A Dutch fleet under Michiel de Ruyter attacked a combined Anglo-French force in one of the largest naval battles of the age of sail.

Johan de Witt, the Dutch Grand Pensionary, still harbored some hope for successful negotiations, especially with the support of influential anti-Catholic English figures such as Sir William Temple and the Earl of Sandwich.

However, Louis XIV of France had already revealed his true intentions during a sharp address to the Dutch ambassador, Pieter de Groot, at the New Year's reception at his court.

The Dutch had at their disposal a fleet of 75 warships, 20,738 men and 4,484 cannon, commanded by Lieutenant-Admirals Michiel de Ruyter, Adriaen Banckert and Willem Joseph van Ghent.

[1][6] The Dutch had hoped to repeat the success of the Raid on the Medway and a frigate squadron under Van Ghent sailed up the Thames in May but discovered that Sheerness Fort was now too well prepared to pass.

The French, whether through accident or design, found themselves in the rear and considerably south of the English, whose vanguard under Sandwich and middle squadron under York lay close to the coast.

This later led to various speculations about the actual separation of the two squadrons, with many wrongly attributing it to secret mutual agreements or D'Estrees' reluctance to participate more fully in the battle, possibly related to a supposed mission to weaken the two great maritime powers against each other.

[3] He incessantly pounded the hull of the Royal James for over an hour and bringing her into such a condition that Lord Sandwich considered to strike his flag but decided against it because it was beneath his honour to surrender to a mere captain of low birth.

After nine-tenths of its thousand crew members had been killed or wounded Sandwich, abandoned by part of his own squadron under Joseph Jordan, who had engaged vice admiral Volckert Schram's division, remained on his burning ship until he met his death in the waves.

He and his son-in-law Philip Carteret drowned trying to escape when his sloop collapsed under the weight of panicked sailors jumping in; his body washed ashore, only recognisable by the scorched clothing still showing the shield of the Order of the Garter.

[citation needed] Van Ghent's death presented a formidable challenge for De Ruyter, who was now also under attack from some of the ships from Sandwich's squadron commanded by Jordan.

During this maneuver, De Ruyter encountered a smaller vessel, the Rainbow, commanded by Captain James Storey, which he left severely damaged after a brief skirmish.