English Captain: John Gibbs

John Gibbs only appears to have commanded the Garland (44 guns) from 1651 to 1652. He was replaced by Robert Batten, who was killed at the Battle of Dungeness, where the Garland was taken by the Dutch. Michael Baumber says that Captain Gibbs, along with Charles Thorowgood, of the Worcester, were accused of having gotten to the leeward, before the battle began, and did not provide support to Robert Blake in the ensuing fight. This seems to be the same John Gibbs mentioned by Robert Blake, in a letter from June 1650, as an English captain whose ship had been taken in a Portuguese port. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964.
2. Michael Baumber, General-At-Sea, 1989.
3. J. R. Powell, Ed., The Letters of Robert Blake, 1937.
4. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898.