1IVERS//, RARY0/ Naval Heroes of Holland BY J. A. METS Strong these and dauntless, all perils defying ; Theirs the intrepid soul, scornful of flying ; Valorous still whether living or dying. THE PUBLISHERS 114 FIFTH AVKNUX NEW YORK ' Copyright, igoa, by THE Hbbe? press. \ vai TV CONTENTS. THE BEGINNINGS OF A NAVY. PAGE ZA The Sea, Holland's Friend and Foe Advantage of Hol- land's Geographical Position Early Great Com- mercial Cities Joining the Hanscatic League Great Commerce result of Herring Fishery Conquests and Colonies in the East and West Joins in Crusade and taking of Damietta Bells of Damietta the Carillon of Haarlem War with Hanseatic League and Results. 7 00 THE BEGGABS OF THE SEA. A Missing Link in History Spirit of Liberty fostered by the Sea Three Classes of Gueux or Beggars Pri- vateering Common Story of Big Peter Character of Beggars of the Sea Their Ultimate Aim Nature of Their Vessels Supineness of Spain Taking of Briel and other Cities Victories on the Scheldt Fierce Battle on the Zuyder Zee Victory over d'Avila Results *7 JACOB VAN HEEMSKERK. Birth and Training Expeditions in Search of Northeast Passage to India Wintering on Nova Zembla Vic- torious Battle in the East Indies Heroism of Reinier Claessens Unselfish Patriotism Expedition to Gi- braltarDestruction of Spanish Fleet Wonderful Preservation of Captives Death of Heemskerk of Finding Cruel Edict of Philip I. Influence of the Victory ... c 3 PIET HEIN. Statue at Delftshaven Birthplace Captured by Pirates in Boyhood Formation and Composition of West India Company Expedition to Brazil Romantic Story of Founding of Bahia Description of the City and Its Location Attack on and taking of Bahia Recapture by Spaniards Return of Piet Hein to Bahia Daring Exploits in Capture of Spanish Ships CONTENTS. Capture of Silver Fleet Reception by the Nation and by Sister Results of taking of Silver Fleet- Made Lieutenant-Admiral of Holland Battle with Dunkirk Pirates Death 84 MARTIN HARPERTSSON TROMP. Description of the Home of Tromp Boy-sailor Captured by Pirates Testimony of Piet Hein Dunkirk and Its Privateers Fierce Battles with These Victory over Van Doom Armada, of d'Oquendo Tromp's Daring Attack English Interference Total Defeat of d'Oquendo Result, Widespread Fame of Tromp Jealousy of England Improvement in Naval Tactics Peace of Munster End of Eighty Years' Struggle Causes of War with England Victory over Blake Fleet Shattered by Storm Relieved of Com- mand Reinstated Total Defeat of Blake Three Day's Fight off Portland Heroism of Various Cap- tains Comparison of Forces Fierce Battle with Monk and Blake Death of Tromp . 124 MICHAEL ADRIANSON DE RUYTER. Climbing Flushing Steeple Origin of His Name Boy- hood Becomes a Sailor Battles with Pirates as Merchant Captain First Command in the Navy Re- turns to Merchant Service Victory over Spaniards and Barbary Pirates First Command in War with England Heroism of Frisian Captain Made Vice- Admiral Sent to Assist Denmark against Sweden and Poland Bombardment and Taking of Nyborg Expedition to West Indies and Africa De Ruyter and the Negro King Made Lieutenant-Admiral Four Days' Battle near the North Foreland An Artist's Heroism Great Victory and Day of Thanks- giving Daring Expedition up the Thames Victory over 'Combined English and French Fleets Victories over the Same off the Coast of Holland Hailed as Preserver of the Fatherland Last Battle and Death- Character and Characteristics English Testimony to De Ruyter's Greatness. ... 190 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PACE Naval Battle between Tromp and Blake off Dover, Eng- land (see p. 162) Frontispiece. Jacob Van Heemskerk, Admiral 52 Pieter Pieterszoon Hein, Lieutenant-Admiral of Holland. 84 Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp, Lieutenant-Admiral of Holland and West Friesland 124 Michiel De Ruyter, Lieutenant-Admiral-General of Hol- land and West Friesland 190 Steeple of St. James' Church at Flushing 193 Attack on Chatham 226 Statue of De Ruyter on the Sea-Boulevard at Flushing. 242 PREFACE. THE little work herewith offered to the youth of our land deals, in part, with the struggle of a republic of the past against the nation with which so recently our own great republic was at war. Indeed, much of what is here told was the beginning of that work which the United States was called upon in the providence of God, as the author cannot but believe, to finish, namely, the utter overthrow of Spain as a world-power. Some names will occur here that have become familiar dur- ing our recent war and which may serve to awaken the greater interest in the perusal of these pages. The deeds here recorded are those of only a few of the naval heroes of Holland, those whom the author considers most conspicuous in the glorious galaxy. There are many who might also deserve to have their deeds specially recorded De Witt, Van Galen, Van Ness, Ita, the Evertsens, Cornelius Tromp, and a num- ber of others whose heroic deeds aided in making the fame of Holland's navy world wide. But to have done this would have made not only one, but many bulky volumes, while in the accounts given of the most prominent of these intrepid warriors on the deep many of their heroic brothers in arms have necessarily received a place. If by the reading of the devoted patriotism and heroic courage of the brave men whose deeds are here narrated, a similar love of country, dauntless fearless- ness in the midst of peril and unwavering courage in PREFACE. the face of any odds, together with the same trust in and reliance upon the God of right, justice and truth, can be inspired in the hearts of the young who shall read this little book, the author's aim will have been fully met, while he will esteem such a result a rich reward for the labor expended. SOMERVILLE, N. J., THE BEGINNINGS OF A NAVY. THE SEA, HOLLAND'S FRIEND AND FOE ADVANTAGE OF HOLLAND'S GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION EARLY GREAT COM- MERCIAL CITIES JOINING THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE GREAT COMMERCE RESULT OF HERRING FISHERY CON- QUESTS AND COLONIES IN THE EAST AND WEST JOINS IN CRUSADE AND TAKING OF DAMIETTA BELLS OF DAMIETTA THE CARILLON OF HAARLEM WAR WITH HANSEATIC LEAGUE AND RESULTS. A country with an extensive coast-line must, in the course of civilization, sooner or later become a mari- time power. But when this coast line not only affords a wide field for enterprise, but also demands constant energetic action and unintermitted vigilance and strug- gle against the manifold perils and encroachments of the sea, the inevitable issue must be the development of the people of such a country into a hardy and daring maritime nation. And as this was preeminently the case with Holland, it is in this fact that its history lies as in a nutshell. The soil of Holland originally consisted for the most part of bog and marsh or of low-lying meadows, a con- stant prey to the violence of the waves. From the earliest times to the present day, the hold of its people upon the soil has depended upon their courage and per- sistence in facing and opposing the ever-threatening dangers from the sea, their energy in recuperating from its disasters when they had come, or their mechanical 8 NAVAL HEROES OF HOLLAND. them. ingenuity and engineering skill in preventing These conditions early formed the inhabitants of this insignificant country into a most hardy and intrepid people. But the sea was not only a force to be combated it was no less the field to which by the Netherlanders ; mainly they had to look for their subsistence. The soil could not produce sufficient to supply the wants of the inhabitants, so that the eye was necessarily directed to the sea, in the midst of which, as it were, they were dwelling, and with which they had become familiar by the unbroken struggle. The strength of its waves they the force its had had measured ; of tempests they again and again defied. If the land did not produce a suf- ficiency for daily sustenance, the sea, that grim and an- cient foe, would be laid under contribution. And, teem- ing as it did with inexhaustible treasures of the most delicious food, the supplies derived from this source far exceeded those derived from the soil. Thus one of the first and at one time the greatest of Dutch industries was born, the fisheries on the tempestuous and perilous North Sea. Commerce soon followed. This was at first to the coast lands but confined ; rapidly extended farther and farther till it girdled the globe, and the red, white and blue of the Dutch flag waved in every breeze and was known wherever vessels could float. It was not merely the situation of the Netherlands by the sea, however, that led to the important rank which it so early reached in maritime commerce. Its geographical position among the countries of Europe contributed perhaps even more to this. Take the map of Europe, and you will observe that this geographical THE BEGINNINGS OF A NAVY. 9 division can be separated, as it were, into two halves which complement each other in their products. Nor- way and Sweden with the countries along the Baltic produce an abundance of timber, while the first may almost be regarded as the stone quarry of Northwest- ern Europe. Even to-day the stone used for piers and breakwaters in Holland is still largely drawn from the quarries of Norway. Those northern countries were rich also in their great abundance of fish and their fer- tile grain fields.