It was back in September, when this project got started proper, after a few proof of concept builds on a few ships of the Dutch fleet, including the all important fourth-rate model released by Warlord that really enabled this little adventure to start.
Since then the build routine has now settled into one of completing about three models per build which fits in quite nicely with other stuff that I'm working on, more anon, and has meant that as we head on into Xmas and the New Year a good foundation for these opposing fleets has been laid and I can start to progress some new ideas I've had about how I might present this game when it comes to the table.
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| JJ's Wargames - All at Sea, Battle of Camperdown Project, Part Four, The Leeward Division Completed |
The latest additions to the collection sees the last ships of the line to be added to complete the Batavian Dutch Rear Squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral Hermanus Reijntjes, aboard his flagship, the 72-gun Jupiter.
The Battle of Camperdown for the Dutch rear squadron was pretty well over and done with in about forty-five minutes of close range and point blank cannonade as the eight British ships of the line of the Leeward Division swept into the attack and demolished the four Dutch ships and the 44-gun frigate Monnikendam that got herself involved in the battle.
William James describes the arrangement of the Dutch Rear and the British attack thus;
'At about half past noon Vice-admiral Onslow, whose ship, the Monarch, was leading the larboard division of the British fleet, cut through the Dutch line, formed thus: Beschermer, Gelykheid, Hercules, Devries, Vryheid, States-General, Wassenaer, Batavier, Brutus, Leyden, Mars, Cerberus, Jupiter, Haerlem, Alkmaar, and Delft (with the nine frigates and corvettes stationed as an inner line, for the most part facing the intervals in the outer one), between the Jupiter and Haerlem, pouring into each of those ships, in passing, a well-directed broadside.
Then, leaving the Haerlem to the Powerful, the Monarch luffed up close alongside of the Jupiter; and the two latter of these ships became warmly engaged. The rounding to of the Monarch afforded to the Monnikendam frigate and Atalanta brig, in the rear, the opportunity of pouring some raking broadsides into the former; and the Atalanta, in particular, did not retire until considerably damaged by the Monarch's shot. The remaining ships of the larboard division, more especially the Monmouth and Russel, were soon in action with the Dutch rear-ships; among the last of which to surrender was the first that had been attacked, the Jupiter.'
Then, leaving the Haerlem to the Powerful, the Monarch luffed up close alongside of the Jupiter; and the two latter of these ships became warmly engaged. The rounding to of the Monarch afforded to the Monnikendam frigate and Atalanta brig, in the rear, the opportunity of pouring some raking broadsides into the former; and the Atalanta, in particular, did not retire until considerably damaged by the Monarch's shot. The remaining ships of the larboard division, more especially the Monmouth and Russel, were soon in action with the Dutch rear-ships; among the last of which to surrender was the first that had been attacked, the Jupiter.'
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| Three new additions to the collection that complete the Dutch Rear, Cerberus 68-guns, Haarlem 68-guns and Alkmaar 56-guns. |
James concludes his description of the battle with a very inciteful description of the Dutch tactics and of the British fleet and the condition of its ships after the fighting had ceased, from which I have drawn the details of the Leeward Division indicating the the losses caused by such damaging tactics;
'The appearance of the British ships at the close of the action was very unlike what it generally is, when the French or Spaniards have been the opponent of the former. Not a single lower mast, not even a topmast was shot away; nor were the rigging and sails of the ships in their usual tattered state. It was at the hulls of their adversaries that the Dutchmen had directed their shot; and this, not until the former were so near, that no aim could well miss. Scarcely a ship in the fleet but had several shot sticking in her sides. Many were pierced by shot in all directions; and a few of the ships had received some dangerous ones between wind and water, which kept their pumps in constant employment. The Ardent had received no fewer than 98 round shot in her hull.
The Belliqueux, Bedford, Venerable, and Monarch had likewise their share. As to the last-named ship, such was the entire state of her masts, rigging, and sails, that, were the topsail sheets which had been shot away hauled home, no one, viewing her from a little distance, would have believed that she had been in action.
With hulls so shattered, the loss of men could not be other wise than severe. . . .
the Monarch, two midshipmen (J. P. Tinlay and Moyle Finlay) and 34 seamen killed, one lieutenant (James Retalick), one lieutenant of marines (James J. Smith), four midshipmen (George Massey, Benjamin Clement, Daniel Sherwin, and Charles Slade), one master's mate (John Chimley), two petty-officers, 79 seamen, and 12 marines wounded; . . .
the Powerful, eight seamen and two marines killed, one lieutenant (Ulick Jennings), one lieutenant of marines (R. G. W. Walker), one midshipman (Daniel Rogers), the boatswain, and 74 seamen and marines wounded; . . .
the Monmouth, one petty-officer, one seaman, two marines, and one boy killed, 16 seamen, two marines, and four boys wounded;
the Director, six seamen and one marine wounded;
the Montague, three seamen killed, one lieutenant (Ralph Sneyd), one midshipman (James Forbishly), two seamen, and one marine wounded;
the Veteran, one lieutenant (Francis Ferrett), and three seamen killed, and 21 seamen wounded; and
the Russel, one lieutenant (David Johnson), her master (Thomas Troughton), one master's mate (George Taylor), her boatswain, (John Brooks), two pilots (Thomas Abbott and Thomas Sherrard), and one sergeant of marines wounded:'
The details of these three Dutch ships, the final batch that completes the Dutch rear or white squadron are as follows:
Cerberus
Cerberus was a 68-gun third-rate ship of the line laid down on the 31st August 1782 in the Amsterdam shipyard, launching on the 22nd March 1784, and commissioning that same month.
Her general characteristics were:
Tons burthen ? (bm)
Length of gundeck 155 feet, 1 inch
Beam 42 feet, 10 inches
Depth of hold 18 feet, 11 inches
Her armament consisted of:
Gundeck: 26 x 24-pounder long guns
Upper gundeck: 26 x 18-pounders long guns
Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 16 x 8-pounder long guns
Named after Cerberus the Greek mythological Hound of Hades that guarded the gates of the Underworld to stop the dead from leaving, Cerberus was under the command of Kapitein ter Zee Jacobson.
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| The British Leeward Division have just got into action and it seems likely that the Cerberus has already come under fire from Veteran as the British 64 sailed on past the Dutch flagship Jupiter, with it seems Cerberus already commencing a withdrawal from the fight |
'About 1 we stood into the enemy's line, firing our broadsides at such ships of the enemy as we could bring them to bear on. At 20 minutes past 1, perceived one of the enemy's ships on fire.'
The minimal involvement of Cerberus seems to be reflected in her casualties suffered, just five killed and nine wounded and reportedly only suffering light damage.
The Cerberus would make good her escape from the battle, but would end up as part of the Batavian Dutch fleet that surrendered to Vice Admiral Sir Keith Mitchell in the Texel on 30th August 1799 during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, known as the Helder Expedition.
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| Surrender of Rear Admiral Story's Texel Squadron on the 30th August 1799, Cerberus being one of eight Dutch ships of the line, and her commander Captain De Jong seen returning in the Dutch admiral's barge following the negotiations with British Vice Admiral Mitchell. |
Haarlem
Haarlem was a 68-gun third-rate ship of the line laid down on the 16th July 1783 and launched two years later in 1785 at the Amsterdam shipyard.
Her general characteristics were:
Tons burthen ? (bm)
Length of gundeck 155 feet, 1 inch
Beam 42 feet, 10 inches
Depth of hold 18 feet, 7 inches
Her armament consisted of:
Gundeck: 26 x 24-pounder long guns
Upper gundeck: 26 x 18-pounders long guns
Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 16 x 8-pounder long guns
The Haarlem was under the command of Kapitein ter Zee Wiggers, and like the Jupiter and Cerberus ahead of her in the Dutch line, waited until the approaching British ships were well within effective range before opening fire, with Oslow's flagship HMS Monarch coming under intensive damaging fire from them as she attempted to breach the Dutch line.
The return salute was not long in coming as Captain Edward O'Bryen skilfully navigated the gap between the Jupiter and Haarlem raking both, as the Monarch passed through the line, closely followed by HMS Powerful which raked the Haarlem again before directing a punishing broadside into the Dutch frigate Monnikendam, already badly shot up by the Monarch, whilst attempting to impede the progress of both British ships and being roughly dealt with in response.
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| Line Drawing of the Dutch 68-gun Haarlem https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/4.MST/invnr/%401~1.1~1.1.1~22~22 |
The Dutch rear soon disintegrated into a confused melee as eight British ships of the line descended on the four Dutch and the frigate Monnikendam, with the Haarlem finding herself now subjected to a close range battering from Captain Bligh's HMS Director, working her way towards the Dutch centre.
Director was soon joined by the 50-gun Adamant in the close range barrage against the Haarlem, now very badly shot up and in a parlous state.
The Dutch rear consisting of the Jupiter, Haarlem, Alkmaar and Delft were quickly overwhelmed and all had struck by 13.45 and the Monnikendam striking soon after to the British frigate Beaulieu.
The state of the Haarlem and her casualty tally showed the battle she had endured with her hull reportedly badly shot up, and her mizzenmast shot away and her losses unrecorded but remarked as 'heavy'.
Her capture would see her taken into the Royal Navy as HMS Haerlem.
The fourth-rate, 56-gun Alkmaar, nominally of fifty guns, was built at the Enkhulzen shipyard and launched in 1782.
Her general characteristics were:
Tons burthen ? (bm)
Length of gundeck 143 feet
Beam 39 feet, 11 inches
Depth of hold 18 feet, 6 inches
Her armament consisted of:
Gundeck: 24 x 18-pounder long guns
Upper gundeck: 24 x 12-pounders long guns
Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 8 x 8-pounder long guns
Kapitien-Liutenant ter Zee, Kraft and his command, the Alkmaar, was in a good position to witness the fate of the Dutch ships ahead of her and the raking attacks made by the Monarch and Powerful against the Jupiter and Haarlem, but soon found herself similarly under attack from the Monmouth that raked her and the Delft astern and then by William Bligh's Director as she passed on the bow to luff up alongside the Haarlem.
The action became so close that the British ships had to take extra care to avoid the risk of firing into one another in high seas, heavy rain and poor visibility.
The Dutch centre and van soon pulled away from the rear most ships as the British attack reached its culmination at just after 14.00 when all of the Dutch rear had struck or, in the case of the Cerberus, were beating a hasty retreat.
Of those 88, 26 were killed and 62 wounded with her hull very badly shot up and dismasted, she would be taken into the Royal Navy as HMS Alkmaar.
The next part of the project build will start in the New Year and see work commence on the Dutch centre, with the three outstanding ships of the line, Wassenaer 64-guns, Batavier 56-guns and Leijden 68-guns, before completing the red squadron with the 44-gun razee, Mars, the two 18-gun brigs Atalante and Galatea and the 24-gun sixth-rate Minerva.
More anon
JJ
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