Battle of the Sound

File:Battleofthesound.jpg

Drawing by Willem van de Velde the Elder

File:Zeeslag bij Elseneur in de Sont tussen de Hollandse en de Zweedse vloot, 8 november 1658 Rijksmuseum SK-A-3271.jpeg

Painting by Peter van de Velde.

The naval Battle of the Sound took place on 8 November 1658 (29 October O.S.) during the Second Northern War, near the Sound or Oresund, just north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Sweden had invaded Denmark and an army under Charles X of Sweden had Copenhagen itself under siege. The Dutch fleet was sent to prevent Sweden from gaining control of both sides of the Sound and thereby controlling access to the Baltic Sea as well as of its trade.

The Dutch, under the command of Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam with Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer as his flag captain, who had sailed to the Baltic in support of Denmark, had 41 ships with 1413 guns while the Swedes, under Lord High Admiral Carl Gustaf Wrangel, had 45 ships with 1838 guns. The Dutch were grouped into three squadrons, while the Swedes separated their ships into four. The seven Danish ships with about 280 guns were unable to assist their Dutch allies because of adverse northern winds and could only watch. Obdam, who first received very complicated written instructions from the Grand Pensionary, Johan de Witt, and went so far as to request them again "in three words", summed up his mission in a single sentence: "Save Copenhagen and punch anyone in the face who tries to prevent it". This was a direct reference to the English, whose powerful fleet had recently defeated the Dutch in the First Anglo-Dutch War; in the event, however, the English did not intervene. The Swedes attacked aggressively, but failed to gain the upper hand, primarily because the approaching Dutch had the weather gage. The Dutch forced the Swedish fleet to end the blockade of the Danish capital, enabling its resupply by Dutch armed transport ships, which eventually forced Charles to abandon the siege entirely.

The Swedes lost five ships in the action compared to one Dutch ship, however, remaining allied ships were more damaged. Also, considering the slightly fewer losses of men in the Swedish army; 1,200 compared to 1,400 (439 killed, 269 captured and slightly more than 650 wounded allies), the battle is considered a tactical draw. Strategically, however, it was a major allied victory.

Ship lists

Dutch Republic This page contains slightly different details for the Dutch ships
Ship name	Guns	Notes
Van (Vice Admiral Witte de With)
Brederode (de With)	59	Ran aground, captured by Wismar and sank; de With killed
Landman	40
Zeeridder	22
Princesse Louise	32
Cogge	40
Windhont	23
Prins Willem	28
Wapen van Medemblick	36
Groningen	36
Center (Lt. Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam)
Eendracht (Obdam)	72
Rotterdam	52
Zon	40
Wapen van Rotterdam	40
Wapen van Dordrecht	40
Halve Maen	40
Duyvenvoorde	40
Stavoren	40
Deutecom	24
Waegh	40
Gouden Leeuw	38
Hoorn	28
Princes Albertina	36
Rear (Vice Admiral Pieter Floriszoon)
Jozua (Floriszoon)	50	Pieter Floriszoon killed
Breda	28	Captured but abandoned and recaptured
Jupiter	32
Alkmaar	36
Westfriesland	28
Wapen van Holland	38
Eendracht	38
Caleb	40
Jonge Prins	30
Wapen van Monnickendam	26
Transports
Judith	24
Vergulden Haen	16
Liefde	24
Medea	24
Perel	23
Fruytboom	23
Denmark
Ship name	Guns	Notes
Danish Squadron (Bjelke)
Trefoldighed (Bjelke)	66
Tre Løver	60
Norske Løve	48
Hannibal	44
Graa Ulv	36
Johannes	20
Hojenhald	8
Sweden
Ship name	Guns	Notes
1st squadron (Sjohjelm)
Cesar (Sjohjelm)	54
Amarant	46
Apollo	46
Wismar	44
Vestervik	40
Fides	36
Hjort	36
Södermanland	38
Svan	38
Östergötland	36
Halfmåne	28
2nd squadron (Carl Gustaf Wrangel and Strussflycht)
Victoria (C.G. Wrangel)	74
Måne	46
Merkurius	46
Mars	44
Svärd	44
Pelican	40	Captured by Wapen van Rotterdam
Örn	38
Samson	32
Morgonstjerna (merchantman)	48	Captured by Eendracht
Goteborgsfalk (merchantman)	24
Krona	68
3rd squadron (Bjelkenstjerna)
Drake (Bjelkenstjerna)	66
Carolus	54
Falk	40
Nordstjerna	40
Delmenhorst	36	Captured by Hollandia and Wapen van Medemblik
Leopard	36	Damaged by Brederode; burnt after action
Rafael	36
Samson	36
Jägare	26
Konung David (merchantman)	42
St Johannes (merchantman)	36
Kalmarkastell (merchantman)	32
4th squadron (G. Wrangel)
Hercules (G. Wrangel)	58
Maria	46
Småland	46
Svenska Lejon	40
Svan	36
Fenix	30
Fortuna	30
Salvator	30
Hök	28
Rose (merchantman)	40	Captured by Landman
Ångermanland (merchantman)	20

References

• Naval Wars in the Baltic 1522-1850 (1910) - R. C. Anderson
• Svenska slagfält (2003) - Lars Ericson, Martin Hårdstedt, Per Iko, Ingvar Sjöblom, Gunnar Åselius

External links

• List of sailing warships