28 September 1644

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This battle took place on 28 September 1644 about 70 miles from Rhodes, when 6 Maltese galleys under Boisbaudran defeated several Turkish sailing ships.

The Maltese San Lorenzo, Santa Maria and Vittoria overhauled and attacked a Turkish galleon, while San Giuseppe and San Giovanni captured a smaller sailing ship and the "capitana" chased a vessel which turned out to be Greek, before returning to fight the galleon. After 7 hours, she was captured, with 220 of the 600 or more on board dead. The prisoners included one of the Sultans wives and her young son. Boisbaudran was killed, and the senior captain, Cotoner, of San Lorenzo, took over command. Maltese casualties were 82 killed and 170 wounded, exclusive of the rowing crews. On the voyage home there were several storms, and eventually the galleon was abandoned near Malta, and ended up wrecked on the Calabrian coast.

Ships involved:

[edit] Malta

? ("capitana" of Boisbaudran)
San Lorenzo
Santa Maria
Vittoria
San Giuseppe
San Giovanni

[edit] Turkey

galleon - Captured, wrecked later
smaller ship - Captured
several others

[edit] References

• Naval wars in the Levant 1559-1853 - R. C. Anderson ISBN 1-57898-538-2