Battles of La Naval de Manila

The Battles of La Naval de Manila were a series of five naval actions that were fought in the waters of the Philippines in 1646, between the forces of Spain and the Dutch Republic, during the Eighty Years War. The Spanish forces consisted of between two and three Manila galleons and a galley (all had large contingents of Filipino volunteers), against three separate Dutch squadrons, totalling eighteen ships. Heavy damage was inflicted upon the Dutch squadrons by the Spanish-Filipino forces, forcing the Dutch to abandon their invasion of the Philippines. The unexpected series of successes against superior numbers was attributed by the Spanish and Filippino participants to the intercession of Virgin Mary.

The Dutch attack on Manila, 1646

In 1646 the Dutch were believed to have sent 18 warships in three squadrons under Maarten Gerritsz Vries to converge on Manila. News of the first of these squadrons was received on February 1, 1646. The only ships available for defense were the galleons Encarnación and Rosario, recently arrived at Cavite from New Spain. These were well-armed, carrying 34 and 30 pieces of artillery, respectively, but they were only two ships against many. Nevertheless, it was determined to man and equip them for war. Fajardo named General Lorenzo de Orella y Ugalde commander-in-chief. Fajardo spoke to the men of the fleet on March 3, 1646, just before they weighed anchor.

The first battle occurred on March 15, 1646, off Mariveles Island, near Corregidor. The two Spanish ships defeated four Dutch ships, which, however, were able to escape in the night. None of the Spanish-Filippino crews were killed, but the Spanish claimed to have learned later that many Dutch were killed, and two of the ships were rendered useless.

The Spanish galleons were then dispatched to await a relief ship from New Spain, the galleon San Luis, in the Embocadero, principle target of the Dutch. On the 24th, a squadron of seven Dutch warships blockaded the two Spanish galleons in a harbor on the island of Ticao. The blockade lasted more than a month, but was then lifted when the Dutch sailed for Manila. General Lorenzo followed them with his two ships.

The second battle occurred on the night of the 29th-30th of July, between Banton and Marinduque. The battle lasted from 7 in the evening to daybreak. The Spanish lost six men killed and destroyed one of the Dutch ships (a fireship that was unsuccessful in its attack).

The Spanish vessels pursued the Dutch, catching up with them on July 31, 1646 off the coast of Mindoro. Another terrific battle ensued, with the Dutch losing another fireship and having their flagship badly damaged. At dusk the Dutch fled towards land.

On the governor's orders, the Spanish galleons returned to Cavite in August, after a six months' voyage, where needed repairs were made. Fajardo rewarded General Lorenzo with one of the best encomiendas in the islands.

There still remained one Dutch squadron, waiting near Manila. The Encarnación and Rosario were now reinforced by the newly constructed San Diego, a galleon intended for New Spain, but now prepared for war. The three galleons sailed from Cavite on September 15, 1646, accompanied by a galley and four brigantines.

Another battle ensued shortly thereafter, with the Dutch again retreating. A further battle occurred on October 4, with the same result. Because of favourable winds the Dutch escaped, but 600 sick people and two captured Dominicans on board and De Vries dying.^[1]

End of the Dutch threat

Although it was not known whether the Dutch would attack in 1647, given their defeats the previous year, nevertheless Governor Fajardo ordered that all possible defensive preparations be made, fortifying the city and ordering new warships to be built.

On June 6, 1647, Dutch vessels were sighted near Mariveles Island. In spite of the preparations, the Spanish had only one galleon (the San Diego) and two galleys ready to engage the enemy. The Dutch had twelve major vessels.

On June 12 the armada attacked the Spanish port of Cavite. The battle lasted eight hours, and the Spanish believed they had done much damage to the enemy flagship and the other vessels. The Spanish ships were not badly damaged and casualties were low. However, nearly every roof in the Spanish settlement was damaged by cannon fire, which particularly concentrated on the cathedral. On the nineteenth, the armada was split, with six ships sailing for the shipyard of Mindoro and the other six remaining in Manila Bay.

The Dutch next attacked Pampanga, where they captured the fortified monastery, taking prisoners and executing almost 200 Filipino defenders.^[2] The governor ordered solemn funeral rites for the dead and payments to their widows and orphans.

This year was the last in which the Dutch attacked the Manila area. There was an expedition the following year that arrived in Jolo in July. The Dutch had formed an alliance with an anti-Spanish king, Salicala. The Spanish garrison on the island was small, but survived a Dutch bombardment. The Dutch finally withdrew, and the Spanish made peace with the Joloans, and then also withdrew.

There was also an unsuccessful attack on Zamboanga in 1648. That year the Dutch promised the natives of Mindanao that they would return in 1649 with aid in support of a revolt against the Spanish. Several revolts did break out, the most serious being in the village of Lindáo. There most of the Spaniards were killed, and the survivors were forced to flee in a small river boat to Butuán.^[3] However, Dutch aid did not materialize.

The authorities from Manila issued a general pardon, and many of the Filipinos in the mountains surrendered. However, some of those were hanged and most of the rest were enslaved.

On October 2, 1649 the galleon Encarnación was wrecked at Sorsogon, en route from Acapulco.

See also

• Battle of Port of Cavite

References

General references