Action of San Mateo Bay
Encyclopedia
The Action of San Mateo Bay was a naval engagement which took place from 24 June to 1 July 1594 between the discovery ship Dainty under English privateer Richard Hawkins
and a Spanish squadron of three galleons commanded by Beltrán de Castro at the mouth of the Esmeraldas
river, nowadays Ecuador
.
, purchased the Dainty, a ship originally built for his father as Repentance and used by him in his expeditions, and sailed for the West Indies, the Spanish Main
and the South Seas. It seems clear that his project was to prey on the overseas possessions of the Spanish crown
. Hawkins, however, in an account of the voyage written thirty years afterwards, maintained that his expedition was undertaken purely for the purpose of geographical discovery. After visiting the coast of Brazil
, the Dainty passed through the Straits of Magellan, and in due course reached Valparaíso
, where he plundered the town and captured four vessels.
Bay, Richard Hawkins
spotted a vessel in open sea and ordered his pinnace
to investigate. At 9:00 A.M next day he weighed with his ship and took up station farther west off Cape San Francisco for two days before returning and discovering his dismasted consort in nearby San Mateo Bay.
The English duo was preparing to sail out into the Pacific by the morning of 29 June when two other ships came around Cape San Francisco. Believing to be Spanish treasure ships from Peru, Hawkins sent his repaired pinnace to reconnoiter, only to see it chased back by Felipón's 14-gun galley-zabra. De Castro's San Francisco y Nuestra Señora del Rosario followed close astern and attempted to run aboard Dainty but was checked by a heavy broadside. In the meanwhile, the pinnace's crew strove to regain their flagship and concentrate forces but was intercepted by the galley-zabra; a few survivors managed to clamber aboard over the bowspirit. Both sides then exchanged long-range salvos for the next couple of days, the English toppling Felipón's mainmast on 30 June before finally surrendering to the Spaniards by the afternoon of 1 July. Hawkins suffered half a dozen wounds himself, 27 killed, 17 wounded, and 29 captured among his crew; Spanish losses totaled at 28 dead and 22 injured out of 300.
De Castro installed Felipón as prize master and towed the badly damaged English flagship to the Pearl Islands
, reaching Perico for a tumultous reception on 19 July. Despite being promised honorable terms, most of the English captives were tried by the Inquisition and condemned as galley slaves, Hawkins was freed and eventually returned to England. Hawkins second in command, John Oxenham, was instead put on trial and eventually executed at Lima for heresy
. Dainty was renamed to Nuestra Señora de la Visitación, also known as La Inglesa, and incorporated into the Peruvian Squadron of the Spanish navy. The Dainty was exhibited at Panama
as a trophy of war: the first prize taken by the Spaniards in the Southern Seas.
Richard Hawkins
thumb|250px|right|Sir Richard HawkinsAdmiral Sir Richard Hawkins was a 17th century English seaman, explorer and Elizabethan "Sea Dog", and was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins....
and a Spanish squadron of three galleons commanded by Beltrán de Castro at the mouth of the Esmeraldas
Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Esmeraldas is a coastal city in northwestern Ecuador. It is the seat of the Esmeraldas Canton and the capital of the Esmeraldas Province. It has an international sea port and a small airport ....
river, nowadays Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
.
Background
In 1593 Hawkins, a nephew of Sir Francis DrakeFrancis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
, purchased the Dainty, a ship originally built for his father as Repentance and used by him in his expeditions, and sailed for the West Indies, the Spanish Main
Spanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
and the South Seas. It seems clear that his project was to prey on the overseas possessions of the Spanish crown
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
. Hawkins, however, in an account of the voyage written thirty years afterwards, maintained that his expedition was undertaken purely for the purpose of geographical discovery. After visiting the coast of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the Dainty passed through the Straits of Magellan, and in due course reached Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, where he plundered the town and captured four vessels.
Engagement
After refreshing provisions for four days in AtacamesAtacames
Atacames is a beach town located on Ecuador's Northern Pacific coast. It is located in the province of Esmeraldas, approximately 30 kilometers away from the capital of that province, which is also called Esmeraldas. In 2005 Atacames's population was 11,251 inhabitants. Atacames has one of the...
Bay, Richard Hawkins
Richard Hawkins
thumb|250px|right|Sir Richard HawkinsAdmiral Sir Richard Hawkins was a 17th century English seaman, explorer and Elizabethan "Sea Dog", and was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins....
spotted a vessel in open sea and ordered his pinnace
Pinnace (ship's boat)
As a ship's boat the pinnace is a light boat, propelled by sails or oars, formerly used as a "tender" for guiding merchant and war vessels. In modern parlance, pinnace has come to mean a boat associated with some kind of larger vessel, that doesn't fit under the launch or lifeboat definitions...
to investigate. At 9:00 A.M next day he weighed with his ship and took up station farther west off Cape San Francisco for two days before returning and discovering his dismasted consort in nearby San Mateo Bay.
The English duo was preparing to sail out into the Pacific by the morning of 29 June when two other ships came around Cape San Francisco. Believing to be Spanish treasure ships from Peru, Hawkins sent his repaired pinnace to reconnoiter, only to see it chased back by Felipón's 14-gun galley-zabra. De Castro's San Francisco y Nuestra Señora del Rosario followed close astern and attempted to run aboard Dainty but was checked by a heavy broadside. In the meanwhile, the pinnace's crew strove to regain their flagship and concentrate forces but was intercepted by the galley-zabra; a few survivors managed to clamber aboard over the bowspirit. Both sides then exchanged long-range salvos for the next couple of days, the English toppling Felipón's mainmast on 30 June before finally surrendering to the Spaniards by the afternoon of 1 July. Hawkins suffered half a dozen wounds himself, 27 killed, 17 wounded, and 29 captured among his crew; Spanish losses totaled at 28 dead and 22 injured out of 300.
De Castro installed Felipón as prize master and towed the badly damaged English flagship to the Pearl Islands
Pearl Islands
The Pearl Islands are a group of 100 or more islands lying about off the Pacific coast of Panama in the Gulf of Panama.- Islands :...
, reaching Perico for a tumultous reception on 19 July. Despite being promised honorable terms, most of the English captives were tried by the Inquisition and condemned as galley slaves, Hawkins was freed and eventually returned to England. Hawkins second in command, John Oxenham, was instead put on trial and eventually executed at Lima for heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. Dainty was renamed to Nuestra Señora de la Visitación, also known as La Inglesa, and incorporated into the Peruvian Squadron of the Spanish navy. The Dainty was exhibited at Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
as a trophy of war: the first prize taken by the Spaniards in the Southern Seas.