Dutch Captain: Hendrick Janszoon Camp

Hendrick Janszoon Camp commanded the jacht Breda in 1636 and 1637. At this time, the district of Friesland was serving under the command of the Admiralty of Rotterdam. The Breda carried 22 guns and had a crew of 80 sailors and 20 soldiers. Tromp sent him on an independent mission to Cape LaFieve and Dieppe to see if there were merchant ships there, waiting to be convoyed, as his ship was in need of repairs and had problem with sails and was not fit to be with the fleet. In 1639, he commanded the Gideon, which carried 24 guns and had a crew of 100 men. De Sneuper says that this was a Directors jacht. He fought in the Battle of the Downs in 1639, under the command of Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp. In 1640 and 1641, he was asked to serve under the command of the Admiralty of Friesland. In 1650 to 1652, he was on the last relief squadron sent to Brazil. Late in 1652, he fought in the Battle of Dungeness, where he commanded the Groningen, which had been purchased earlier in 1652. On 19 December, he had fought in a sharp engagement against two English frigates. He fought in the Battle of Portland, where he commanded the Groningen, again. He had recommended Lieutenant Frederick Stellignwerf to succeed him, but he was probably not appointed. Hendrick Janszoon Camp was supposedly a blood relative of Joris Gerritszoon Camp, who in 1614-1644 was a master constructor, burgomaster, Council member and tutor at the St.Ant.Gasthuis at Leeuwarden. A another member of that family, Lambert Camp, married Mayke Siccama, and served as a convoy master in 1664. Much of this is my translation of the information at De Sneuper website. I have addressed much of this previously, but I wanted to see if I could give a better translation.