.gif)
Battle of Saldanha Bay (1796)
Encyclopedia
The designation Battle of Saldanha Bay refers to the surrender without a fight of a squadron of the navy of the Batavian Republic
under the command of Rear-Admiral Engelbertus Lucas (1747-June 21, 1797) to a Royal Navy
squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral George Elphinstone at Saldanha Bay
on August 17, 1796.
to the invading French in January, 1795, and the subsequent proclamation of the Batavian Republic
, which changed sides in the War of the First Coalition
, and concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with France in the war against Great Britain, the government of the latter country procured the Kew Letters
of the former Stadtholder
, William V, Prince of Orange
, which helped it to conquer the Cape Colony
(September 16, 1795). The next year the Batavian Republic decided to make an attempt to reconquer the Cape. To that end an expedition of 9 ships with 2,000 sailors and soldiers was launched under the command of (temporary) Rear-Admiral Lucas (whose only recommendation was that he had made a voyage as a navy captain to the East-Indies in 1786, and was considered a loyal adherent of the regime) in January, 1796. This expedition arrived at Saldanha Bay on August 6, 1796.
had been forewarned that Dutch and French naval expeditions were underway. When rumors of the presence of the Dutch squadron reached the Cape, a cavalry reconnaissance was made and confirmation obtained the same day. Craig marched with 2500 men and 11 guns to Saldanha, where he arrived on August 14. Meanwhile, Elphinstone made repeated attempts to reach Saldanha Bay by sea, but gale-force winds made this impossible till August 16. He then trapped the Dutch fleet with a superior force (13 ships versus 9, of superior rating)..
Meanwhile, Lucas had been taking in water, repairing his sails, and putting the many sick and disabled seamen of his fleet ashore. He had been warned by locals that were sympathetic to the Dutch, of the arrival of Craig, but decided to complete his replenishment. When he was confronted with a demand for surrender by Elphinstone (who offered honorable terms and pointed out his superiority, which made resistance problematic), he immediately agreed verbally. During his later court-martial he offered the excuse that his crews had been mutinous during the voyage; many sailors were adherents of the old regime, and hostile to the Batavian Republic. He therefore calculated that he would not have been able to count on those crews. Indeed, after the surrender, several of the crews actively mutinied, and had to be subdued by the British.
Lucas then tried to obtain better terms for the capitulation, but in the exchange of letters that followed (included in Elphinstone's dispatches of August 19) Elphinstone would only agree to leaving the Dutch officers in possession of their side-arms.
.
The news of the surrender caused an uproar in the Netherlands. There was a great popular demand for a court-martial of Lucas and his officers. Lucas himself asked for such a court-martial, to enable him to defend his actions. This court-martial (a Hoge Zeekrijgsraad) was convened by a decree of the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic
on April 11, 1797. However, by then Lucas was already severely ill. He died on June 21, 1797. This made the court-martial itself moot, but the advocaat-fiscaal Jacobus Spoors
nevertheless diligently conducted a thorough investigation of the affair. His report of December 19, 1797, exonerated Lucas and his officers. This lenient treatment may have contributed to the attitude of the officers who later became involved in the similar Vlieter Incident
.
On 7 March 1797, the cabinet made Elphinstone an Irish peer, Baron Kieth of Stonehaven-Marischal.
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
under the command of Rear-Admiral Engelbertus Lucas (1747-June 21, 1797) to a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral George Elphinstone at Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay is a natural harbour on the south-western coast of South Africa, north west of Cape Town. The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also called Saldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of...
on August 17, 1796.
Background
After the surrender of the Dutch RepublicDutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
to the invading French in January, 1795, and the subsequent proclamation of the Batavian Republic
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
, which changed sides in the War of the First Coalition
First Coalition
The War of the First Coalition was the first major effort of multiple European monarchies to contain Revolutionary France. France declared war on the Habsburg monarchy of Austria on 20 April 1792, and the Kingdom of Prussia joined the Austrian side a few weeks later.These powers initiated a series...
, and concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with France in the war against Great Britain, the government of the latter country procured the Kew Letters
Kew Letters
The Kew Letters were a number of letters, written by stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange between 30 January and 8 February 1795 from the "Dutch House" at Kew Palace, where he temporarily stayed after his flight to England on 18 January 1795...
of the former Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
, William V, Prince of Orange
William V, Prince of Orange
William V , Prince of Orange-Nassau was the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and between 1795 and 1806 he led the Government of the Dutch Republic in Exile in London. He was succeeded by his son William I...
, which helped it to conquer the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
(September 16, 1795). The next year the Batavian Republic decided to make an attempt to reconquer the Cape. To that end an expedition of 9 ships with 2,000 sailors and soldiers was launched under the command of (temporary) Rear-Admiral Lucas (whose only recommendation was that he had made a voyage as a navy captain to the East-Indies in 1786, and was considered a loyal adherent of the regime) in January, 1796. This expedition arrived at Saldanha Bay on August 6, 1796.
The incident
British forces at the Cape under Admiral Elphinstone and General James Henry CraigJames Henry Craig
General Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
had been forewarned that Dutch and French naval expeditions were underway. When rumors of the presence of the Dutch squadron reached the Cape, a cavalry reconnaissance was made and confirmation obtained the same day. Craig marched with 2500 men and 11 guns to Saldanha, where he arrived on August 14. Meanwhile, Elphinstone made repeated attempts to reach Saldanha Bay by sea, but gale-force winds made this impossible till August 16. He then trapped the Dutch fleet with a superior force (13 ships versus 9, of superior rating)..
Meanwhile, Lucas had been taking in water, repairing his sails, and putting the many sick and disabled seamen of his fleet ashore. He had been warned by locals that were sympathetic to the Dutch, of the arrival of Craig, but decided to complete his replenishment. When he was confronted with a demand for surrender by Elphinstone (who offered honorable terms and pointed out his superiority, which made resistance problematic), he immediately agreed verbally. During his later court-martial he offered the excuse that his crews had been mutinous during the voyage; many sailors were adherents of the old regime, and hostile to the Batavian Republic. He therefore calculated that he would not have been able to count on those crews. Indeed, after the surrender, several of the crews actively mutinied, and had to be subdued by the British.
Lucas then tried to obtain better terms for the capitulation, but in the exchange of letters that followed (included in Elphinstone's dispatches of August 19) Elphinstone would only agree to leaving the Dutch officers in possession of their side-arms.
Aftermath
Many of the soldiers and sailors aboard the Dutch fleet (who were mostly of German nationality) enlisted in the British army and navy, and were immediately dispatched to the East Indies. The Dutch officers were sent back to the Batavian Republic on paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
.
The news of the surrender caused an uproar in the Netherlands. There was a great popular demand for a court-martial of Lucas and his officers. Lucas himself asked for such a court-martial, to enable him to defend his actions. This court-martial (a Hoge Zeekrijgsraad) was convened by a decree of the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic
National Assembly of the Batavian Republic
The National Assembly of the Batavian Republic was the name for the Dutch parliament between 1796 and 1801. The National assembly was founded in 1796 after general elections. It replaced the States-General of the Batavian Republic...
on April 11, 1797. However, by then Lucas was already severely ill. He died on June 21, 1797. This made the court-martial itself moot, but the advocaat-fiscaal Jacobus Spoors
Jacobus Spoors
Jacobus Spoors , was a Dutch politician in the Batavian Republic.-Career:*Attorney, Leiden, since 1777...
nevertheless diligently conducted a thorough investigation of the affair. His report of December 19, 1797, exonerated Lucas and his officers. This lenient treatment may have contributed to the attitude of the officers who later became involved in the similar Vlieter Incident
Vlieter Incident
The Vlieter incident was the surrender without a fight of a squadron of the navy of the Batavian Republic, commanded by Rear-Admiral Samuel Story, during the Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland to the British navy on a sandbank near the Channel known as De Vlieter, near Wieringen, on August 30,...
.
On 7 March 1797, the cabinet made Elphinstone an Irish peer, Baron Kieth of Stonehaven-Marischal.
Ships surrendered
Source Otridge, p. 90| Ship | Guns | Commander | Complement | Notes | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dordrecht | 66 | Lucas | 370 | Ship of the Line Ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear... |
HMS Dordrecht |
| Revolutie | 66 | Rhynbende | 400 | Ship of the Line | HMS Prince Frederick |
| Admiraal Tromp | 54 | Valkenburg | 280 | Ship of the Line | HMS Van Tromp |
| Castor | 44 | Clarisse | 240 | frigate | HMS Saldanha |
| Braave | 40 | Zoetmans | 234 | Frigate | HMS Braave |
| Bellona | 28 | Valk | 130 | Frigate | HMS Vindictive |
| Sireene | 20 | De Cerf | 130 | Sloop | HMS Daphne |
| Havik | 18 | Bezemer | 76 | Sloop | HMS Havik |
| Maria | - | - | 112 | Storeship | |