Four Days Battle

The Four Days Battle was a naval battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Fought from June 1 to June 4, 1666 off the Flemish and English coast, it remains one of the longest naval engagements in history.

Fourth Day

Thus enforced Monck again attacked in line on the fourth day. But the Dutch, now to the southwest of him, had the weather gauge and attacked themselves aggressively. De Ruyter had tried to impress on his flag officers that the fight of that day would be decisive for the entire war. The English attack, vulnerable from a leeward position, faltered, and their line was broken in two places. Myngs was fatally wounded in the shoulder by a musket ball, dying on his return to London. The English regrouped trying to break free to the south by executing four passes in opposite tack, but Tromp and Van Nes surrounded them. Monck then wore to the north. Tromp's squadron was routed, the Landman burnt by a fireship. Van Nes withdrew. De Ruyter, more anxious than at any other moment in the battle and fearing the fight lost, sailed past Rupert to attack Monck from behind. When Rupert tried to do the same to him, three shots in quick succession dismasted his HMS Royal James and the entire squadron of the green withdrew from the battle to the south, protecting and towing the flagship. Nothing now prevented De Ruyter from attacking Monck and the British main force was routed. Many British ships had no powder left, while the Dutch ships still had a sufficient supply, as they had a relatively larger cargo room, smaller guns and a less well-trained, and therefore slower firing, crew. Four stragglers were boarded and captured by the Dutch: HMS Clove Tree (the former VOC-ship Nagelboom), HMS Convertine and HMS Essex; the latter got entangled with HMS Black Bull who was sunk. De Ruyter seeing the British fleet escape in a dense fog decided to break off the pursuit. His own fleet was heavily damaged too; his logbook only speaks of a fear for the English shoals. The deeply religious De Ruyter interpreted the sudden unseasonly fog bank as a sign of God, showing "that He merely wanted the enemy humbled for his pride but preserved from utter destruction".

Related Topics:
Weather gauge - HMS Royal James - VOC - HMS Essex

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