Raid on Newfoundland (1665)
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict= Raid on Newfoundland (1665)
|partof=the Second Anglo-Dutch War
|image=File:St John Harbour Newfoundland (40469529105).jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption= Present day St. John's
|date=June 1665
|place= St. John's
|result= Dutch victory
|combatant1={{flag|Dutch Republic}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|England}} England
|commander1={{flagicon|Dutch Republic}} Michiel de Ruyter
|commander2= {{flagicon|England}} Christopher Martin
|strength2= Fortifications and defences of St. John's, and a coalition of planters and migratory fishermen{{Cite journal |url=https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/nflds/article/view/18353/19799 |title=St. John's Narrows|journal=Newfoundland & Labrador Studies |date=7 July 2010 |volume=25 |issue=2 |page=199 |last1=Gilbert |first1=William }}
|casualties1= None
|casualties2= All ships taken, fort and houses destroyed,{{Cite book |title=Calendar of the State Papers, Colonial Series, 1574-1660, preserved in the state paper department of Her Majesty's public record office Edited by W. Noël Sainsbury. II |year=1880 |pages=558 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HTDKA5E1kcgC&dq=ruyter+planters+fisher+men+1665&pg=PA558}} and goods, canons, and guns taken
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Second Anglo-Dutch War}}
}}
In June 1665, after the Second Anglo-Dutch War broke out, a fleet under Michiel de Ruyter sailed to Newfoundland, where he raided the place and damaged the colony severely.
Background
De Ruyter first set sail to the Barbary coast to capture Barbary pirates, then later went to Algiers to free Christian slaves. He continued patrolling in the Mediterranean Sea until he got secret orders from the States-General to recapture forts in West Africa, as well as harm the English colonies in the Americas.{{Cite web |url=https://www.deruyter.org/uploads/media/Strateeg-zeeslagenIB%201664-1665%20West%20Afrika%20&%20de%20West.pdf |title=De Reis Van De Ruyter Naar West Afrika En De West 1664-1665 |last=Barreveld |first=Drs Dirk J |page=2-4|language=Dutch}}
The Raid
After recapturing the colonies in West Africa,{{Cite book |title=West African Sketches | year=1881 | publisher=Tinsley | isbn=9780598527912 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vMgNAAAAQAAJ&dq=de+ruyter+west+africa&pg=PA5}} he set sail for Newfoundland. He divided his fleet into three, one was sent to Bay Bulls while he himself went to St. John's (where he first had to break a massive cable across The Narrows). He sent the third part of his fleet to Petty Harbour.
In Petty Harbour, they captured two English ships filled with salt, oil, and wine. On the other hand, De Ruyter captured one frigate and a fluyt. They stayed for a while capturing numerous English ships and vessels filled with bread, meat, peas, and fish. After these captures, De Ruyter had around 300 prisoners. He freed some on the island in fear of rebellion.{{Cite book |title=Neêrland's roem ter zee de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, van zijn ontstaan tot den vrede van Utrecht (1713) : geschetst in tafereelen · Volume 2 |last=ten Cate |first=S.H |publisher=Van Kesteren |year=1877 |location=Amsterdam |pages=465–466 |language=Dutch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b71mAAAAcAAJ&dq=de+ruyter+newfoundland&pg=PA465}} Yet, this was not the only port he raided; he sailed around the coast and attacked numerous ports in the colony, causing significant damage.{{Cite book |title=Iced The Story of Organized Crime in Canada |last=Schneider |first=Stephen |publisher=Wiley |year=2009 |isbn=9780470835005 |edition=Paperback |pages=16 |language=English |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZO8jKSn25DAC&dq=michiel+de+ruyter+raid+newfoundland&pg=PA16}}