The French fleet retreated but made a second attempt to capture Tobago at the end of the year, during the
Second Battle of Tobago, which took place on 11 December 1677. This time, the French were successful. The French squadron sailed to the
Cape Verde Islands, took the slaving island of
Gorée (off Senegal) from the Dutch, then sailed fast to the Antilles. D'Estrées stopped briefly at
Barbados to find out what he could about the strength of the Dutch, then reached
Tobago on 6 December 1677.Blénac led the land force of 950 men, with an artillery train to besiege the Dutch fort. The mortars and cannon had to be dragged about to the top of a hill that overlooked the fort, which took three days. The third shell fired by the French hit the powder magazine, and the explosion destroyed the fort. 250 men died, including Admiral
Jacob Binckes and 16 officers. The French attacked at once and within an hour had seized what remained of the fort as well as four sinking ships. They took 600 prisoners. The French destroyed all the houses and plantation buildings on the island, deported the people and abandoned the island. This victory destroyed Dutch military power in the Antilles. D'Estrées next sailed to Martinique to prepare an attack on
Curaçao. Blénac raised a large contingent of
buccaneers to support this expedition. ==References==