Battle of the Sound
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| Battle of The Sound | |||||||
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| Part of Dutch-Swedish War | |||||||
 Battle of the Sound 1658 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Sweden |
 United Provinces Denmark |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Carl Gustaf Wrangel Klas Hansson Bjelkenstjerna Henrik Gerdtsson |
1st squadron:Witte de With† 2nd squadron:Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam 3rd squadron: Pieter Floriszzon† |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1st squadron: 11 ships 2nd squadron: 10 ships 3rd squadron: 12 ships 4th squadron: 11 ships Total number of guns: 1 605 Men: 4 055 seamen and about 2 423 soldiers |
1st squadron: 11 ships 2nd squadron: 13 ships 3rd squadron: 11 ships Total number of guns: 1 270 Men: 4 000 seamen and about 2 000 soldiers |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 ships 350 dead 850 wounded |
2 ships 296 dead 503 wounded |
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The naval Battle of The Sound took place on 8 November 1658 (29 October OS) during the Dutch-Swedish War, near the Sound or Oresund, just north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Sweden had defeated 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 controlling Baltic 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 had 45 ships with 1838 guns, arranged in groups of three within each Division. 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 Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and asked his boss to explain 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". That "anyone" was the English fleet; the British didn't intervene however. The Swedes aggressively attacked, but failed as the approaching Dutch had the weather gage. The Dutch forced the Swedish fleet to end the blockade of the Danish capital, which eventually forced Charles to abandon the siege entirely.
[edit] Ship lists
| United Provinces
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| 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
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| 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
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| Ship name | Guns | Notes |
| 1st squadron (Sjoheljm) | ||
| Cesar (Sjoheljm) | 54 | |
| Amarant | 46 | |
| Apollo | 46 | |
| Wismar | 44 | |
| Vestervik | 40 | |
| Fides | 36 | |
| Hjort | 36 | |
| Sodermanland | 38 | |
| Svan | 38 | |
| Östergötland | 36 | |
| Halfmane | 28 | |
| 2nd squadron (K. G. Wrangel and Strussflycht) | ||
| Victoria (Wrangel) | 74 | |
| Måne | 46 | |
| Merkurius | 46 | |
| Mars | 44 | |
| Svard | 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 Medenblik |
| Leopard | 36 | Damaged by Brederode; burnt after action |
| Rafael | 36 | |
| Samson | 36 | |
| Jagare | 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 | |
[edit] References
- Naval Wars in the Baltic 1522-1850 (1910) - R. C. Anderson
[edit] External links
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