Battle of Elmina (1625)

Battle of Elmina
Part of the Dutch-Portuguese War

View of Elmina, 1668.
Date October 25, 1625
Location Elmina, Portuguese Gold Coast
(present-day Ghana)
Result Portuguese victory [1][2][3]
Belligerents
 Dutch Republic  Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Jan Dircksz Lam[4] † Fernando de Sottomayor [5]
Strength
1,200 soldiers[6]
15 ships [5]		 56 Portuguese[1][5]
200 African allies
Casualties and losses
All killed except 45 [5] 27 killed

The Battle of Elmina was a minor conflict of the Dutch-Portuguese War, fought off the castle of São Jorge da Mina (Elmina)[3][7] in the Portuguese Gold Coast between 1,200 Dutch soldiers of the Dutch West India Company landed by a fleet of 15 ships and the Portuguese garrison of the castle reinforced by 200 African allies put in service of the governor Sottomayor by the local caciques.[8]

The Dutch opened the battle bombarding the castle, later the Dutch began to march to the castle, but they were ambushed by the Portuguese and their African allies from hidden positions and they were almost totally massacred. Among the dead were the commander-in-chief and all his officers.[5] The Portuguese had very few casualties and took 15 flags, 15 drums and over than 1,000 muskets, pikes, pistols and dresses.

The Dutch ships fired over 2,000 cannon balls at the castle, but they eventually withdrew.

References

  1. ^ a b Glete, p. 174
  2. ^ Gann, Duignan, p. 309
  3. ^ a b Dann, Seaton, p.34
  4. ^ Postma, Enthovenp.89
  5. ^ a b c d e Taylor, p.108
  6. ^ Dei-Anang, p.21
  7. ^ Rodriguez, p.236
  8. ^ Boxer, p.86

Bibliography