English Captain: Richard Sadlington

Richard Sadlington served in the Restoration navy. He was a lieutenant in 1666 on the 4th Rate Reserve. He had been appointed by Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle. In 1668, he was first lieutenant on the 2nd Rate Victory. He was appointed captain of the 5th Rate Mermaid in 1672. Later in 1672 he commanded the Dartmouth and then the "English" Ruby. He fought in the Battle of Solebay in command of the Dartmouth. During the battle, he destroyed one Dutch fireship and captured another. Later in the battle, the Duke of York ordered him to help rescue as many of the Royal James's crew as possible. By August, he was the Crown's captain, and was assigned to Sir Edward Spragge's division. Pepys wrote that Richard Sadlington was appointed as captain of the Crown in 1673, but Anderson's Journals and Narratives clearly shows he had assumed command during 1672. He was killed in action at the second Schooneveld battle on 4 June 1673. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, Journals and Narratives of the Third Dutch War, 1946.
2. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.