The raid was the final action in a series of engagements fought by the British squadron based in the Indian Ocean against the Dutch naval forces in Java.

At that point, the governor in Surabaya overruled Captain Cowell, released the seized boat party, and agreed to surrender the ships at anchor in Gresik harbour.

In 1804, at the start of the Napoleonic Wars, a powerful French squadron operating from Batavia harbour on the Dutch island colony of Java attacked a large and valuable British merchant convoy sailing from China near the Straits of Malacca in the Battle of Pulo Aura.

Determined to eliminate this threat, the commander of Royal Navy forces in the Indian Ocean—Rear-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew—ordered frigates to reconnoitre Dutch naval activity in the East Indies in mid-1806.

The Dutch maintained a small squadron in the region under Rear-Admiral Hartsinck, principally intended to operate against pirates, consisting of three 68-gun ships of the line, three frigates, and several smaller vessels.

[2] At the action of 26 July 1806, a Dutch convoy sailing along the southern coast of Celebes was attacked and defeated by one of Pellew's reconnaissance frigates, HMS Greyhound.

Hartsinck had sought to divide his forces shortly before Pellew's attack and consequently sent several vessels eastwards along the Javan coast under an American-born Dutch officer named Captain Cowell.

[11] In response, Pellew determined to attack the port and ordered that Culloden and Powerful be lightened by removing unnecessary stores to enable them to sail into the shallow straits.

[12] On 7 December, Pellew agreed to formal terms for the surrender of Revolutie, Pluto, Kortenaar and the Dutch East Indiaman Rustloff that were anchored in Griessie.

[13] The final operation of Pellew's Java campaign, completed with minimal casualties on either side, saw the eradication of the Dutch naval presence in the East Indies for the remainder of the war.