Battle of Agosta

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Agosta
partof=the Franco-Dutch War
campaign=


caption=
date=April 22, 1676
place=Near Agosta
casus=
territory=
result=Tactically Indecisive , French strategic victory
combatant1=flagicon|Netherlands|pri United Provinces
combatant2= France
commander1=Michiel de Ruyter
commander2=Abraham Duquesne
strength1=17 Dutch + 10 Spanish ships of the line
strength2=29 ships of the line
casualties1= ca 700 killed
casualties2= ca 500 killed

The naval Battle of Agosta took place on 22 April 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War and was fought between a French fleet of 29 man-of-war, 5 frigates and 8 fireships under Abraham Duquesne and a Dutch-Spanish fleet of 27 (17 Dutch, 10 Spanish) plus 5 fireships with Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral-General Michiel de Ruyter in command. The battle was a short but intense affair and ended abruptly when Duquesne, after hearing that De Ruyter had been mortally wounded, retreated. Neither side lost a ship, though there were many dead and wounded, especially among the Dutch, who had received little support from their ally.

Order of battle

France (Abraham Duquesne)

*29 ships of the line
*5 frigates
*8 fireships

First Squadron (D'Alméras)

*"Le Fidèle" 56 (Chevalier de Cogolin)
*"L'Heureux" 54 (Monsieur de La Bretesche)
*"Vermandois" 50 (Chevalier de Tambonneau,killed)
*"Le Pompeux" 72 (Chevalier de Valbelle, chef d'escadre)
*"Lys" 74 (Lieutenant-Général Marquis Guillaume d'Alméras, killed; flag-captains Etienne Gentet and Chevalier de Montbron)
*"Le Magnifique" 72 (Monsieur de La Gravier)
*"Le Parfait" 60 (Monsieur de Chasteneuf)
*"Apollon" 54 (Chevalier de Forbin)
*"Trident" 38 (Chevalier de Bellefontaine)

;Fireships:
*"Ardent"
*"Orage"

econd Squadron (Duquesne)

*"Fortune" 56 (Marquis d'Amfreville)
*"Aimable" 56 (Monsieur de La Barre)
*"Le Joli" 46 (Monsieur de Belle-Isle)
*"L Éclatant" 60 (Monsieur de Coü, killed; replaced by Monsieur de Saint-Germen)
*"Sceptre" 80 (Comte Anne Hilarion de Tourville)
*"Saint-Esprit" 72 (vice-admiral Abraham Duquesne)
*"Saint Michel" 60 (Marquis de Preuilly d'Humiéres)
*"Le Mignon" 46 (Monsieur de Relingues)
*"Aquilon" 50 (Monsieur de Montreuil)
*"Le Vaillant" 54 (Monsieur de Septesme)

;Fireships:
*"Salvador"
*"L'Imprudent"
*"L'Inquiet"

Third Squadron (Gabaret)

*"L'Assuré" 56 (Marquis de Villette-Mursay)
*"Le Brusque" 46 (Chevalier De La Mothe)
*"Syrène" 46 (Chevalier de Béthune)
*"Le Fier" 60 (Monsieur de Chabert)
*"L'Agreable" 56 (Monsieur d'Ailly)
*"Sans-Pareil" 70 (chef d'escadre Jean Gabaret, flag-captain Alain Emmanuel de Coëtlogon)
*"Le Grand" 72 (Monsieur de Beaulieu)
*"Le Sage" 54 (Marquis de Langeron)
*"Le Prudent" 54 (Monsieur de La Fayette)
*"Le Téméraire" 50 (Chevalier de Levy)

Fireships:
*'Le Dangereux"
*"Hameson"
*"Dame-de-la-Mère"

Netherlands/Spain (Michiel de Ruyter)

De Ruyters squadron:

*"Spiegel" 70 (Gillis Schey)
*"Groenwijf" 36 (Jan Noirot)
*"Leiden" 36 (Jan van Abkoude)
*"Leeuwen" 50 (Frans Willem, Graaf van Limburg Stirum)
*"Eendracht" 76 (Lt-Admiral Michiel De Ruyter, died; flag-captain Gerard Callenburgh)
*"Stad en Lande" 54 (Joris Andringa)
*"Zuiderhuis" 46 (Pieter de Sitter)
*"Damiaten" 34 (Isaac van Uitterwijk)
*"Oosterwijk" 60 (Jacob Teding van Berkhout)
*"Tonijn" 8 (snauw, Philips Melkenbeek)
*"Kreeft" 8 (snauw, Wijbrand Barendszoon)
*"Ter Goes" 8 (snauw, Abraham Wilmerdonk)
*"Salm" 4 (fireship, Jan van Kampen)
*"Melkmeisje" 2 (fireship, Arent Ruyghaver)
*"Zwarte Tas" 4 (Jacob Stadtlander)

De Haans squadron:

*"Steenbergen" 68 (Pieter van Middelandt)
*"Wakende Boei" 46 (Cornelis Tijloos)
*"Edam" 34 (Cornelis van der Zaan)
*"Kraanvogel" 46 (Jacob Willemszoon Broeder)
*"Gouda" 76 (Vice-Admiral Jan de Haan)
*"Provincie van Utrecht" 60 (Jan de Jong)
*"Vrijheid" 50 (Adam van Brederode)
*"Harderwijk" 46 (Mattheus Megang)
*"Prinsen Wapen" 8 (snauw, Hendrik Walop)
*"Rouaan" 8 (snauw, Willem Knijf)
*"Roos" 8 (snauw, Juriaan Baak)
*"Sint Salvador" 6 (fireship, Jan Janszoon Bont)
*"Jakob en Anna" 4 (fireship, Dirk Klaaszoon Harney)
*"Witte tas" 4 (supply ship, Adriaan van Esch)

panish ships:

10 or 12 ships among them:
"Nuestra Señora del Pilar" (Capitana Real) 64/74 (1000-1100 crew) Almirante Francisco Pereire Freire de La Cerda (or de La Zerda)
"Santiago" (Nueva Real) 80
"San Antonio de Napoles" 44/46 (500 crew)
"San Felipe" 40/44
"San Carlo/Salvator delle Fiandre/San Salvador" (Almiranta de Flandres) 40/42/48 (350 crew)
"San Joaquin/San Juan" 80
"San Gabriel" 40
"Santa Ana" 54/60
"Nuestra Señora del Rosario" 50
"Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe" *
"Nuestra Señora del Rosario y Las Animas" *

Ships marked * are probable