Raid on Tabasco (1599) | |||||||
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Part of the Anglo–Spanish War | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Spain | England | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Lázaro Suárez de Córdova | Christopher Newport | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown |
5 ships 180 soldiers | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown 2 ships captured[2] | Unknown |
The Raid on Tabasco, Capture of Tabasco or Newport's 2nd Expedition of 1599 was an English military expedition during the Anglo–Spanish War that captured the Spanish port settlement of Tabasco in New Spain. The English under Christopher Newport then occupied the town and gained a significant amount of booty before heading home.[3]
Christopher Newport was no stranger to raiding the Spanish New World and had been doing so since 1587 and was successful in every venture.[4] He even lost half of his arm during his successful 1590 expedition when seizing a ship from the Spaniards off Hispaniola. After returning from an expedition in 1598 with two valuable Spanish prizes, Newport immediately decided to venture out again in mid-1599. He resumed his command of the vessels the Neptune, Blessing, and the Triton being of 300–350 tons apiece.[1]