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.

[4] In 1595 Queen Elizabeth I of England had sent Francis Drake and John Hawkins on an expedition against the Spanish Main in an attempt to strike a blow against the source of Spain's gold and silver from their West Indian Fleet.

[3] The English sailed South West and two weeks later launched an attack on Santa Marta; the city was found abandoned as the Spanish had been forewarned of their arrival.

He headed for Nombre de Dios, where he hoped to send his troops led by Baskerville to the Pacific and capture the port of Panama, an important Spanish base where gold and silver was sent to Spain.

[9] Alonso de Sotomayor had been sent by the Viceroy of Peru to prepare defensive measures on the Camino Real and the Chagres River which would bar any assault Westward.

Although no money was found in the town, a watchtower on the summit of a nearby hill was discovered which contained a chest of silver along with two bars of gold, some pearls, and other valuables.

Defending this fort were around seventy Spanish troops under Captain Juan Enríquez Conabut dug in to bar the English advance across the isthmus.

[11] Baskerville nevertheless ordered an attack to take the hill but this terrain was well chosen by the Spanish; the English attempted for three hours to dislodge the defenders.

[17] With this bitter news, Drake ordered the fleet to sail east toward Porto Bello but within a few days he himself was suffering from severe dysentery.

[1] Baskerville assumed command of the fleet and, after contemplating a repeat attack against Santa Marta, he decided rather to order his disheartened men toward Santiago.

[20] News of Drake's death was received with rejoicing along the Spanish Main; in Spain itself, the devout greeted it as a sign the sins for which Heaven had permitted him to torment them had been expiated.

To demonstrate continuing English naval strength, she ordered George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland to seize San Juan and hold it for as long as possible.

[23] In June, Cumberland succeeded where Drake had failed and captured San Juan, which he held for nearly two months before disease forced his withdrawal.