Читать книгу Champions of the Fleet. Captains and men-of-war and days that helped to make the empire онлайн

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In the opening encounter with the Spanish Armada that July Sunday afternoon of 1588, no ship of all the Queen’s fleet bore herself better than did the Dreadnought. Captain George Beeston, of an ancient Surrey family, held command on board the Dreadnought. He was a veteran officer of the Queen’s fleet—more than twenty-five years had gone by since he first trod the quarter-deck as a captain. Leading in among the enemy, after the first hour of long-range firing between the English van and the Spanish rear had brought both sides to closer quarters, the Dreadnought with the ships that followed Drake’s flagship the Revenge, for nearly three hours fought first with one and then with another of the most powerful of the Spanish rear-guard ships. After that, forcing their way among the Spaniards as they gave back and began to crowd on their main body, she had a sharp set-to with the big galleons, led by Juan Martinez de Recalde, perhaps the best seaman in all King Philip’s navy, commander of the rear-division of the Armada. On the Santa Ana and her consorts the Revenge and Dreadnought and the rest made a spirited attack, pushing Recalde so hard that eventually Medina Sidonia himself, the Spanish Admiral, had to turn back and come to the rescue with every ship at his disposal. It was enough; Drake and his men had played their part. Before Medina Sidonia’s advance in force, the Revenge and Dreadnought left the Santa Ana, and with the rest of the attacking English van drew off. They had done an excellent day’s work.