I use the onthisday.com website to inspire many of my posts. Sometimes I see something on my travels which gives me an idea. Yesterday my walk to Plymouth Hoe triggered my post about the Spanish Armada. I explained that there were three armadas, and that Sir Anthony Standen sailed with Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, on his raid of Cadiz in 1596. The Spanish Armada of 1596 was destroyed by storms before it was a threat.
Well, it was on this day in 1596 that the combined English and Dutch fleets began their attack on Cadiz. So in a break from my normal style, I give you an excerpt from the attack on Cadiz from The Spy who Sank the Armada. It’s the first book in my Sir Anthony Standen Adventures series.
When they were out of sight of land, they retired to their cabins. It took ten days for them to reach Cape Finisterre, then as they turned and headed south down the coast of Portugal, the west winds came on the beam and their speed increased. They reached Cape St. Vincent on the 18th June, just 140 nautical miles from Cadiz, but the winds slackened and it was not until Sunday 30th June that they had Cadiz in sight. At five o’clock in the morning, the crash of guns awoke Anthony. He got up, dressed, and rushed onto the quarterdeck. They were under fire from shore artillery, and were returning fire where possible. The Spanish fleet was bearing down towards them and Due Repulse was third in the English line. Essex was already on deck, talking with Captain Monson.
‘Why is the ship ahead lowering a boat, captain?’
‘I have no idea, my lord. The ship lowering the boat is the Crane, which has the marshal of the army, Sir Francis Vere, aboard. The ship ahead of his is Merhonneur. They’re rowing like blazes now, dragging a line behind them. Good god, they’re attaching themselves to Merhonneur. I don’t think Raleigh has noticed. Look, they’re hauling themselves forward trying to overtake Merhonneur. Vere seems very keen to be the first ashore. Ah, Raleigh has noticed now. He’s cutting the line.’
‘Captain, they’ve both slowed. Can we overtake?’ asked Essex.
‘With pleasure, my lord.’
With Crane and Merhonneur exchanging hostile words at each other, Due Repulse sailed past both of them, surging through the surf as the wind freshened. She sailed between the lines of Spanish galleons, firing broadsides to port and starboard. The English rate of fire was considerably faster than that of the Spaniards, and as other English and Dutch vessels joined her, they inflicted massive damage on the Spanish fleet. They watched as the bulk of the Spanish fleet still ahead of them turned and sailed back into Cadiz Bay. As they surged on towards Cadiz, Captain Monson peered towards the harbour.
‘They’re burning their own ships. They don’t want us to get them.’
‘I hope it’s not the treasure ships they’re sending to the bottom,’ Essex exclaimed. ‘Anyway, we’re getting close now. I’ll get my forces ready. How close can you get to the headland there, and put us ashore in the boats?’ Essex asked, pointing at the headland.
‘Close enough, my lord, and we’ll give you covering fire as you go ashore.’