Battle of Plymouth

Part of First Anglo-Dutch War

Date	16 August 1652
Location	Off Plymouth, English Channel
Result	Dutch victory

Belligerents

Dutch Republic

Commonwealth of England

Commanders and leaders

Maarten Tromp

George Ayscue

Strength

31 warships and 60 merchant ships

38 ships

Casualties and losses

60 killed & 50 wounded

700 killed or wounded
1 Fireship destroyed

Coordinates: 49°57′50″N 4°12′36″W / 49.964°N 4.210°W / 49.964; -4.210

The Battle of Plymouth was a naval battle in the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place on 16 August 1652 (26 August 1652 (Gregorian calendar)) and was a short battle, but had the unexpected outcome of a Dutch victory over England. General-at-Sea George Ayscue of the Commonwealth of England attacked an outward bound convoy of the Dutch Republic commanded by Vice-Commodore Michiel de Ruyter. The two commanders had been personal friends before the war. The Dutch were able to force Ayscue to break off the engagement, and the Dutch convoy sailed safely to the Atlantic while Ayscue sailed to Plymouth for repairs.

On 19 July De Ruyter was appointed Vice-Commodore, an originally Dutch creation between Captain and Rear-Admiral, with the confederate Dutch fleet and shortly after took over command, in the absence of Vice-Admiral Witte de With, of a squadron assembling in the Wielingen, off the coast of Zealand, to escort a large convoy. Around 10 August, De Ruyter took sea before the merchantmen had arrived, to seek out an English fleet of forty ships, commanded by Ayscue, which he knew had left The Downs on 19 July. De Ruyter's squadron at that moment consisted of 23 warships and six fireships, with a total of about 600 cannon and 1,700 men. As De Ruyter reported to the States-General of the Netherlands, most crews were badly trained, many ships poorly maintained and he had just two months of supplies. Nevertheless, he preferred to give battle early without the burden of having to protect the convoy.

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