Battle of Elba

Who Fought

History & Significance

The naval Battle of Elba (or Battle of Monte Cristo) was a naval battle which took place on 28 August 1652 during the First Anglo-Dutch War, between a Dutch squadron under Johan van Galen and an English squadron under Captain Richard Badiley.

The English were trying to reach Livorno, where a squadron under Captain Henry Appleton was under siege by the Dutch squadron. Leaving four of his fourteen vessels to maintain the watch over Livorno, van Galen took his remaining ten ships to intercept Badiley's squadron. The two encountered each other between Montecristo and Elba Islands. The Phoenix was captured by the Jaarsveld, while the other English warships retreated into Porto Longone. The captured ship, Phoenix, was recaptured 2 months later during a night raid at Livorno.

Vereenigde Provinciën/Zeven Provinciën 40 (Hendrick Claeszoon Swart; killed)

The Jaarsveld and four other ships of the squadron belonged to the Amsterdam Admiralty, but the Prinses Roijaal, Eendracht and Jonge Prins belonged to the Noorderkwartier Admiralty, while Wapen van Zeeland and Zeelandia belonged to the Zeeland Admiralty.

The squadron was convoying four merchantmen, who however took no part in the Action and made their way independently into Porto Longone.

The ground they fought on

The site of Battle of Elba lies on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Elba

Churchyard cross at St Mary's Church

Scheduled monument · ~0.8 mi

Churchyard cross at St Mary's Church is a medieval monument standing in the churchyard at Clun, Shropshire. The cross dates from the medieval period, representing a common form of parish monument that served religious and communal functions within ecclesiastical settings. The structure exemplifie…

Trevor Rickard / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Standing cross in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin

Scheduled monument · ~2 mi

The Standing cross in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin is a medieval stone cross of considerable age located in Shropshire. The monument dates to the medieval period, though precise dating remains uncertain without detailed archaeological examination. As a standing cross, it wou…

Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Standing cross in Caynham churchyard

Scheduled monument · ~2.2 mi

Standing cross in Caynham churchyard is a medieval stone cross located in the parish of Caynham, Shropshire. The monument dates to the medieval period, when such crosses were commonly erected in churchyards and village spaces throughout England. The cross survives as a substantial upright stone s…

Philip Pankhurst / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Caynham Camp, a large univallate hillfort 700m north west of Caynham

Scheduled monument · ~2.4 mi

Caynham Camp is a large univallate hillfort situated approximately 700 metres north-west of Caynham in Shropshire, England. The monument is defined by a single defensive bank and ditch enclosing an area of substantial size, a configuration typical of Iron Age fortified settlements in the English…

Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

St Julian's Well: a holy well in the middle of Livesey Road, 155m south west of the junction with Sandpits Road

Scheduled monument · ~3.6 mi

St Julian's Well is a holy well located in Shropshire, England, situated on Livesey Road approximately 155 metres south-west of its junction with Sandpits Road. The well represents a significant example of medieval religious devotion, reflecting the widespread veneration of holy wells across Engl…

Ian Capper / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Ludford Bridge

Scheduled monument · ~4 mi

Ludford Bridge is a medieval stone bridge crossing the River Teme near Ludlow in Shropshire. The bridge dates from the 13th century and represents an important example of medieval bridge construction in the Welsh Marches. It comprises a series of pointed Gothic arches built in local stone, reflec…

Mr M Evison / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Other English Civil War Battles

Battles near Battle of Elba

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• Battle of Elba · Wikipedia