The Dutch admiralty in the 17th century had custom to hire private ships suitable for warfare. The Camel was hired from the city Groningen. She was also known as Stad Groningen

Battle of the Gabbard

The Battle of the Gabbard,[a] was a naval battle fought from 12 to 13 June 1653 during the First Anglo-Dutch War.

In March 1653, Robert Blake wrote the Sailing and Fighting Instructions, a major overhaul of English naval tactics, containing the first formal description of the line of battle.

The success of this new formation was evident in the Battle of the Gabbard, when the English fleet not only defeated the Dutch in a long-range artillery duel but suffered so little damage that it could maintain a blockade of the Dutch coast. The Dutch, in contrast, relied less on linear tactics, preferring to close with English ships to board and capture.

Armament: 28

• J. Bender, 2014, Dutch Warships in the Age of Sail 1600 - 1714.
• Het leven en het bedrijf van den Heere Michiel de Ruyter, II, 49.