PINE'S ARMADA, 1839, Plates 5 to 8, Sea Battles
PROGRESS OF THE ARMADA, Plate 5
The scene shows the two fleets, clearly labelled:-
English Fleet
Spanish Fleetoff Berry Point, Devon, 1 August 1588.
The wind is from the west south west.
The Spanish are in their crescent battle formation, a mass of great ships; their flag is an X cross. The English, in open array, are chasing from windward; their flag is the cross of St George. Part of the english fleet is still lagging behind, perhaps a result of Drake leaving his station as a marker for the fleet during the night to take a rich prize in the morning, the Rosario. Two english ships are taking the abandoned spanish San Salvador, which is shown smoking after a crippling accidental explosion the day before. She was taken into Weymouth.
On 2 August 1588 the wind was from the north east in the morning, giving the Spanish the weather gage ie they were upwind of the English, an advantage. The Spanish attacked. The ships in the two forward lines of the two fleets are shown firing at each other - drawn by lines with a cannonballs at the ends coming from the ships. In the lee of Portland bill another group of english ships fire on the spanish north flank. (Pine's drawing does not show the action of spanish galleases attacking the detached Triumph and others as in the Adams charts.) During the day the wind went round to the south west again.
PROGRESS OF THE ARMADA, Plate 6
The action of 2 August 1588 is continued off Portland. The wind has shifted to south west. The action between Triumph and spanish galleases is still fierce close to Portland Bill; the main battle is now east of Portland.
The weather was calm, light winds from the south west, by 3 August 1588. The English are formed in four squadrons pursuing the Spanish in their crescent formation, south of the Isle of Wight. The squadrons were commanded by Howard, Drake, Frobisher and Hawkins. The light wind inhibited action. Meanwhile small ships had been sent to shore for munitions (not shown in this scene; nor is an action against the Gran Grifon).
PROGRESS OF THE ARMADA, Plate 7
4 Augusts 1588, the two fleets are engaged in battle south of the Isle of Wight. The english fleet is in four squadrons; some ships are being towed towards the spanish fleet by rowing boats - the south west wind was so light. Some of the english ships are shown broadside on to fire their cannon. (The drawing fails to show ships in the south wing of the spanish fleet turning towards the attack there by Drake, which is clearly shown on the Adams chart.) Drake's attack on the seaward hoped to drive the Spanish north onto the Ower Banks, but this did not work. The Spanish disengaged. The encounter was indecisive; both sides used a lot of ammunition to little effect.
PROGRESS OF THE ARMADA, Plate 8
From 5-6 August 1588 the two fleets trailed eastwards along the channel towards the Straits of Dover. The Spanish in their battle crescent are pursued by the English in four squadrons. The Spanish were hurrying to their rendezvous to support the invasion by the Duke of Parma across the channel. They were still on course and undeterred by the English.
By 6 August the Spanish had anchored off Calais and decided to wait in this exposed spot for the invasion force of Parma - who was not ready. If they advanced to a safer anchorage they would have been unable to beat to windward to support Parma's crossing later. The English are anchored off Calais Cliffs. Seymour's squadron is shown sailing from his protective patrol off Kent, called by Lord Admiral Howard to his support. A council of war that day planned an attack by fireships ...
