Battle of São Vicente

Battle of São Vicente
Part of the Anglo–Spanish War
Painting of the Bay of São Vincente by Benedito Calixto
Date 3 February 1583 Location Off São Vicente Portuguese Brazil Result English victory
Belligerents
Spain	England
Commanders and leaders
Andrés de Equino	Edward Fenton
Strength
3 Galleons	2 Galleons 1 Pinnace
Casualties and losses
1 Galleon sunk 1 Galleon heavily damaged 36 killed & 100 wounded	8 killed & 20 wounded

The Battle of São Vicente was a minor naval engagement that took place off Sao Vincente, Portuguese Brazil on 3 February 1583 during the Anglo–Spanish War between three English ships (including two galleons), and three Spanish galleons. The English under Edward Fenton on an expedition having failed to enter the Pacific, then attempted to trade off Portuguese Brazil but were intercepted by a detached Spanish squadron under Commodore Andrés de Equino. After a moonlit battle briefly interrupted by a rainstorm the Spanish were defeated with one galleon sunk and another heavily damaged along with heavy losses. Fenton then attempted to resume trading but without much success and thus returned to England.

In June 1582 after a troublesome delay, an English expedition had set off to reach the South China Sea via the Cape of Good Hope on a voyage of exploration. Their commander was Captain Edward Fenton with his 400-ton flagship galleon Leicester (ex-galleon Bear) under second-in-command Sir William Hawkins Jr (the nephew of Sir John Hawkins). Following Fenton was the 300-ton vice-flagship Edward Bonaventure under Luke Warde; the 50-ton pinnace Elizabeth under Thomas Skevington and the 40-ton bark Francis under John Drake (Sir Francis Drake’s nephew). The fleet’s chaplain Richard Madox recorded the events of the voyage in a diary.

On 11 December 1582 Fenton arrived off Portuguese Brazil, the original plan having been changed with the hope of going through the Straits of Magellan instead of the Cape. On 17 December, after having refreshed with victuals ashore the English sighted and then captured the 46-ton Spanish bark Nuestra Señora de Piedad. The ship was bound from Brazil towards the River Plate with twenty one settlers under Francisco de Vera. From the Spaniard they had learned of Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa's departure from Rio de Janeiro to fortify the Strait of Magellan. Three days later the English released their prize and by the 31st were unsure of being able to win past Sarmiento’s new settlement in the Strait. Fenton after heated discussion with Hawkins reversed course the same evening, and headed north towards São Vicente hoping to do trade with the settlers there. The same night a storm dispersed the ships resulting in the loss of John Drake’s eighteen man Francis never to be seen or heard of again.

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