English Captain: William Ledgant

William Ledgant (or Ledgand) served in the Parliamentarian and Commonwealth navies. From 1647 to 1648, he commanded the hired merchantman Increase. Powell called him "Ledgard". He called the Increase a 6th Rate. William Ledgant served in the Irish Guard for the summer and winter of 1647. From 1652 to 1654, he commanded the Nicodemus (10 guns). In early 1653, he fought at the Battle of Portland. He also fought in the Battle of the Gabbard, where he was assigned to William Goodson's division. In 1654, he commanded the Little President. From 1657 to 1658, he commanded the Dutch prize Elias. He died at the end of that time. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938.

2. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964.

3. J. R. Powell, The Navy in the English Civil War, 1962.