Battle of Orford Ness
Part of the Great Northern War
Battle of Orford Ness Johan Tietrich Schoultz
Date 7 August 1704 Location Off Orford Ness, English Channel 52°02′46″N 1°44′38″E / 52.046°N 1.744°E / 52.046; 1.744 Result English victory
Belligerents
England	Sweden
Commanders and leaders
William Whetstone	Gustaf von Psilander (POW)
Strength
8 ships of the line 1 frigate	1 ship of the line
Casualties and losses
100 killed or wounded	53 killed or wounded 1 ship of the line captured

The Battle of Orford Ness was fought between a southbound Swedish merchant convoy escorted by the 56-gun ship of the line Öland and an English squadron of eight ships of the line and a frigate off Orford Ness on 7 August 1704. The English squadron, under Rear-admiral William Whetstone, began following the convoy upon sighting it. When Whetstone caught up with the Swedes, he demanded they salute his ships as the Swedish convoy was in English waters. Öland's captain, Gustaf von Psilander, under strict orders from Charles XII of Sweden not to salute to foreign ships first, refused. A four-hour battle ensued, during which the English suffered 100 men killed or wounded while the Swedish suffered 53.^[1]

The heavily damaged Öland eventually struck her colours and was captured by the English alongside the merchant ships she was convoying. The Swedish Board of Admiralty and Board of Trade refused to demand for his release or support Psilander while he was in captivity, but Charles XII successfully demanded the English release both Öland and her crew. Psilander, his crew, and the convoyed ships were subsequently released and returned to Sweden. However, Öland sank north of Denmark while homewards bound.^[2]

• 
  Painting of the battle by Ludvig Richarde
• 
  Painting of the battle by Albert Berg
• 
  Portrait of von Psilander attributed to David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl
• 
  Psilander's coat of arms, which were awarded to him after the battle
• 
  c. 1707 portrait of Whetstone by Michael Dahl