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, between a Dutch squadron under Johan van Galen and an English squadron under Captain Richard Badiley.

Battle

The English were trying to reach

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

, 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 and Elba 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 Johan van Galen) *''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'' 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 Elba 1652 Elba {{England-battle-stub