Action of 23 March 1654

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The Action of 23 March 1654 is the name given to a naval battle which took place near Colombo, Ceylon, when a force of 5 Portuguese galleons which were escorting 5 merchant galliots to Colombo, fought its way through a Dutch blockading squadron of 3 ships. 2 of the Dutch ships were captured, but in the Portuguese confusion of having their 2 top officers killed, these ships were recaptured. They ran aground but were refloated.

[edit] Ships involved

[edit] Portugal

• Nazareth 42 (flag, António Pereira)
• São João 38 (second flag, Álvaro de Novais)
• Santo António de Mazagão 36 (António Sottomaior)
• São José 34 (Francisco Machado Deca)
• São Filipe e Santiago 24 (António de Abreu)

Guns maybe mixed up. They're also reported as around 28-30 guns each.

[edit] Netherlands

• Windhond (flag?)
• Renoçer (Rhinoceros) (second flag?)
• Drommedaris (yacht)

Renoçer and probably Windhond were the captured ships.