The action was fought in an attempt by the English to destroy some Dutch Indiamen which had taken refuge there. The Danish forts supported the stout defence of the Dutch ships, which succeeded in repulsing the superior force under Sandwich and Teddiman.

The action is viewed from the south, within the harbour. Moored across the entrance are the Dutch ships ‘Jonge Prins te Paard’ (‘prins pa…’) ‘Walcheren’ (‘walgeren’), ‘Nooteboom’ (?musmetgaen) and ‘Slot Hooningen’ (honeng). In the left foreground, the ‘Rijzende Zon’ (?’seijsen son’) is in stern view. To the right are the ‘Kogge’ (‘d Koge’) and ‘Austelland’ (‘amstel’). On the extreme left, lying with their bows to the attack are the ‘Brederode’ (‘breero’), ‘Fenix’ or ‘Phoenix’ (‘fenis’) and ‘Hoorn’ (‘fluit horn’). The English are in the centre distance. The town of Bergen is shown on the right with the note ‘dit grote’ [this larger] referring either to the castle or to the heights behind.

It is inscribed in brown ink ‘Berge in noerweege den 12 auguste 1665 [Bergen in Norway on the 12th August 1665]’; ‘Gemaeckt in schilderij 10 Voet Langh, voor de heer komander bitter, 1666 [Made into a picture 10 feet long for Commodore Bitter, 1666].

It is not known where the picture painted for Pieter de Bitter is, but there is a small version in the NMM collection (BHC0968). For a drawing made by the Elder when he visited Bergen soon after the action see PAJ2332. Drawings of the action from the English side, made after the van de Veldes had come to England, are in the Boymans Museum, Rotterdam.