Drake's Assault on Panama

Drake's Assault on Panama
Part of the Anglo–Spanish War

Burial of Drake off Panama in 1596, painting by Thomas Davidson
Date6 – 20 January 1596
Location
Isthmus of Panama
Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
 Spain England England
Commanders and leaders
Alonso de Sotomayor
Juan Enríquez Conabut		 Francis Drake # [2]
Thomas Baskerville
Strength
Various shores defences
200 soldiers & militia		 15 ships
600 soldiers & sailors[3]
Casualties and losses
Unknown Heavy
Many to disease
2 ships scuttled[4]

Drake's Assault on Panama also known as the Defence of Panama was a military event that took place in January 1596 during the Anglo–Spanish War. An English expedition under the command of Francis Drake and Thomas Baskerville attacked the Spanish Main via Nombre de Dios in order to cross the isthmus of Panama.[5] Ravaged with dysentery and other diseases the English were repelled and defeated. Drake would die of the former and the expedition was forced to retreat back to England all the while harassed by the Spanish.[4]

  1. ^ Kelsey p. 390
  2. ^ Died of dysentery off Portobelo[1]
  3. ^ Corbett, Julian Stafford (1917). Drake and the Tudor Navy, Volume 2 Drake and the Tudor Navy. Longmans. pp. 396–97.
  4. ^ a b Marley pp. 136-37
  5. ^ Andrews pp.21-22