Action of 18 April 1695

Last updated
Action of 18 April 1695
Date18 April, 1695 (4 hours)
Location
Off the coast of Sussex
Result Dano-Swedish victory
Belligerents
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg  Swedish Empire
Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg  Denmark–Norway
Flag of England.svg  England
Commanders and leaders
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Gustaf Wattrang Flag of England.svg Anthony Tollett
Units involved
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Wachtmeister Flag of England.svg Seahorse
Strength
1 ship 1 ship
Casualties and losses
None 1 ship damaged
Several wounded

The Action of 18 April 1695 refers to an incident where an English frigate by the name of Sea-horse demanded that the Swedish man of war Wachtmeister lower its topsail on 18 April 1695, after the refusal of the Wachtmeister, a firefight broke out, resulting in the Sea-horse retreating and the Dano-Swedish convoy emerging victorious.

Contents

Depiction showing the Wachtmeister fighting against a Russian fleet in 1719 by Ludvig Richarde Ludvig Richarde-Skeppet Wachtmeister.jpg
Depiction showing the Wachtmeister fighting against a Russian fleet in 1719 by Ludvig Richarde

Action

In the English channel, off the coast of Sussex, a Dano-Swedish convoy fleet of 180 Swedish and Danish merchant ships, led by the Wachtmeister met an English frigate on 18 April. The English frigate, named the Seahorse began inspecting the merchant ships, and then demanded one of the ships salute it, which was promptly refused, with the answer that the ship behind it would give them the reason for it, which happened to be the Wachtmeister [1] [2] [3]

When the English captain, Anthony Tollet [4] sent his boat onboard the Wachtmeister to know the reason for the refusal to strike their sail, the Swedish captain, Gustaf Wattrang, sent his Lieutenant on board the Seahorse to tell him that the Swedes had orders to not strike to any ship in the world, especially such a "diminutive" one. [1]

Upon hearing the reason, Tollet sent the Lieutenant back to the Wachtmeister, and told him to notify Wattrang that unless he saluted the Seahorse, he would fire his broadside cannons at the Wachtmeister. [1] After this, the Englishmen fired two bullets at the Swedes, but only into the air. [2] [5]

Since the Swedes continued to refuse, Tollet did as he promised and fired a broadside at the Swedes directly aimed towards the main body of the Wachtmeister. Wattrang then directed the Wachtmeister towards the Englishmen, delivering a broadside, leading to a firefight that lasted for more than 3–4 hours. [1] [2] [5]

Since the Seahorse was significantly smaller than the Wachtmeister, it was eventually forced to give up, and retreated, leaving the Dano-Swedish convoy victorious in the battle. [2]

Aftermath

After the battle, the English envoy's secretary and priest, Priest Robinson, went to Count Bengt Oxenstierna and apologised, claiming that Tollet was a "young fool who knew nothing of what he was doing". [5]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Great Britain. Public Record Office (1908). Calendar of state papers, Domestic series, of the reign of William III. Preserved in the Public Record Office. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. London : Printed for H. M. Stationery off., by Mackie.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Fryxell, Anders (1852). Berättelser ur Swenska historien: Karl den elftes Historia. 15-20 (in Swedish). Hjerta. p. 235.
  3. "De svensk-engelska segelstrykningsdispyterna". members.tripod.com. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  4. Charnock, John (2011-02-24). Biographia Navalis: Or, Impartial Memoirs of the Lives and Characters of Officers of the Navy of Great Britain, from the Year 1660 to the Present Time. Cambridge University Press. p. 112. ISBN   978-1-108-02633-8.
  5. 1 2 3 "113 (Biographiskt lexicon öfver namnkunnige svenska män / 22. Wachenfelt-Wässelius)". runeberg.org (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-05.