Summary : 1666 wreck of English Fourth Rate ship of the line which foundered SE of the Galloper or NE of the North Foreland, after being captured by the Dutch on the final day of the Four Days' Battle (1583919), during the Second Anglo-Dutch War: whereupon another captured English ship collided with her. She had come out from Sheerness towards the English Channel to take part in the action. Originally a Dutch warship named the WAPEN VAN EDAM (Arms of Edam), she was present at the Battle of Lowestoft and was captured and taken into the Royal Navy as the BLACK BULL, a translation of her heraldic name into English: a black bull remains on the arms of Edam today. Constructed of wood, she was a sailing vessel. The English lost 10 ships, most notably the ROYAL PRINCE, which struck the Galloper (1033746), the others predominantly ships which had entered English service after being captured from the Dutch: BLACK BULL (1247481); ST PAUL (1247503); YOUNG PRINCE (1247521); BLACK SPREAD EAGLE (1247565); GREYHOUND (1247568); LITTLE UNICORN (1247581); HOUND (1247641) and HAPPY ENTRANCE (1247661). On the Dutch side the LIEFDE (1247563); LANDMAN (1439286); DUIVENVOORDE (1439297) and HOF VAN ZEELAND (1439313). were lost. |
More information : Ex. WAPEN VAN EDAM.
Engaged in the Four Days' Battle, between 01-JUN and 04-JUN-1666, between the English and the Dutch, by 10pm on the first night the fleets had drifted apart, but the English renewed the action the next morning...Having been disabled in the fight, the BLACK BULL collided with the ESSEX, so that both were then surrounded and captured by the enemy. The former was so badly damaged that she foundered shortly after capture, with the loss of her captain. (4)
Having been disabled by enemy fire, she fell aboard the ESSEX. Both were surrounded and captured. (2)
Source (3) gives a location map of the battle.
Source (4) gives the date of loss as 02-JUN-1666, (2) 04-JUN-1666.
On the final day of the Four Days' Battle the HMS BLACK BULL sank after capture, and the ESSEX became entangled with her. (5)
Ex. WAPEN VAN EDAW [sic], captured 1665, recaptured 1666, 36 guns, 480 tons BM. (6)
EDAM / WAPEN VAN EDAM, captured by the English in 1665. Vessel of 38 guns with 140 crew, 120 x 28 x 11 feet. (7)
Built: 1644 (7) Acquired: 1665 (1)(2)(4)(6) Where Built: Netherlands [all sources] Armament: 36 cannon (1)(6); 38 (7); 40 cannon (2)(4) Commanding Officer: Captain John Gethings RN (2)(4) Crew Lost: 1 (2)(4) Owner: Royal Navy [all sources]
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |