| Summary : 1667 wreck of English dogger scuttled on 11 June 1667 at the Mussel Bank as a blockship during the Raid on the Medway (1584349) towards the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. She was one of the second group of ships sunk later that day to reinforce those already sunk in the morning, which comprised the CONSTANT JOHN (1033757), JOHN AND SARAH (1033759) and UNICORN (1033760). The other reinforcements were the BARBADOS MERCHANT (1033756), EDWARD AND EVE (1433208) and HIND (1433212).The Dutch set fire to this group as they withdrew from the Medway, underlining how ineffective the blockship tactic had been. The FORTUNE was appraised as being recoverable in August 1667 but was still in the Medway in October 1669, when she was valued, having been sold at auction as a wreck in September. She was then broken up by Boys in 1670. This wreck should not be confused with the FORTUNE sunk to protect Woolwich (896207) on 13 June 1667. The FORTUNE was captured as a prize in 1665; as she was a dogger, which was typically of Dutch origin, she may have been captured from the Dutch, given the state of war which existed in 1665. |
More information : Primary Sources:
Prior History:
May 14. Chatham. Com[missione]r Peter Pett to the Navy Com[missione]rs.
Can say nothing as to any acquittance given to prize officers for receipt of goods from prize ships, nor of the sum each vessel has been valued at, except the SANTA MARIA and the FORTUNE dogger boat, for both of which he gave a receipt. Has never been ordered to appraise them, nor to give receipts, but will send a valuation of the vessels and their furniture and goods on guess, if desired. [Adm. Paper.] (5)
Wreck Event:
'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 . . . ' (4)
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 GOOD FORTUNE was one of a number of ships scuttled by the English in front of them in an attempt tp block their passage. In the event, they caused the Dutch few problems and the upper works were set on fire by them as they left. The remains were sold in OCT-1667. (1)
Vessel had been a prize. (1)
GOOD FORTUNE dogger, prize acquired 1665, sunk to block Medway 1667. (2)
After sinking the CONSTANT JOHN, JOHN AND SARAH, and UNICORN on the morning of 11 June 1667, further ships were scuttled in the same location on the Mussel Bank as reinforcements, on the recommendations of Lord Brouncker and Peter Pett, despite the misgivings of Edward Gregory, Clerk of the Check at Chatham, who called it 'an unadvised piece of worke'. They were the BARBADOS MERCHANT, DOLPHIN, EDWARD AND EVE, HIND and FORTUNE.
As the Dutch withdrew from the Medway, they set fire to the upper works of the sunken ships at the Mussel Bank. In August 1667 the Clerk of the Survey at Chatham wrote to Pepys, detailing the financial losses of the action: he believed the HIND, EDWARD AND EVE, and FORTUNE, to be recoverable, and the cost of repairs £500.
On 22 September 1669 the wreck of the FORTUNE was bought for £22 by Richard Boys of London, who broke her up in 1670; the official value of the 'dogger (FORTUNE) at the Mussel Bank' as presented to the Navy Board on 4 October 1669 was £10. (3)
NB: The vessel type of dogger and the date she was captured as a prize, during the year the Second Anglo-Dutch War broke out, would appear to indicate that the GOOD FORTUNE had originally been Dutch.
Not to be confused with the FORTUNE flyboat, also originally a Dutch prize, similarly sunk in this action.
Where Built: Netherlands?
Captured: 1665 (1)(2)
Armament: 6 guns (1)(2)
Construction: 2 masts (3)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |