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Sunday, October 24, 2004

Dutch Captain: Frederick Pieterszoon 't Hovelinck

Frederick Pieterszoon 't Hovelinck of Enkhuizen was usually just called Frederick Pieterszoon. In the campaign of 1639, leading up to the Battle of the Downs, he commanded a ship hired in Amsterdam from private owners, the Groote Christoffel (28 guns and a crew of 90 men). Frederick Pieterszoon served the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier. On 12 July 1639, he had taken a small bark heading for Dunkirk carrying apples and lemons. On 16 September, under the command of Lt.-Admiral Tromp, while sailing on the starboard tack to fight the Spanish, Frederick Pieterszoon's ship blew up killing him and most of the crew, apparently caused by mishandling gunpowder. A few survivors were picked up by the Spanish, who returned them on 22 September, along with a few sailors who jumped off Witte de With's ship when there was a fire.

References:

  • C.R. Boxer, The Journal of Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp Anno 1639, Cambridge, 1930
  • Dr. M.G. De Boer, Tromp en de Armada van 1639, Amsterdam, 1941.

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