Capture of Bahia

Capture of Bahia
Part of Dutch-Portuguese War
Date May 8, 1624
Location Salvador da Bahia, present-day Brazil
Result Dutch victory
Belligerents
 Dutch Republic Portuguese Empire
Commanders and leaders
Jacob Willekens
Pieter Heyn		 Diogo de Mendonça Furtado
Strength
6,500 3,000
Casualties and losses
50 killed or wounded Unknown

On December 22 of 1623 a Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Jacob Willekens and Vice Admiral Pieter Heyn consisting of 35 ships,[1] of which 13 were owned by the United Provinces, while the rest belonged to the WIC, sailed from Texel carrying 6,500 men en route to Cape Verde,[2] where they arrived after being scattered by a storm. There Willekens was revealed that his objective was the capture of the city of Salvador da Bahia on the coast of Brazil. The Dutch intentions to invade Brazil were soon reported by the Spanish spies in the Netherlands to the court of Madrid, but Count-Duke of Olivares did not give them credit.[3]

On May 8 the Dutch fleet appeared off Salvador. The main objective of the expedition was the capture of the port to use it as a commercial base to ensure the Dutch trade with the East Indies.[4] In addition they would control much of the sugar production in the region, as Salvador was a major center of sugar production in the area.[5]

The Portuguese governor of Salvador, Diogo de Mendonça Furtado, tried to organized the defense of the town with 3,000 men hastily recruited,[6] mostly Portuguese militia of peasant levees and black slaves, all of them resentful to Spanish rule.[4] The port was protected by sea by two forts: Fort Santo António from the east and Fort São Filipe from the west. Additionally a six-gun battery was erected on the beach and the streets were barricaded.

The Dutch fleet entered the bay divided into two squadrons. One sailed towards the beach of Santo António and disembarked the soldiers commanded by Colonel Johan van Dorth. The other anchored off the town and opened fire over the coastal defenses, which were quickly neutralized. At dawn the city was surrounded by more than 1,000 Dutch soldiers with 2 pieces of artillery.[4] Intimidated, the Portuguese militia threw their weapons and fled, leaving Mendonça with 60 loyal soldiers.[4] Salvador had been captured at a cost of 50 casualties among the attackers.[4]

Willekens and Heyn installed a garrison under the command of Dorth before depart on new missions, according to the orders they had received. Four ships were sent to Holland carrying booty and news back,[4] and also instructions to call for reinforcements to secure Salvador.[7] The defenses of the city were reinforced and expanded with moats and ramparts and the garrison was soon increased to up 2,500 men with numerous Portuguese slaves seduced by promises of freedom and land.[4]

However, the Dutch garrison soon began to be harassed by the local guerrilla organized by Bishop Dom Marcos Teixeira, who had escaped inland. He managed to assemble a force of 1,400 Portuguese and 250 Indians auxiliaries,[8][9] who built fortifications and organized ambushes against the Dutch acting under woodland. In an attempt to drive off the attackers from the outskirts, Dorth himself was killed, and morale sags. He was replaced by Albert Schoutens, who also perished in another ambush, being replaced by his brother Willem.

The Portuguese would return the next year and recapture the post.

Sources

  1. ^ Duro p.57
  2. ^ Pérez p.233
  3. ^ Southey p.148
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Marley p.108
  5. ^ Fernández p.512
  6. ^ Duro p.47
  7. ^ Duro p.48
  8. ^ Calvo p.45
  9. ^ Solano p.245

References