THE FIGHT OFF DUNKIRK
As soon as the _Fan Fan_ had been brought to an anchor the boat was
lowered, and Cyril was rowed on board the Admiral's ship.
Albemarle was on the poop, and Cyril made his report to him.
"Very well, sir," the Duke said, "I dare say I shall be able to make
you of some use. Keep your craft close to us when we sail. I seem to
know your face."
"I am Sir Cyril Shenstone, my Lord Duke. I had the honour of meeting
you first at the fire in the Savoy, and Prince Rupert afterwards was
good enough to present me to you."
"Yes, yes, I remember. And it was you who saved the _Henrietta_ from
the fire-ship at Lowestoft. You have begun well indeed, young sir,
and are like to have further opportunities of showing your bravery."
Cyril bowed, and then, going down the side to his boat, returned to
the _Fan Fan._ She was lying in almost smooth water, and Sydney had
come up on deck again.
"You heard no news of the Dutch, I suppose, Cyril?"
"No; I asked a young officer as I left the ship, and he said that, so
far as he knew, nothing had been heard of them, but news had come in,
before the Admiral sailed from the Downs, that everything was ready
for sea, and that orders were expected every hour for them to put
out."
"It is rather to be hoped that they won't put out for another two
days," Sydney said. "That will give the Prince time to rejoin with
his squadron. The wind is favourable now for his return, and I should
think, as soon as they hear in London that the Dutch are on the point
of putting out, and Albemarle has sailed, they will send him orders
to join us at once. We have only about sixty sail, while they say
that the Dutch have over ninety, which is too heavy odds against us
to be pleasant."
"I should think the Duke will not fight till the Prince comes up."
"I don't think he will wait for him if he finds the Dutch near. All
say that he is over-confident, and apt to despise the Dutch too much.
Anyhow, he is as brave as a lion, and, though he might not attack
unless the Dutch begin it, I feel sure he will not run away from
them."
The next morning early, the _Bristol_ frigate was seen returning
from the east. She had to beat her way back in the teeth of the wind,
but, when still some miles away, a puff of white smoke was seen to
dart out from her side, and presently the boom of a heavy gun was
heard. Again and again she fired, and the signal was understood to be
a notification that she had seen the Dutch. The signal for the
captains of the men-of-war to come on board was at once run up to the
mast-head of the flagship, followed by another for the Fleet to be
prepared to weigh anchor. Captain Bacon, of the _Bristol_, went on
board as soon as his ship came up. In a short time the boats were
seen to put off, and as the captains reached their respective ships
the signal to weigh anchor was hoisted.
This was hailed with a burst of cheering throughout the Fleet, and
all felt that it signified that they would soon meet the Dutch. The
_Fan Fan_ was under sail long before the men-of-war had got up their
heavy anchors, and, sailing out, tacked backwards and forwards until
the Fleet were under sail, when Cyril told the boatswain to place her
within a few cables' length of the flagship on her weather quarter.
After two hours' sail the Dutch Fleet were made out, anchored off
Dunkirk. The Blue Squadron, under Sir William Berkley, led the way,
the Red Squadron, under the Duke, following.
"I will put a man in the chains with the lead," the boatswain said to
Cyril. "There are very bad sands off Dunkirk, and though we might get
over them in safety, the big ships would take ground, and if they did
so we should be in a bad plight indeed."
"In that case, we had best slack out the sheet a little, and take up
our post on the weather bow of the Admiral, so that we can signal to
him if we find water failing."
The topsail was hoisted, and the _Fan Fan,_ which was a very fast
craft in comparatively smooth water, ran past the Admiral's flagship.
"Shall I order him back, your Grace?" the Captain asked angrily.
Albemarle looked at the _Fan Fan_ attentively.
"They have got a man sounding," he said. "It is a wise precaution.
The young fellow in command knows what he is doing. We ought to have
been taking the same care. See! he is taking down his topsail again.
Set an officer to watch the yacht, and if they signal, go about at
once."
The soundings continued for a short time at six fathoms, when
suddenly the man at the lead called out sharply,--
"Three fathoms!"
Cyril ran to the flagstaff, and as the next cry came--"Two
fathoms!"--hauled down the flag and stood waving his cap, while the
boatswain, who had gone to the tiller, at once pushed it over to
starboard, and brought the yacht up into the wind. Cyril heard orders
shouted on board the flagship, and saw her stern sweeping round. A
moment later her sails were aback, but the men, who already clustered
round the guns, were not quick enough in hauling the yards across,
and, to his dismay, he saw the main topmast bend, and then go over
the side with a crash. All was confusion on board, and for a time it
seemed as if the other topmast would also go.
"Run her alongside within hailing distance," Cyril said to the
boatswain. "They will want to question us."
As they came alongside the flagship the Duke himself leant over the
side.
"What water had you when you came about, sir?"
"We went suddenly from six fathoms to three, your Grace," Cyril
shouted, "and a moment after we found but two."
"Very well, sir," the Duke called back. "In that case you have
certainly saved our ship. I thought perhaps that you had been
over-hasty, and had thus cost us our topmast, but I see it was not
so, and thank you. Our pilot assured us there was plenty of water on
the course we were taking."
The ships of the Red Squadron had all changed their course on seeing
the flagship come about so suddenly, and considerable delay and
confusion was caused before they again formed in order, and, in
obedience to the Duke's signal, followed in support of the Blue
Squadron. This had already dashed into the midst of the Dutch Fleet,
who were themselves in some confusion; for, so sudden had been the
attack, that they had been forced to cut their cables, having no time
to get up their anchors.
The British ships poured in their broadsides as they approached,
while the Dutch opened a tremendous cannonade. Besides their great
inferiority in numbers, the British were under a serious
disadvantage. They had the weather gauge, and the wind was so strong
that it heeled them over, so that they were unable to open their
lower ports, and were therefore deprived of the use of their heaviest
guns.
Four of the ships of the Red Squadron remained by the flagship, to
protect her if attacked, and to keep off fire-ships, while her crew
laboured to get up another topmast. More than three hours were
occupied in this operation, but so busily did the rest of the Fleet
keep the Dutch at work that they were unable to detach sufficient
ships to attack her.
As soon as the topmast was in place and the sails hoisted, the
flagship and her consorts hastened to join their hard-pressed
comrades.
The fight was indeed a desperate one. Sir William Berkley and his
ship, the _Swiftsure,_ a second-rate, was taken, as was the
_Essex,_ a third-rate.
The _Henry,_ commanded by Sir John Harman, was surrounded by foes.
Her sails and rigging were shot to pieces, so she was completely
disabled, and the Dutch Admiral, Cornelius Evertz, summoned Sir John
Harman to surrender.
"It has not come to that yet," Sir John shouted back, and continued
to pour such heavy broadsides into the Dutch that several of their
ships were greatly damaged, and Evertz himself killed.
The Dutch captains drew off their vessels, and launched three
fire-ships at the _Henry._ The first one, coming up on her starboard
quarter, grappled with her. The dense volumes of smoke rising from
her prevented the sailors from discovering where the grapnels were
fixed, and the flames were spreading to her when her boatswain
gallantly leapt on board the fire-ship, and, by the light of its
flames, discovered the grapnels and threw them overboard, and
succeeded in regaining his ship.
A moment later, the second fire-ship came up on the port side, and so
great a body of flames swept across the _Henry_ that her chaplain
and fifty men sprang overboard. Sir John, however, drew his sword,
and threatened to cut down the first man who refused to obey orders,
and the rest of the crew, setting manfully to work, succeeded in
extinguishing the flames, and in getting free of the fire-ship. The
halliards of the main yard were, however, burnt through, and the spar
fell, striking Sir John Harman to the deck and breaking his leg.
The third fire-ship was received with the fire of four cannon loaded
with chain shot. These brought her mast down, and she drifted by,
clear of the _Henry,_ which was brought safely into Harwich.
The fight continued the whole day, and did not terminate until ten
o'clock in the evening. The night was spent in repairing damages, and
in the morning the English recommenced the battle. It was again
obstinately contested. Admiral Van Tromp threw himself into the midst
of the British line, and suffered so heavily that he was only saved
by the arrival of Admiral de Ruyter. He, in his turn, was in a most
perilous position, and his ship disabled, when fresh reinforcements
arrived. And so the battle raged, until, in the afternoon, as if by
mutual consent, the Fleets drew off from each other, and the battle
ceased. The fighting had been extraordinarily obstinate and
determined on both sides, many ships had been sunk, several burnt,
and some captured. The sea was dotted with wreckage, masts, and
spars, fragments of boats and _débris_ of all kinds. Both fleets
presented a pitiable appearance; the hulls, but forty-eight hours ago
so trim and smooth, were splintered and jagged, port-holes were
knocked into one, bulwarks carried away, and stern galleries gone.
The sails were riddled with shot-holes, many of the ships had lost
one or more masts, while the light spars had been, in most cases,
carried away, and many of the yards had come down owing to the
destruction of the running gear.
In so tremendous a conflict the little _Fan Fan_ could bear but a
small part. Cyril and Lord Oliphant agreed, at the commencement of
the first day's fight, that it would be useless for them to attempt
to fire their two little guns, but that their efforts should be
entirely directed against the enemy's fire-ships. During each day's
battle, then, they hovered round the flagship, getting out of the way
whenever she was engaged, as she often was, on both broadsides, and
although once or twice struck by stray shots, the _Fan Fan_ received
no serious damage. In this encounter of giants, the little yacht was
entirely overlooked, and none of the great ships wasted a shot upon
her. Two or three times each day, when the Admiral's ship had beaten
off her foes, a fire-ship directed its course against her. Then came
the _Fan Fan's_ turn for action. Under the pressure of her twelve
oars she sped towards the fire-ship, and on reaching her a grapnel
was thrown over the end of the bowsprit, and by the efforts of the
rowers her course was changed, so that she swept harmlessly past the
flagship.
Twice when the vessels were coming down before the wind at a rate of
speed that rendered it evident that the efforts of the men at the
oars would be insufficient to turn her course, the _Fan Fan_ was
steered alongside, grapnels were thrown, and, headed by Lord Oliphant
and Cyril, the crew sprang on board, cut down or drove overboard the
few men who were in charge of her. Then, taking the helm and trimming
the sails, they directed her against one of the Dutch men-of-war,
threw the grapnels on board, lighted the train, leapt back into the
_Fan Fan_, rowed away, and took up their place near the Admiral, the
little craft being greeted with hearty cheers by the whole ship's
company.
The afternoon was spent in repairing damages as far as practicable,
but even the Duke saw it was impossible to continue the fight. The
Dutch had received a reinforcement while the fighting was going on
that morning, and although the English had inflicted terrible damage
upon the Dutch Fleet, their own loss in ships was greater than that
which they had caused their adversaries. A considerable portion of
their vessels were not in a condition to renew the battle, and the
carpenters had hard work to save them from sinking outright.
Albemarle himself embarked on the _Fan Fan_, and sailed from ship to
ship, ascertaining the condition of each, and the losses its crew had
suffered. As soon as night fell, the vessels most disabled were
ordered to sail for England as they best could. The crew of three
which were totally dismasted and could hardly be kept afloat, were
taken out and divided between the twenty-eight vessels which alone
remained in a condition to renew the fight.
These three battered hulks were, early the next morning, set on fire,
and the rest of the Fleet, in good order and prepared to give battle,
followed their companions that had sailed on the previous evening.
The Dutch followed, but at a distance, thinking to repair their
damages still farther before they again engaged. In the afternoon the
sails of a squadron were seen ahead, and a loud cheer ran from ship
to ship, for all knew that this was Prince Rupert coming up with the
White Squadron. A serious loss, however, occurred a few minutes
afterwards. The _Royal Prince_, the largest and most powerful vessel
in the Fleet, which was somewhat in rear of the line, struck on the
sands. The tide being with them and the wind light, the rest of the
Fleet tried in vain to return to her assistance, and as the Dutch
Fleet were fast coming up, and some of the fire-ships making for the
_Royal Prince_, they were forced to give up the attempt to succour
her, and Sir George Ayscue, her captain, was obliged to haul down his
flag and surrender.
As soon as the White Squadron joined the remnant of the Fleet the
whole advanced against the Dutch, drums beating and trumpets
sounding, and twice made their way through the enemy's line. But it
was now growing dark, and the third day's battle came to an end. The
next morning it was seen that the Dutch, although considerably
stronger than the English, were almost out of sight. The latter at
once hoisted sail and pursued, and, at eight o'clock, came up with
them.
The Dutch finding the combat inevitable, the terrible fight was
renewed, and raged, without intermission, until seven in the evening.
Five times the British passed through the line of the Dutch. On both
sides many ships fell out of the fighting line wholly disabled.
Several were sunk, and some on both sides forced to surrender, being
so battered as to be unable to withdraw from the struggle. Prince
Rupert's ship was wholly disabled, and that of Albemarle almost as
severely damaged, and the battle, like those of the preceding days,
ended without any decided advantage on either side. Both nations
claimed the victory, but equally without reason. The Dutch historians
compute our loss at sixteen men-of-war, of which ten were sunk and
six taken, while we admitted only a loss of nine ships, and claimed
that the Dutch lost fifteen men-of-war. Both parties acknowledged
that it was the most terrible battle fought in this, or any other
modern war.
De Witte, who at that time was at the head of the Dutch Republic, and
who was a bitter enemy of the English, owned, some time afterwards,
to Sir William Temple, "that the English got more glory to their
nation through the invincible courage of their seamen during those
engagements than by the two victories of this war, and that he was
sure that his own fleet could not have been brought on to fight the
fifth day, after the disadvantages of the fourth, and he believed
that no other nation was capable of it but the English."
Cyril took no part in the last day's engagement, for Prince Rupert,
when the _Fan Fan_ came near him on his arrival on the previous
evening, returned his salute from the poop, and shouted to him that
on no account was he to adventure into the fight with the _Fan Fan_.
On the morning after the battle ended, Lord Oliphant and Cyril rowed
on board Prince Rupert's ship, where every unwounded man was hard at
work getting up a jury-mast or patching up the holes in the hull.
"Well, Sir Cyril, I see that you have been getting my yacht knocked
about," he said, as they came up to him.
"There is not much damage done, sir. She has but two shot-holes in
her hull."
"And my new mainsail spoiled. Do you know, sir, that I got a severe
rating from the Duke yesterday evening, on your account?"
Cyril looked surprised.
"I trust, sir, that I have not in any way disobeyed orders?"
"No, it was not that. He asked after the _Fan Fan_, and said that he
had seen nothing of her during the day's fighting, and I said I had
strictly ordered you not to come into the battle. He replied, 'Then
you did wrong, Prince, for that little yacht of yours did yeomen's
service during the first two days' fighting. I told Sir Cyril to keep
her near me, thinking that she would be useful in carrying orders,
and during those two days she kept close to us, save when we were
surrounded by the enemy. Five times in those three days did she avert
fire-ships from us. We were so damaged that we could sail but slowly,
and, thinking us altogether unmanageable, the Dutch launched their
fire-ships. The _Fan Fan_ rowed to meet them. Three of them were
diverted from their course by a rope being thrown over the bowsprit,
and the crew rowing so as to turn her head. On the second day there
was more wind, and the fire-ships could have held on their course in
spite of the efforts of the men on board the _Fan Fan_. Twice during
the day the little boat was boldly laid alongside them, while the
crew boarded and captured them, and then, directing them towards the
Dutch ships, grappled and set them on fire. One of the Dutchmen was
burned, the other managed to throw off the grapnels. It was all done
under our eyes, and five times in the two days did my crew cheer your
little yacht as she came alongside. So you see, Prince, by ordering
her out of the fight you deprived us of the assistance of as boldly
handled a little craft as ever sailed.'
"'I am quite proud of my little yacht, gentlemen, and I thank you for
having given her so good a christening under fire. But I must stay no
longer talking. Here is the despatch I have written of my share of
the engagement. You, Sir Cyril, will deliver this. You will now row
to the Duke's ship, and he will give you his despatches, which you,
Lord Oliphant, will deliver. I need not say that you are to make all
haste to the Thames. We have no ship to spare except the _Fan Fan_,
for we must keep the few that are still able to manoeuvre, in case
the Dutch should come out again before we have got the crippled ones
in a state to make sail. '"
Taking leave of the Prince, they were at once rowed to the Duke's
flagship. They had a short interview with the Admiral, who praised
them highly for the service they had rendered.
"You will have to tell the story of the fighting," he said, "for the
Prince and myself have written but few lines; we have too many
matters on our minds to do scribe's work. They will have heard, ere
now, of the first two days' fighting, for some of the ships that were
sent back will have arrived at Harwich before this. By to-morrow
morning I hope to have the Fleet so far refitted as to be able to
follow you."
Five minutes later, the _Fan Fan_, with every stitch of sail set,
was on her way to the Thames. As a brisk wind was blowing, they
arrived in London twenty-four hours later, and at once proceeded to
the Admiralty, the despatches being addressed to the Duke of York.
They were immediately ushered in to him. Without a word he seized the
despatches, tore them open, and ran his eye down them.
"God be praised!" he exclaimed, when he finished them. "We had feared
even worse intelligence, and have been in a terrible state of anxiety
since yesterday, when we heard from Harwich that one of the ships had
come in with the news that more than half the Fleet was crippled or
destroyed, and that twenty-eight only remained capable of continuing
the battle. The only hope was that the White Squadron might arrive in
time, and it seems that it has done so. The account of our losses is
indeed a terrible one, but at least we have suffered no defeat, and
as the Dutch have retreated, they must have suffered well-nigh as
much as we have done. Come along with me at once, gentlemen; I must
go to the King to inform him of this great news, which is vastly
beyond what we could have hoped for. The Duke, in his despatch, tells
me that the bearers of it, Lord Oliphant and Sir Cyril Shenstone,
have done very great service, having, in Prince Rupert's little
yacht, saved his flagship no less than five times from the attacks of
the Dutch fire-ships."
The Duke had ordered his carriage to be in readiness as soon as he
learnt that the bearers of despatches from the Fleet had arrived. It
was already at the door, and, taking his seat in it, with Lord
Oliphant and Cyril opposite to him, he was driven to the Palace,
learning by the way such details as they could give him of the last
two days' fighting. He led them at once to the King's dressing-room.
Charles was already attired, for he had passed a sleepless night, and
had risen early.
"What news, James?" he asked eagerly.
"Good news, brother. After two more days' fighting--and terrible
fighting, on both sides--the Dutch Fleet has returned to its ports."
"A victory!" the King exclaimed, in delight.
"A dearly-bought one with the lives of so many brave men, but a
victory nevertheless. Here are the despatches from Albemarle and
Rupert. They have been brought by these gentlemen, with whom you are
already acquainted, in Rupert's yacht. Albemarle speaks very highly
of their conduct."
The King took the despatches, and read them eagerly.
"It has indeed been a dearly-bought victory," he said, "but it is
marvellous indeed how our captains and men bore themselves. Never
have they shown greater courage and endurance. Well may Monk say
that, after four days of incessant fighting and four nights spent in
the labour of repairing damages, the strength of all has well-nigh
come to an end, and that he himself can write but a few lines to tell
me of what has happened, leaving all details for further occasion. I
thank you both, gentlemen, for the speed with which you have brought
me this welcome news, and for the services of which the Duke of
Albemarle speaks so warmly. This is the second time, Sir Cyril, that
my admirals have had occasion to speak of great and honourable
service rendered by you. Lord Oliphant, the Earl, your father, will
have reason to be proud when he hears you so highly praised. Now,
gentlemen, tell me more fully than is done in these despatches as to
the incidents of the fighting. I have heard something of what took
place in the first two days from an officer who posted up from
Harwich yesterday."
Lord Oliphant related the events of the first two days, and then went
on.
"Of the last two I can say less, Your Majesty, for we took no part
in, having Prince Rupert's orders, given as he came up, that we
should not adventure into the fight. Therefore, we were but
spectators, though we kept on the edge of the fight and, if
opportunity had offered, and we had seen one of our ships too hard
pressed, and threatened by fire-ships, we should have ventured so far
to transgress orders as to bear in and do what we could on her
behalf; but indeed, the smoke was so great that we could see but
little.
"It was a strange sight, when, on the Prince's arrival, his ships and
those of the Duke's, battered as they were, bore down on the Dutch
line; the drums beating, the trumpets sounding, and the crews
cheering loudly. We saw them disappear into the Dutch line; then the
smoke shut all out from view, and for hours there was but a thick
cloud of smoke and a continuous roar of the guns. Sometimes a vessel
would come out from the curtain of smoke torn and disabled. Sometimes
it was a Dutchman, sometimes one of our own ships. If the latter, we
rowed up to them and did our best with planks and nails to stop the
yawning holes close to the water-line, while the crew knotted ropes
and got up the spars and yards, and then sailed back into the fight.
"The first day's fighting was comparatively slight, for the Dutch
seemed to be afraid to close with the Duke's ships, and hung behind
at a distance. It was not till the White Squadron came up, and the
Duke turned, with Prince Rupert, and fell upon his pursuers like a
wounded boar upon the dogs, that the battle commenced in earnest; but
the last day it went on for nigh twelve hours without intermission;
and when at last the roar of the guns ceased, and the smoke slowly
cleared off, it was truly a pitiful sight, so torn and disabled were
the ships.
"As the two fleets separated, drifting apart as it would almost seem,
so few were the sails now set, we rowed up among them, and for hours
were occupied in picking up men clinging to broken spars and
wreckage, for but few of the ships had so much as a single boat left.
We were fortunate enough to save well-nigh a hundred, of whom more
than seventy were our own men, the remainder Dutch. From these last
we learnt that the ships of Van Tromp and Ruyter had both been so
disabled that they had been forced to fall out of battle, and had
been towed away to port. They said that their Admirals Cornelius
Evertz and Van der Hulst had both been killed, while on our side we
learnt that Admiral Sir Christopher Mings had fallen."
"Did the Dutch Fleet appear to be as much injured as our own?"
"No, Your Majesty. Judging by the sail set when the battle was over,
theirs must have been in better condition than ours, which is not
surprising, seeing how superior they were in force, and for the most
part bigger ships, and carrying more guns."
"Then you will have your hands full, James, or they will be ready to
take to sea again before we are. Next time I hope that we shall meet
them with more equal numbers."
"I will do the best I can, brother," the Duke replied. "Though we
have so many ships sorely disabled there have been but few lost, and
we can supply their places with the vessels that have been building
with all haste. If the Dutch will give us but two months' time I
warrant that we shall be able to meet them in good force."
As soon as the audience was over, Cyril and his friend returned to
the _Fan Fan_, and after giving the crew a few hours for sleep,
sailed down to Sheerness, where, shortly afterwards, Prince Rupert
arrived with a portion of the Fleet, the rest having been ordered to
Harwich, Portsmouth, and other ports, so that they could be more
speedily refitted.
Although the work went on almost without intermission day and night,
the repairs were not completed before the news arrived that the Dutch
Fleet had again put to sea. Two days later they arrived off our
coast, where, finding no fleet ready to meet them, they sailed away
to France, where they hoped to be joined by their French allies.
Two days later, however, our ships began to assemble at the mouth of
the Thames, and on June 24th the whole Fleet was ready to take to
sea. It consisted of eighty men-of-war, large and small, and nineteen
fire-ships. Prince Rupert was in command of the Red Squadron, and the
Duke of Albemarle sailed with him, on board the same ship. Sir Thomas
Allen was Admiral of the White, and Sir Jeremiah Smith of the Blue
Squadron. Cyril remained on board the _Fan Fan_, Lord Oliphant
returning to his duties on board the flagship. Marvels had been
effected by the zeal and energy of the crews and dockyard men. But
three weeks back, the English ships had, for the most part, been
crippled seemingly almost beyond repair, but now, with their holes
patched, with new spars, and in the glory of fresh paint and new
canvas, they made as brave a show as when they had sailed out from
the Downs a month previously.
They were anchored off the Nore when, late in the evening, the news
came out from Sheerness that a mounted messenger had just ridden in
from Dover, and that the Dutch Fleet had, in the afternoon, passed
the town, and had rounded the South Foreland, steering north.
Orders were at once issued that the Fleet should sail at daybreak,
and at three o'clock the next morning they were on their way down the
river. At ten o'clock the Dutch Fleet was seen off the North
Foreland. According to their own accounts they numbered eighty-eight
men-of-war, with twenty-five fire-ships, and were also divided into
three squadrons, under De Ruyter, John Evertz, and Van Tromp.
The engagement began at noon by an attack by the White Squadron upon
that commanded by Evertz. An hour later, Prince Rupert and the Duke,
with the Red Squadron, fell upon De Ruyter, while that of Van Tromp,
which was at some distance from the others, was engaged by Sir
Jeremiah Smith with the Blue Squadron. Sir Thomas Allen completely
defeated his opponents, killing Evertz, his vice- and rear-admirals,
capturing the vice-admiral of Zeeland, who was with him, and burning
a ship of fifty guns.
The Red Squadron was evenly matched by that of De Ruyter, and each
vessel laid itself alongside an adversary. Although De Ruyter himself
and his vice-admiral, Van Ness, fought obstinately, their ships in
general, commanded, for the most part, by men chosen for their family
influence rather than for either seamanship or courage, behaved but
badly, and all but seven gradually withdrew from the fight, and went
off under all sail; and De Ruyter, finding himself thus deserted, was
forced also to draw off. During this time, Van Tromp, whose squadron
was the strongest of the three Dutch divisions, was so furiously
engaged by the Blue Squadron, which was the weakest of the English
divisions, that he was unable to come to the assistance of his
consorts; when, however, he saw the defeat of the rest of the Dutch
Fleet, he, too, was obliged to draw off, lest he should have the
whole of the English down upon him, and was able the more easily to
do so as darkness was closing in when the battle ended.
The Dutch continued their retreat during the night, followed at a
distance by the Red Squadron, which was, next morning, on the point
of overtaking them, when the Dutch sought refuge by steering into the
shallows, which their light draught enabled them to cross, while the
deeper English ships were unable to follow. Great was the wrath and
disappointment of the English when they saw themselves thus baulked
of reaping the full benefit of the victory. Prince Rupert shouted to
Cyril, who, in the _Fan Fan_, had taken but small share in the
engagement, as the fire-ships had not played any conspicuous part in
it.
"Sir Cyril, we can go no farther, but do you pursue De Ruyter and
show him in what contempt we hold him."
Cyril lifted his hat to show that he heard and understood the order.
Then he ordered his men to get out their oars, for the wind was very
light, and, amidst loud cheering, mingled with laughter, from the
crews of the vessels that were near enough to hear Prince Rupert's
order, the _Fan Fan_ rowed out from the English line in pursuit of
the Dutch.