The naval Battle of Elba (or Battle of Monte Cristo) was a naval battle which took place on 28 August 1652 during the

First Anglo-Dutch war The First Anglo-Dutch War, or simply the First Dutch War, ( nl, Eerste Engelse (zee-)oorlog, "First English (Sea) War"; 1652–1654) was a conflict fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Province ...

, between a

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

under

Johan van Galen Johan "Jan" van Galen (1604 – 23 March 1653) was a Commodore of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands. he participated in the First Anglo-Dutch War. Biography Johan van Galen was born in Essen. He fought in the ...

and an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

squadron under Captain Richard Badiley.

Battle

The English were trying to reach Livorno, where a squadron under Captain Henry Appleton was under siege by the Dutch squadron. Leaving four of his fourteen vessels to maintain the watch over Livorno, van Galen took his remaining ten ships to intercept Badiley's squadron. The two encountered each other between

Montecristo Montecristo, also Monte Cristo (, ) and formerly Oglasa ( grc, Ὠγλάσσα, Ōglássa), is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and part of the Tuscan Archipelago. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Portoferraio in the province ...

and

Elba Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano Nationa ...

Islands. The ''Phoenix'' was captured by the ''Jaarsveld'', while the other English warships retreated into Porto Longone. The captured ship, ''Phoenix'', was recaptured 2 months later during a night raid at Livorno. Ships involved:

Netherlands

*''Jaarsveld'' 44 (Rear-Admiral

) *''Prinses Roijaal'' 34 (Albert Corneliszoon 't Hoen; killed) *''Wapen van Zeeland'' 32 (Joost Willemszoon Block; killed) *''Eendracht'' 40 (Vice-Admiral Jacob de Boer) *''Maan'' 40 (David Janszoon Bondt; killed) *''Vereenigde Provinciën/Zeven Provinciën'' 40 (Hendrick Claeszoon Swart; killed) *''Haarlem'' 40 (Dirck Quiinen Verveen) *''Maagd van Enkhuysen'' 34 (Cornelis Tromp) *''Zeelandia'' 32 (Andries de Boer) *''Jonge Prins'' 28 (Cornelis Barentszoon Slordt) The ''Jaarsveld'' and four other ships of the squadron belonged to the Amsterdam Admiralty, but the ''Prinses Roijaal'', ''Eendracht'' and ''Jonge Prins'' belonged to the Noorderkwartier Admiralty, while ''Wapen van Zeeland'' and ''Zeelandia'' belonged to the Zeeland Admiralty.

England

*''

Paragon Paragon may refer to: Places *Paragon, Indiana, a town in the United States * Paragon, Nebraska, former community in the United States *The Paragon, Bath, a Georgian street in the Walcot area of Bath * The Paragon, Blackheath, London, built by Mi ...

'' 42 (Admiral Richard Badiley) * ''Elizabeth'' 38 (Capt. Jonas Reeves) * ''Phoenix'' 38 (Capt. John Wadsworth) - Captured by ''Eendracht'' * ''Constant Warwick'' 32 (Capt. Owen Cox) The squadron was convoying four merchantmen, who however took no part in the Action and made their way independently into Porto Longone. *''Mary Rose'' 32 (Capt. Jonas Poole) *''William and Thomas'' 30 (Capt. John Godolphin) *''Thomas Bonaventure'' 28 (Capt. George Hughes??) *''Richard and William'' 24 (Capt. John Wise??)

References

Elba 1652 Elba {{England-battle-stub