The naval Battle of Elba (or Battle of Monte Cristo) was a naval battle which took place on 28 August 1652[1] during the First Anglo-Dutch war, between a Dutch squadron under Johan van Galen and an English squadron under Captain Richard Badiley.
The English were trying to reach Livorno, where a squadron under Captain Henry Appleton was under siege by the Dutch squadron. Leaving four of his fourteen vessels to maintain the watch over Livorno, van Galen took his remaining ten ships to intercept Badiley's squadron. The two encountered each other between Montecristo and Elba Islands. The Phoenix was captured by the Jaarsveld, while the other English warships retreated into Porto Longone. The captured ship, Phoenix, was recaptured 2 months later during a night raid at Livorno.
Ships involved:
The Jaarsveld and four other ships of the squadron belonged to the Amsterdam Admiralty, but the Prinses Roijaal, Eendracht and Jonge Prins belonged to the Noorderkwartier Admiralty, while Wapen van Zeeland and Zeelandia belonged to the Zeeland Admiralty.
The squadron was convoying four merchantmen, who however took no part in the Action and made their way independently into Porto Longone.
42°45′0″N 10°13′48″E / 42.75000°N 10.23000°E / 42.75000; 10.23000