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Order of battle at the Battle of Camperdown
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The Battle of Camperdown was an important naval action of the French Revolutionary Wars, fought off Camperduin on the North Holland coast on 11 October 1797 between a British fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan and a Dutch fleet under Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter. The French Republic had overrun the Dutch Republic two years earlier, reforming it into the Batavian Republic. In early 1797, the Batavian Navy was ordered to sail to Brest and unite with the French Atlantic Fleet in preparation for an invasion of Ireland.[1] Shortly afterwards, the British fleets were paralysed by the Spithead and Nore mutinies, in which the sailors refused to take their ships to sea until they were awarded better pay and conditions.[2] For two months[citation needed], the English Channel was undefended, but the Dutch failed to take the opportunity to sail from their harbour in the Texel: their preparations were not complete, and a small squadron of loyal British ships under Duncan convinced de Winter that the British fleet was at sea by sending nonsensical signals to fictitious ships over the horizon.[3]
By October 1797, the plan to attack Ireland had been abandoned and the British North Sea Fleet was again at full strength. During a brief period replenishing supplies at Yarmouth, news reached Duncan on 10 October that the Dutch had sailed on a raiding cruise[citation needed] and he returned to the Dutch coast, intercepting de Winter's fleet on its way back to the Texel.[4] The Dutch formed a line of battle in shallow coastal waters to meet Duncan's attack, which was conducted in a confused mass, the British fleet separating into two groups that struck the vanguard and rear of the Dutch fleet,[5] overwhelming each in turn and capturing eleven ships, including de Winter's flagship Vrijheid.[6] On the return journey, three of the captured ships were lost, and none of the surviving Dutch prizes was ever suitable for active service again[citation needed].[7] Both sides suffered heavy casualties during the battle as each fleet had been trained to aim at the hulls of their opponents, maximising the damage to personnel.[8]
Although the sailors of both fleets fought hard, they were suffering from popular unrest; the mutinies in Britain continued to overshadow the Royal Navy, while the Dutch sailors were unhappy with French dominion and, in marked difference to their officers, were generally supporters of the exiled House of Orange.[9] In addition, the Dutch were disaffected and poorly trained due to the long months blockaded in their harbours, which made them inferior seamen and gunners when compared with the highly experienced British crews,[10] and the Dutch ships were more weakly constructed than their British counterparts with a shallower draught, a necessity in the shallow waters of the Dutch coast but a liability when fighting warships built for the open ocean.[11] The Dutch did, however, have the advantage of weight of shot, especially when their well-armed frigates and brigs are included statistically. Unlike their British equivalents, these lighter craft were intended to contribute in battle, covering the gaps in the line between their larger companions.[12]
Orders of battle[]
The ships in the orders of battle below are listed in the order in which they appeared in the respective battle lines. Listed in the casualties section are the totals of killed and wounded as best as can be established: due to the nature of the battle, Dutch losses were hard to calculate precisely. Officers killed in action or who subsequently died of wounds received are marked with a † symbol. As carronades were not traditionally taken into consideration when calculating a ship's rate,[13] these ships may have actually been carrying additional or fewer guns than indicated below.
- * Ships in this colour were captured during the battle
British fleet[]
Ship | Rate | Guns | Commander | Casualties | Notes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Killed | Wounded | Total | ||||||||
Windward division | ||||||||||
HMS Triumph | Third rate | 74 | Captain William Essington | 29
|
55
|
84
|
Hull and masts damaged, ten guns dismounted | |||
HMS Venerable | Third rate | 74 | Admiral Adam Duncan Captain William George Fairfax |
15
|
62
|
77
|
Hull and masts very badly damaged | |||
HMS Ardent | Third rate | 64 | Captain Richard Rundle Burges † | 41
|
107
|
148
|
Hull and masts very badly damaged | |||
HMS Bedford | Third rate | 74 | Captain Sir Thomas Byard | 30
|
41
|
71
|
Hull and rigging badly damaged | |||
HMS Lancaster | Third rate | 64 | Captain John Wells | 3
|
18
|
21
|
Lightly damaged | |||
HMS Belliqueux | Third rate | 64 | Captain John Inglis | 25
|
78
|
103
|
Hull and rigging badly damaged | |||
HMS Adamant | Fourth rate | 50 | Captain William Hotham | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Undamaged | |||
HMS Isis | Fourth rate | 50 | Captain William Mitchell | 2
|
21
|
23
|
Lightly damaged | |||
HMS Circe | Sixth rate | 28 | Captain Peter Halkett | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Leeward division | ||||||||||
HMS Russell | Third rate | 74 | Captain Henry Trollope | 0
|
7
|
7
|
Lightly damaged | |||
HMS Director | Third rate | 64 | Captain William Bligh | 0
|
7
|
7
|
Masts and rigging damaged | |||
HMS Montagu | Third rate | 74 | Captain John Knight | 3
|
5
|
8
|
Lightly damaged | |||
HMS Veteran | Third rate | 64 | Captain | 4
|
21
|
25
|
Three guns dismounted, otherwise lightly damaged | |||
HMS Monarch | Third rate | 74 | Vice-Admiral Richard Onslow Captain Edward O'Bryen |
36
|
100
|
136
|
Hull and masts very badly damaged | |||
HMS Powerful | Third rate | 74 | Captain William O'Bryen Drury | 10
|
78
|
88
|
Hull and masts badly damaged | |||
HMS Monmouth | Third rate | 64 | Captain James Walker | 5
|
22
|
27
|
Lightly damaged | |||
HMS Agincourt | Third rate | 64 | Captain | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Very lightly damaged | |||
Fifth rate | 40 | Captain | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Undamaged | ||||
Minor warships | ||||||||||
HMS Martin | Sloop | 16 | Commander Charles Paget | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Rose | Hired cutter | 10 | Lieutenant Joseph Brodie | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
King George | Hired cutter | 12 | Lieutenant James Rains | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Active | Hired cutter | 12 | Lieutenant J. Hamilton | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Diligent | Hired cutter | 6 | Lieutenant T. Dawson | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Speculator | Hired lugger | 8 | Lieutenant H. Hales | 0
|
0
|
0
|
Not engaged in the action. | |||
Total casualties: 203 killed, 622 wounded |
Batavian fleet[]
Line of battle | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ship | Rate | Guns | Commander | Casualties | Notes | |||
Killed | Wounded | Total | ||||||
Gelijkheid * | Third rate | 68 | Commander H. A. Ruijsch | 40 killed[17] | Badly damaged and may have been dismasted. Captured at 15:10, later became HMS Gelykheid | |||
Beschermer | Fourth rate | 56 | Captain Dooitze Eelkes Hinxt † | Unknown | Lightly damaged | |||
Hercules * | Third rate | 64 | Commander Ruijsoort | Unknown | Hull very badly damaged and set on fire, mizenmast collapsed. Captured and became HMS Delft. | |||
Admiraal Tjerk Hiddes De Vries * | Third rate | 68 | Captain J. B. Zegers | Unknown | Badly damaged and ship may have been dismasted. Captured at 15:00, later became HMS Devries | |||
Vrijheid * | Third rate | 74 | Vice-Admiraal Jan de Winter Commander L. W. van Rossum † |
58 | 98 | 156[17] | Hull very badly damaged and ship dismasted. Captured at 15:15, later became HMS Vryheid | |
Staaten Generaal | Third rate | 74 | Rear-Admiral Samuel Story | 20 | 40 | 60[18] | Hull badly damaged, masts and rigging lightly damaged | |
Wassenaar * | Third rate | 64 | Commander A. Holland † | Unknown | Damaged. First captured at 14:00, subsequently rejoined the combat and was captured again. Later became HMS Wassenaer | |||
Batavier | Fourth rate | 56 | Commander Souter | Unknown | Lightly damaged | |||
Brutus | Third rate | 74 | Rear-Admiral Johan Bloys van Treslong Commodore Polders |
10 | 50 | 60[18] | Lightly damaged | |
Third rate | 68 | Commander J. D. Musquetier | Unknown | Lightly damaged | ||||
Fifth rate razee | 44 | Commander D. H. Kolff | 1 | 14 | 15[18] | Mizenmast collapsed | ||
Third rate | 68 | Commander Jacobsen | 5 | 9 | 14[18] | Lightly damaged | ||
* | Third rate | 72 | Rear-Admiral Hermanus Reijntjes † | 61 killed[17] | Hull and rigging severely damaged, main and mizenmasts collapsed. Captured at 13:45, later became HMS Camperdown | |||
* | Third rate | 68 | Captain O. Wiggerts | Heavy casualties | Hull severely damaged and mizenmast collapsed. Captured at 13:15, later became HMS Haerlem | |||
* | Fourth rate | 56 | Captain J. W. Krafft | 26 | 62 | 82[18] | Hull severely damaged and ship dismasted in the immediate aftermath of the battle. Captured at 14:30, later became HMS Alkmaar. | |
Delft * | Fourth rate | 56 | Captain Gerrit Verdooren van Asperen | 43 | 76 | 119[17] | Hull severely damaged. Captured at 14:15. Sank during journey to Britain with the loss of an additional 34 lives.[19] | |
Frigate line | ||||||||
Brig | 18 | Commander B. Pletsz | Unknown | |||||
Fifth rate | 32 | Commander Johan Ferdinand Dumesnil de l'Estrille | Unknown | |||||
Brig | 18 | Commander Riverij | Unknown | |||||
Sixth rate | 24 | Commander Eijlbracht | Unknown | |||||
Brig | 18 | Lieutenant Arkenbout | Unknown | |||||
Sixth rate | 24 | Commander Meindert van Nierop | Unknown | |||||
* | Fifth rate | 36 | Commander J. Huijs | Unknown | Captured but later driven ashore on the Dutch coast and retaken by Dutch forces | |||
Brig | 18 | Lieutenant Frederiks | Unknown | Badly damaged | ||||
* | Fifth rate | 44 | Commander Thomas Lancester | 50 killed[17] | Badly damaged. Captured at 14:00 but subsequently wrecked on the Dutch coast | |||
Advice boat | 6 | Lieutenant Hartingveld | Unknown | |||||
Total casualties: 540 killed, 620 wounded |
References[]
- ^ Pakenham, p. 29
- ^ Gardiner, p. 165
- ^ Clowes, p. 325
- ^ Clowes, p. 326
- ^ Lloyd, p. 139
- ^ Padfield, p. 103
- ^ Clowes, p. 331
- ^ James, p. 71
- ^ Lloyd, p. 128
- ^ Padfield, p. 99
- ^ Gardiner, p. 179
- ^ James, p. 74
- ^ James, Vol. 1, p. 32
- ^ Jump up to: a b Clowes, p. 326
- ^ James, p. 380
- ^ James, p. 381, Lloyd, pp. 145–150
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Clowes, p. 330
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e James, p. 381
- ^ James, p. 76
Bibliography[]
- Clowes, William Laird (1997) [1899]. The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume IV. Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-013-2. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
- Gardiner, Robert (editor) (2001) [1996]. Fleet Battle and Blockade. Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-363-X.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 2, 1797–1799. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-906-9.
- Lloyd, Christopher (1963). St Vincent & Camperdown. London: B. T. Batsford Ltd.
- Padfield, Peter (2000) [1976]. Nelson's War. Wordsworth Military Library. ISBN 1-84022-225-5.
- Pakenham, Thomas (2000) [1997]. The Year of Liberty: The Story of the Great Irish Rebellion of 1798. London: Abacus. ISBN 978-0-349-11252-7.
- Conflicts in 1797
- French Revolutionary Wars orders of battle