| Summary : 1667 wreck of English fireship which was scuttled as a blockship on the Mussel Bank on 11 June 1667 during the Raid on the Medway (1584349) towards the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, to prevent the Dutch penetrating further up the Medway. She was one of the second group sunk at the Mussel Bank, which also included the BARBADOS MERCHANT (1033756), GOOD FORTUNE (1033761), EDWARD AND EVE (1433208) and HIND (1433212). The first group sunk on that day comprised the CONSTANT JOHN (1033757), JOHN AND SARAH (1033759) and UNICORN (1033760). As they withdrew from the Medway, the Dutch set fire to the upper works of the blockships, which had proved to be ineffective. Constructed of wood, the DOLPHIN had been purchased for use as a fireship in 1666, suggesting that she was of mercantile origin. She was sold by auction as a wreck in 1669 and broken up in 1670. |
More information : Primary Sources:
'Whitehall, June 16. The Dutch Fleet having the tenth Instant in the evening made themselves masters of Sheerness, on the eleventh they advanced up the River of Medway, and though with much difficulty passed by several Vessels which had been sunk about Musselbank, which was the narrowest part of it, the better to put some stop to them in their passing; and with 22 sail came up towards the Chain . . . Part of the Enemies Fleet hath since this Action continued about Muscle-Bank, where on Friday were seen 24 sail, on Saturday only 14 . . . ' (5)
Secondary Sources:
In June 1667, during the Second Dutch War, the Dutch fleet under de Ruyter and de Witt(e) sailed into the rivers Thames and Medway to attack the English fleet laid up in their own harbours. On 10-JUN they attacked the fort at Sheerness, driving off the garrison and landing troops. They advanced up the Medway to the protective chain across the river at Upnor. The DOLPHIN was one of a number of fireships scuttled by the English in front of them in an attempt to block their passage. In the event, they caused the Dutch few problems and the upperworks were set on fire by them as they left. The remains were sold in OCT-1667. (1)
Sunk in JUN-1667 as a blockship in the Medway. (2)(3)
Dimensions 64 feet long x 20 feet 6 inches beam. (3)
The DOLPHIN fireship was originally ordered to be placed at Upnor to reinforce the chain, then was despatched with two ketches on Monday 10 June to assist in the sinking of the Buoy of the Nore, to prevent it becoming a navigational aid to the Dutch.
The DOLPHIN was then sunk on 11 June as part of the second group of ships at the Mussel Bank on the recommendation of Lord Brouncker and Peter Pett, along with the BARBADOS MERCHANT, EDWARD AND EVE, (GOOD) FORTUNE, and HIND; the CONSTANT JOHN, JOHN AND SARAH, and UNICORN, formed the first group.
The Dutch fired these ships in passing as they withdrew from the Medway.
When surveyed, in a document sent to Pepys by James Norman, Clerk of the Survey at Chatham on 17 August 1667, the DOLPHIN, CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN, JOHN AND SARAH, and BARBADOS MERCHANT, were assessed as likely to be 'utterly lost', and jointly valued at £4,100.
In a letter of 4 October 1669 to the Navy Board, the 'DOLPHIN at the Mussel Bank' was valued at £30, and 'the wreck of the DOLPHIN' sold for £33 at public auction to Richard Boys of London on 22 September 1669. The wrecks bought by Boys were broken up in 1670. (4)
Purchased: 1666 (1)(2)(3)
Armament: 4 guns (1)(2)(3)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
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