Action of 14 April 1655

The Battle of Porto Farina took place at Porto Farina (now Ghar el-Melh) on April 4, 1655 in northern Tunisia, when an English fleet under Robert Blake destroyed the vessels of several Barbary corsairs. Blakes fleet destroyed two shore batteries and nine Algerian ships in Porto Farina, the first time shore batteries had been taken out without landing men ashore.

Action
Early in 1655, Blake sent a demand to the Bey of Tunis for the return of an English merchant ship and English prisoners, plus an indemnity and a future agreement but was refused. After sailing back and forth between Sardinia, Tunis, and Sicily for nearly two months and sending the demands again, he arrived on 3 April at Porto Farina, where the Barbary ships had gathered for their intended voyage to the Dardanelles to help the Turks that season. The next day on the 4th, his first division attacked the Barbary ships, boarding and burning them by 8 am, while his second division of larger ships attacked the forts, silencing them by 11 am. This was the first time that ships alone had defeated shore fortifications. English casualties were 25 killed and 40 wounded. The Bey still refused his demands, but Blake's attack helped the Venetians in their battle against the Muslim states two months later at the action of 21 June 1655. The Ottomans would improve Porto Farina's fortifications over the next decade.

England (Robert Blake)
First Division Newcastle 40 Kentish 40 Taunton 36 Foresight 36 Amity 30 Princess Mary 34 Pearl 22 Mermaid 22 Merlin 24 Second Division George 60 Andrew 54 Plymouth 50 Worcester 46 Unicorn 54 Bridgewater 50 Success 24

Barbary states
9 ships hauled ashore (??) - Captured and burnt