Command
Richard Haddock had command of HMS Dragon from 1656 to 1660, but was then unemployed until 1666 when he took command of the 50-gun HMS Portland on 14 June 1666. During this period, he was given command of one of the companies involved in the attacks on Ulie and Schelling in August 1666. He relinquished command of the Portland on 9 November 1667.
Prior to the outbreak of the Third Anglo-Dutch War in 1672 Haddock became captain of the 100-gun HMS Royal James on 18 January of that year; he was her captain at the Battle of Solebay on 28 May. The Royal James was the flagship of Admiral Sir Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich. The Royal James led the van of the Blue Squadron, and attacked Willem Joseph van Ghent's ship. She was then engaged by a number of other Dutch warships and fireships. Despite fighting several of them off and forcing Rear-Admiral Jan van Brakel's ship to disengage, the Royal James was set on fire by the Dutch. Haddock was wounded in the foot, and on seeing that the ship was doomed, attempted to persuade the Earl to abandon ship. Montagu refused, and Haddock jumped overboard. He survived to be picked up and transferred to another English warship. Montagu was killed in the wreck.
Haddock returned to London and attended a meeting with King Charles II. There the King bestowed a mark of favour on Haddock for his actions during the battle, taking a satin cap from his head and placing it upon Haddock's. The cap was kept in the family for many years, with a note describing
This satin cap was given by King Charles the second, in the year 1672, to Sir Richard Haddock, after the English battle with the Dutch, when he had been captain of the Royal James, under the command of the Earl of Sandwich, which ship was burnt, and Sir Richard had been wounded. Given him on his return to London.
Haddock assumed command of the Third rate HMS Lion on 7 November 1672, and remained with her until the following 1 February. He was then given command on 2 February 1673 of the brand new First rate HMS Royal Charles, flagship of Prince Rupert of the Rhine. He fought at the Battles of Schooneveld on 28 May and 4 June 1673 (Old Style; 7 and 14 June New Style). Immediately following this second action, on 5 June 1673 he was switched to command HMS Royal Sovereign, but relinquished command of the Royal Sovereign on 30 June, and was quickly appointed to be an Extra Commissioner of the Navy on 18 August 1673.
He was knighted on 3 July 1675. Haddock was appointed Comptroller of the Navy on 2 February 1682, an appointment he retained until 17 April 1686. He also became commander of HMS Duke on 3 June 1682, but this last sea command only lasted 18 days, ending on 21 June.
Read more about this topic: Richard Haddock
Famous quotes containing the word command:
“An actor must communicate his author’s given message—comedy, tragedy, serio- comedy; then comes his unique moment, as he is confronted by the looked-for, yet at times unexpected, reaction of the audience. This split second is his; he is in command of his medium; the effect vanishes into thin air; but that moment has a power all its own and, like power in any form, is stimulating and alluring.”
—Eleanor Robson Belmont (1878–1979)
“I at least have so much to do in unravelling certain human lots, and seeing how they were woven and interwoven, that all the light I can command must be concentrated on this particular web, and not dispersed over that tempting range of relevancies called the universe.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“Diamonds may have been a girl’s best friend in an era when a woman’s only hope of having a high family income was to marry a man who was well-off, but today, marketable skills that will enable a woman to command a good income over her lifetime are a better investment.”
—Grace Baruch (20th century)