Agha a mere n'agbata 17 na 19 Septemba 1639 mgbe otu ndị agha Dutch n'okpuru Admiral Maarten Tromp na Admiral Witte Corneliszoon de With, zutere ụgbọ mmiri Spanish nke buru ibu ma bụrụ nke Antonio D'Oquendo na-eduzi, nke gụnyere ndị agha 40 ruo 45 na ụgbọ mmiri 40 ruo 50 jupụtara na ndị agha Spanish 13,000 ndị a na-ebugharị na Dunkirk. Tromp na ụgbọ mmiri 12 hụrụ ụgbọ mmiri Spanish na 16, mana chere de With ka ọ bịarute ụgbọ mmiri ise ọzọ tupu ịwakpo. N'agbanyeghị na ọ dị obere, Tromp nwetara aka dị elu na ọgụ na-aga n'ihu n'abalị. N'echi ya, Zeeland Commodore Joost Banckert rutere iji wusie ndị Dutch ike na ụgbọ mmiri 12 ọzọ.
, ebe e meriri D'Oquendo n'ụzọ siri ike.