Jacob Willekens was the admiral-in-chief, with Piet Hein as his vice-admiral.

Colonel Jan van Dorth, lord of Horst, was to conduct the land operations and to be the governor of the town, when its conquest was achieved.

On May 9 the fleet sailed into the Bay of All Saints (_Bahia de todos os Santos_) and proceeded to disembark the troops on a sandy beach a little to the east of the city of San Salvador, commonly known as Bahia.

It was strongly situated on heights rising sheer from the water; and, as news of the Dutch preparations had reached Lisbon and Madrid, its fortifications had been repaired and its garrison strengthened.

In front of the lower town below the cliffs was a rocky island, and on this and on the shore were forts well provided with batteries, and under their lee were fifteen ships of war.