Battle of Camperdown

The naval Battle of Camperdown took place on 11 October 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was between a Dutch fleet under Admiral de Winter and a British fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan. The battle site was the North Sea, off the coastal village of Camperduin, north-west of Alkmaar.

Related Topics:
11 October - 1797 - French Revolutionary Wars - Dutch - Admiral de Winter - British - Adam Duncan - North Sea - Camperduin - Alkmaar

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Throughout 1797 Duncan had been blockading the Dutch fleet in Den Helder and Texel. The Dutch fleet were intended to cover a landing of French troops in Ireland to support a rebellion, so when Duncan took his squadron to Yarmouth to refit, the Dutch took the opportunity to come out into the North Sea. The British, alerted by the cutter Black Joke, gave chase.

Related Topics:
Den Helder - Texel - Ireland - North Sea

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The two fleets met 18 miles from the Dutch coast, the British with 24 ships and the Dutch with 25. The British attacked in a three-column assault presaging the Battle of Trafalgar eight years later, with Vice Admiral Onslow leading one division in Monarch, and Duncan leading the other in Venerable. Venerable broke through the Dutch line and engaged de Winter's flagship, Vrijheid, from the lee side.

Related Topics:
Battle of Trafalgar - ''Monarch'' - ''Venerable''

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The British captured eleven ships including Jupiter and Vrijheid (both of 74 guns), but were too damaged to pursue the remainder. British casualties were 220 killed and 812 wounded; Dutch casualties were 540 killed and 620 wounded.

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As a result of the battle the French expedition to Ireland was postponed to August 1798, when it was cancelled due to bad weather.

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Ships involved:

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