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:Battle of Camperdown order of battle

File:Robert Cleveley - The Dutch Vice Admiral under Admiral De Winter striking his flag to the English Vice Admiral Onslow - B1977.14.6115 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg depicting the Battle of Camperdown.]]

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 Royal Navy fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan and a Batavian Navy fleet under Vice-Admiral Jan Willem de Winter. France had overrun the Dutch Republic two years earlier, which was replaced by 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.Pakenham, p. 29 Shortly afterwards, the British navy was paralysed by the Spithead and Nore mutinies, in which the navy's sailors refused to take their ships to sea until they were awarded better pay and conditions.Gardiner, p. 165 {{Citation needed span|text=For two months|reason=Clowes did not write this.|date=May 2021}} the English Channel was undefended, but the Batavian navy failed to take the opportunity to sail from their harbour in the Texel as their preparations were not complete; furthermore, a small squadron of loyal ships under Duncan convinced de Winter that the British navy was at sea by sending nonsensical signals to fictitious ships over the horizon.Clowes, p. 325

By October 1797, the plan to invade 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 de Winter had set sail with his fleet{{Citation needed span|text= on a raiding cruise|reason=Clowes did not write this.|date=May 2021}} and he returned to the Dutch coast, intercepting the Batavian fleet on its way back to the Texel.Clowes, p. 326 The Batavians 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 Batavian fleet,Lloyd, p. 139 overwhelming each in turn and capturing eleven ships, including de Winter's flagship Vrijheid.Padfield, p. 103 On the return journey, three of the captured ships were lost, and {{Citation needed span|text=none of the surviving prizes were ever suitable for active service again|reason=Clowes did not write this.|date=May 2021}}.Clowes, p. 331 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.James, p. 71

Although the sailors of both fleets fought hard, they were suffering from popular unrest; the mutinies in Spithead and Nore continued to overshadow the Royal Navy, while the Batavian Navy's sailors were unhappy with the new pro-French regime and in marked difference to their officers were generally supporters of the exiled House of Orange.Lloyd, p. 128 Additionally, Batavian sailors were disaffected and poorly trained due to the long months they had spent being blockaded in their harbours by the Royal Navy, which made them inferior seamen and gunners in contrast to the highly experienced crews of the British navy.Padfield, p. 99 Furthermore, the ships of the Batavian navy, many of which had been part of the former Dutch States Navy, 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.Gardiner, p. 179 De Winter's fleet did, however, have the advantage of weight of shot, especially so with its well-armed frigates and brigs. Unlike their British equivalents, these lighter craft were intended to contribute in battle, covering the gaps in the line between their larger companions.James, p. 74

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,James, Vol. 1, p. 32 these ships may have actually been carrying additional or fewer guns than indicated below.

  • {{legend2|#e3d9ff|* Ships in this colour were captured during the battle|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

=British fleet=

class="wikitable" width=100%
valign="top"

|+Admiral Duncan's fleetClowes, p. 326James, p. 380

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! scope="col" width=15%; align= center rowspan=2 | Ship

! scope="col" width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | Rate

! scope="col" width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | Guns

! scope="col" width=25%; align= center rowspan=2 | Commander

! scope="col" width=9%; align= center colspan=3 | Casualties

! scope="col" width=36%; align= center rowspan=2 | Notes

valign="top"

! scope="col" width=3%; align= center | Killed

! scope="col" width=3%; align= center | Wounded

! scope="col" width=3%; align= center | Total

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! scope="col" colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Windward division

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Triumph

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left |Captain William Essington

| align= right | {{center|29}}

| align= right | {{center|55}}

| align= right | {{center|84}}

| align= left | Hull and masts damaged, ten guns dismounted

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Venerable

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left |Admiral Adam Duncan
Captain William George Fairfax

| align= right | {{center|15}}

| align= right | {{center|62}}

| align= right | {{center|77}}

| align= left | Hull and masts very badly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Ardent

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left |Captain Richard Rundle Burges {{KIA}}

| align= right | {{center|41}}

| align= right | {{center|107}}

| align= right | {{center|148}}

| align= left | Hull and masts very badly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Bedford

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left |Captain Sir Thomas Byard

| align= right | {{center|30}}

| align= right | {{center|41}}

| align= right | {{center|71}}

| align= left | Hull and rigging badly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Lancaster

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left |Captain John Wells

| align= right | {{center|3}}

| align= right | {{center|18}}

| align= right | {{center|21}}

| align= left | Lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Belliqueux

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left |Captain John Inglis

| align= right | {{center|25}}

| align= right | {{center|78}}

| align= right | {{center|103}}

| align= left | Hull and rigging badly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Adamant

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 50

| align= left |Captain William Hotham

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Undamaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Isis

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 50

| align= left |Captain William Mitchell

| align= right | {{center|2}}

| align= right | {{center|21}}

| align= right | {{center|23}}

| align= left | Lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Circe|1785|6}}

| align= center | Sixth rate

| align= center | 28

| align= left |Captain Peter Halkett

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

valign="top"

! scope="col" colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Leeward division

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Russell|1764|6}}

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left | Captain Henry Trollope

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|7}}

| align= right | {{center|7}}

| align= left | Lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Director

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left | Captain William Bligh

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|7}}

| align= right | {{center|7}}

| align= left | Masts and rigging damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Montagu

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left |Captain John Knight

| align= right | {{center|3}}

| align= right | {{center|5}}

| align= right | {{center|8}}

| align= left | Lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | HMS Veteran

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left |Captain George Gregory

| align= right | {{center|4}}

| align= right | {{center|21}}

| align= right | {{center|25}}

| align= left | Three guns dismounted, otherwise lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | HMS Monarch

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left |Vice-Admiral Richard Onslow
Captain Edward O'Bryen

| align= right | {{center|36}}

| align= right | {{center|100}}

| align= right | {{center|136}}

| align= left | Hull and masts very badly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Powerful|1783|6}}

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left | Captain William O'Bryen Drury

| align= right | {{center|10}}

| align= right | {{center|78}}

| align= right | {{center|88}}

| align= left | Hull and masts badly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Monmouth|1796|6}}

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left | Captain James Walker

| align= right | {{center|5}}

| align= right | {{center|22}}

| align= right | {{center|27}}

| align= left | Lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Agincourt|1796|6}}

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left | Captain John Williamson

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Very lightly damaged

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| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Beaulieu|1791|6}}

| align= center | Fifth rate

| align= center | 40

| align= left |Captain Francis Fayerman

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Undamaged

valign="top"
valign="top"

! scope="col" colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Minor warships

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| scope="row" align= left | {{HMS|Martin|1790|6}}

| align= center | Sloop

| align= center | 16

| align= left |Commander Charles Paget

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Rose

| align= center | Hired cutter

| align= center | 10

| align= left |Lieutenant Joseph Brodie

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | King George

| align= center | Hired cutter

| align= center | 12

| align= left |Lieutenant James Rains

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Active

| align= center | Hired cutter

| align= center | 12

| align= left |Lieutenant J. Hamilton

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

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| scope="row" align= left | Diligent

| align= center | Hired cutter

| align= center | 6

| align= left |Lieutenant T. Dawson

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

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| scope="row" align= left | Speculator

| align= center | Hired lugger

| align= center | 8

| align= left |Lieutenant H. Hales

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= right | {{center|0}}

| align= left | Not engaged in the action.

valign="top"

! scope="col" colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Total casualties: 203 killed, 622 wounded

=Batavian fleet=

class="wikitable" width=100%
valign="top"

|+ Vice-Admiral de Winter's fleetJames, p. 381, Lloyd, pp. 145–150

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! scope="col" colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|Line of battle

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! scope="col" width=15%; align= center rowspan=2 | Ship

! scope="col" width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | Rate

! scope="col" width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | Guns

! scope="col" width=25%; align= center rowspan=2 | Commander

! scope="col" width=9%; align= center colspan=3 | Casualties

! scope="col" width=36%; align= center rowspan=2 | Notes

valign="top"

! scope="col" width=2%; align= center | Killed

! scope="col" width=3%; align= center | Wounded

! scope="col" width=4%; align= center | Total

valign="top"
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| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Gelijkheid *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 68

| align= left | Commander H. A. Ruijsch

| colspan=3 align= center | 40 killedClowes, p. 330

| align= left | Badly damaged and may have been dismasted. Captured at 15:10, later became HMS Gelykheid

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Beschermer

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 56

| align= left | Captain Dooitze Eelkes Hinxt {{KIA}}

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Hercules *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left | Commander Ruijsoort

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Hull very badly damaged and set on fire, mizzenmast collapsed. Captured and became HMS Delft.

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Admiraal Tjerk Hiddes De Vries *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 68

| align= left | Captain J. B. Zegers

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Badly damaged and ship may have been dismasted. Captured at 15:00, later became HMS Devries

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Vrijheid *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left | Vice-Admiral Jan Willem de Winter
Commander L. W. van Rossum {{KIA}}

| align= center | 58

| align= center | 98

| align= center | 156

| align= left | Hull very badly damaged and ship dismasted. Captured at 15:15, later became HMS Vryheid

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| scope="row" align= left | Staaten Generaal

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left | Rear-Admiral Samuel Story

| align= center | 20

| align= center | 40

| align= center | 60

| align= left | Hull badly damaged, masts and rigging lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Wassenaar *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 64

| align= left | Commander A. Holland {{KIA}}

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Damaged. First captured at 14:00, subsequently rejoined the combat and was captured again. Later became HMS Wassenaer

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Batavier

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 56

| align= left | Commander Souter

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Brutus

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 74

| align= left | Rear-Admiral Johan Arnold Bloys van Treslong
Commodore Polders

| align= center | 10

| align= center | 50

| align= center | 60James, p. 381

| align= left | Lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Leijden

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 68

| align= left | Commander J. D. Musquetier

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Mars

| align= center | Fifth rate razee

| align= center | 44

| align= left | Commander D. H. Kolff

| align= center | 1

| align= center | 14

| align= center | 15

| align= left | Mizzenmast collapsed

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Cerberus

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 68

| align= left | Commander Jacobsen

| align= center | 5

| align= center | 9

| align= center | 14

| align= left | Lightly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left| Jupiter *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 72

| align= left | Rear-Admiral Hermanus Reijntjes {{KIA}}

| colspan=3 align= center | 61 killed

| align= left | Hull and rigging severely damaged, main and mizzenmasts collapsed. Captured at 13:45, later became HMS Camperdown

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left| Haarlem *

| align= center | Third rate

| align= center | 68

| align= left | Captain O. Wiggerts

| colspan=3 align= center | Heavy casualties

| align= left | Hull severely damaged and mizzenmast collapsed. Captured at 13:15, later became HMS Haerlem

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left| Alkmaar *

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 56

| align= left | Captain J. W. Krafft

| align= center | 26

| align= center | 62

| align= center | 82

| align= left | Hull severely damaged and ship dismasted in the immediate aftermath of the battle. Captured at 14:30, later became HMS Alkmaar.

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left| Delft *

| align= center | Fourth rate

| align= center | 56

| align= left | Captain Gerrit Verdooren van Asperen

| align= center | 43

| align= center | 76

| align= center | 119

| align= left | Hull severely damaged. Captured at 14:15. Sank during journey to Britain with the loss of an additional 34 lives.James, p. 76

valign="top"

! scope="col" colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|Frigate line

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Atalante

| align= center | Brig

| align= center | 18

| align= left | Commander B. Pletsz

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Heldin

| align= center | Fifth rate

| align= center | 32

| align= left | Commander Johan Ferdinand Dumesnil de l'Estrille

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Galathée

| align= center | Brig

| align= center | 18

| align= left | Commander Riverij

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Minerva

| align= center | Sixth rate

| align= center | 24

| align= left | Commander Eijlbracht

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Ajax

| align= center | Brig

| align= center | 18

| align= left | Lieutenant Arkenbout

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Waakzaamheid

| align= center | Sixth rate

| align= center | 24

| align= left | Commander Meindert van Nierop

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Ambuscade *

| align= center | Fifth rate

| align= center | 36

| align= left | Commander J. Huijs

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Captured but later driven ashore on the Dutch coast and retaken by Batavian forces

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Daphné

| align= center | Brig

| align= center | 18

| align= left | Lieutenant Frederiks

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left | Badly damaged

valign="top"

| scope="row" bgcolor="#e3d9ff" align= left | Monnikkendam *

| align= center | Fifth rate

| align= center | 44

| align= left | Commander Thomas Lancaster

| colspan=3 align= center | 50 killed

| align= left | Badly damaged. Captured at 14:00 but subsequently wrecked on the Dutch coast

valign="top"

| scope="row" align= left | Haasje

| align= center | Advice boat

| align= center | 6

| align= left | Lieutenant Hartingveld

| colspan=3 align= center | Unknown

| align= left |

valign="top"

! scope="col" colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|Total casualties: 540 killed, 620 wounded

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book

| last = Clowes

| first = William Laird

| author-link = William Laird Clowes

| year = 1997

| orig-year= 1899

| title = The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume IV

| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oPC4qSXC6zEC

| access-date=2021-04-11

| publisher = Chatham Publishing

| isbn = 1-86176-013-2

}}

  • {{cite book

| editor = Gardiner, Robert

| year = 2001

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| last = James

| first = William

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| year = 2002

| orig-year = 1827

| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 2, 1797–1799

| publisher = Conway Maritime Press

| isbn = 0-85177-906-9

}}

  • {{cite book

| last = Lloyd

| first = Christopher

| author-link = Christopher Lloyd (naval historian)

| year = 1963

| title = St Vincent & Camperdown

| publisher = B. T. Batsford Ltd

| location = London

}}

  • {{cite book

| last = Padfield

| first = Peter

| author-link = Peter Padfield

| year = 2000

| orig-year= 1976

| title = Nelson's War

| publisher = Wordsworth Military Library

| isbn = 1-84022-225-5

}}

  • {{cite book

|last= Pakenham

|first= Thomas

|author-link= Thomas Pakenham (historian)

|year= 2000

|orig-year= 1997

|title= The Year of Liberty: The Story of the Great Irish Rebellion of 1798

|publisher= Abacus

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|isbn= 978-0-349-11252-7

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{{featured list}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Camperdown}}

Category:French Revolutionary Wars orders of battle