These are to give the an accᵗ of God’s goodnes to me. I am very well and in health, praised be His name therfore. Yesterday, the 28th instant (yᵉ same day twelve month they atacqued us in Sowle bay), we atacqued the Dutch fleet, consisting of 74 or 76 men of warr and 20 fire ships, as the Dutch prisoners informe us. We set upon them in the Schoon Velt, the wind at W.N.Wᵗ., but changed to yᵉ N.N.E. in the bataile towards evening. We buoyed the outward banks wᵗʰ our smacks and ketches, and had a smart brush with them from 12 at noone as long as daylight lasted. The damage we have done them we certainly know not. Severall of ther ships we disabled, wᶜʰ we forced into leewards. Trump, whose squadron we ingaged wᵗʰ ours, shifted his ship once, if not twice. What number of men we have lost in the fleet not yet know; I believe not 500. In our ship not above 20, as I can learne; some mortality wounded, others dismembred. Amongst our dead men is poore Capt. Wasey, who first lost his arme close to his shoulder, and about 6 howers after dyed of his wounds. My brother Joseph very well; was wᵗʰ me last night after yᵉ bataile. My unckle Richard very well: he hath burnt his ship; was faire to burne De Rutter within his length, when they shote his masts about his eares; for wᶜʰ indeavoured service yᵉ Prince[a] hath given him one hundred pounds, and gratified also his oficers, &c. I supose we shall not atacque them in that place againe. Our greatest care was to keepe cleere of the sands in that narrow hole. Our ship, so tender with a saile that we fought wᵗʰ the watter some tymes comeing into our lower tire of ports, wᶜʰ was very disadvantagious, could not do that service intended by us.
There is severall Capᵗˢ killed that we have already an account of; I hope no more. Capt. Finch in the Yorke, Capt. Tempest in the Sweepestakes, Capt. Fowles in the Lyon; and Capt. Werden, in the Heneretta, mortality wounded.[] We have severall of our ships shattered, not above two disabled, and none, as I heare of, lost, but 2 or 2 fire ships burnt.
We ride now wᵗʰin 3 leagues of the Dutch fleete; they ride in the place we atacqued them in, and we in our former birth, only about 2 leagues further of the shore. How soone we shall fight them againe cannot resolve, but in yᵉ place they now ride I iudge we shall not atacque them a second tyme. I beleive the Prince may shift his ship and goe into some other; but of yᵗ in my next.
I desire that thanks and prayes may be returned to Almighty God for his preservation of me. My humble duty to my deare mother; loving saluts to my brothers and sisters, and all my deare relations. God in mercy blesse and preserve them all, and send us a joyfull meeteing. Wᵗʰ my intire love and saluts to thee wᵗʰ my daughter and litle Dickee, I remaine
Thine, till death us part,
Richard Haddock.
We have a rumor that Capt. Trevanion[c] is killed, comdᵍ the Dreadnought; but I hope it is not true.
[a] Rupert.
[] William Finch, third son of Thomas, first Earl of Winchilsea; John Tempest, Thomas Foules, and Robert Werden. The last was not killed in this action, according to Charnock, Biogr. Navalis.
[c] Richard Trevanion. He was not killed. He followed James II. into exile.