Action The attackers were again stymied by Providencia’s reefs, spending several days searching for a safe landing place. On 19 May San Marcos struck an outcropping and was severely damaged; retiring toward Cartagena, taking 270 troops and one-third of the Spanish siege train. Díaz  eventually decided to make a thrust directly into the main English harbor at dawn on 24 May with 1,200 men, hoping to catch his enemy offguard. At this point, Providencia’s residents sent out two flags of truce, requesting terms. The next day (25 May), Díaz Pimienta accepted the surrender of the fort along with 40 guns, 380 slaves, and all English goods on the island. The 770 inhabitants surrendered on the understanding they would be repatriated to Europe; the Spanish commander-in-chief installed a new garrison under Vice Admiral de Ojeda. Díaz’s fleet then prepared to weigh, except for the Portuguese Ajuda, which attempted to desert its Spanish consorts but was wrecked on Providencia’s reefs. Furious, Díaz  ordered two of its officers shot and their bodies displayed on the twisted wreckage as a warning to other wouldbe runaways.
Action The attackers were again stymied by Providencia’s reefs, spending several days searching for a safe landing place. On 19 May San Marcos struck an outcropping and was severely damaged; retiring toward Cartagena, taking 270 troops and one-third of the Spanish siege train. Díaz Pimienta eventually decided to make a thrust directly into the main English harbor at dawn on 24 May with 1,200 men, hoping to catch his enemy offguard. At this point, Providencia’s residents sent out two flags of truce, requesting terms. The next day (25 May), Díaz Pimienta accepted the surrender of the fort along with 40 guns, 380 slaves, and all English goods on the island. The 770 inhabitants surrendered on the understanding they would be repatriated to Europe; the Spanish commander-in-chief installed a new garrison under Vice Admiral de Ojeda. The Spanish fleet then prepared to weigh, except for the Portuguese Ajuda, which attempted to desert its Spanish consorts but was wrecked on Providencia’s reefs. Furious, Díaz Pimienta ordered two of its officers shot and their bodies displayed on the twisted wreckage as a warning to other wouldbe runaways.
A
Pimienta
R
Díaz’s
The Spanish
A
Pimienta