Blake, Robert

( blaik,) a celebrated English admiral, B. at Bridge water, 1598. He was educated at Oxford, took part with the Parliamentarians at the beginning of the civil war, and served under Colonel Fiennes at Bristol, when that town was taken by Prince Rupert. He afterwards a isted in taking Taunton by surprise, and of this place he was made governor, and, in 1645, defended it against Goring with such bravery for two succe ive sieges, that he was publicly thanked and rewarded by Parliament. In 1649 he was appointed commander of the fleet in conjunction with Deane and 1 opham; and soon afterwards sailed in search of Prince Rupert, whose fleet he blockaded in Kinsale harbor. The prince afterwards escaping to Lisbon, he was there followed by B., who demanded leave of the king of Portugal to attack him, and, being refused, he took several of the Portuguese ships coming home from Brazil laden with treasure. During his absence, Prince Rupert made sail to the Mediterranean, whither he was followed by B., who attacked him in the harbor of Malaga, and destroyed nearly the whole of his fleet. After this, he returned to England with several prizes, again receiving the thanks of Parliament, by whom he was also made Warden of the Cinque Ports. Soon after this, he reduced the Scilly Isles, Guernsey, and Jersey, for which he was again thanked by the House, and appointed one of the Council of State. On the prospect of a war with the Dutch in 1652, he was appointed sole admiral of the fleet, and was attacked in the Downs by Van Tromp, who had 45 sail, while B. had only 23. He fought, however, with such determination, that the Dutch admiral was glad to retreat. In the November following, Van Tromp sailed into the Downs, with above 80 men-ofwar, and off the Good win Sands, on the 29th of that month, an obstinate battle was fought between him and Blake, who had only half his force, and who was compelled to run with his shattered ships into the Thames. It was on this occasion that Van Tromp pa ed through the English Channel with a broom at his main-top, signifying that he had swept the sea of the English ships. In February, 1653, B. was enabled to put to sea with 80 men-of-war, and off Cape La Hogue fell in with the Dutch, who had an equal number and 300 merchantmen under convoy. A most bloody engagement ensued, which lasted three days, and in which the Dutch lost 11 men-of-war and 30 merchant-ve els, while the English lost only 1 ship. In June following, the fleets of the belligerent admirals fought again off the Foreland; and the Dutch sustaining a severe defeat, barely saved themselves in the shallow waters of Calais. In 1654, B. sailed into the Mediterranean, where he demolished the castle of Tunis because the Dey refused to deliver up the English whom he held as captives. A squadron of his ships, also, under the command of Captain Stayner, intercepted a Spanish Plate fleet, and took the admiral, vice-admiral, and two galleons. B. having received information that another Plate fleet lay at Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe, sailed thither, and notwithstanding the strength of the place, boldly went in, burnt the ships, and came out with comparatively little lo , while the slaughter of the Spaniards was immense. For this, he again received the thanks of Parliament, and was presented with a diamond ring worth £500. He soon afterwards returned to his station at Cadiz, but his ill health inspired him with a strong desire to return to England; and accordingly he set sail for his native land, but died as his ship was entering Plymouth harbor, August 27, 1657. Blakely Gun. See GUN. Blakely, in Ala . , a village, the former cap. of Baldwin co., on the Tensaw river, 12 m. E. by N. from Mobile. Its harbor is acce ible to steamboats. Here the Confederates had constructed a series of redoubts and lunettes armed with 40 guns; the garrison, consisting of about 3,000 men, was commanded by Gen. St. John Lidell. On the 9th of April, 1865, the a ault was made on these fortifications by the National troops under Gen. Steel. After a severe struggle, po e ion was taken of all the works, with Gen. Lidell and the whole garrison as prisoners of war. The Confederates lost, in killed and wounded, abt. 500 men; the National lo was abt. 100. Blakely, in Georgia , a post-village, cap. of Early co 170 m. S.W. of Milledgeville, Blakely, in N. Carolina , a village of Stokes co. Blakely, in Pennsylvania , a township of Luzerne co., 25 m. N. E. of Wilkesbarre. It tontains rich mines of anthracite coal. Blake'ly, in Washington , a village of Kitsap co. Blakes'burg, in Indiana , a village of Putnam co., 11 m. N. E. of Green castle. Blakes/burg, in Iowa , a P. O. of Wapello co. Blake's Ferry, in Alabama , a village of Randolph county. Blakes'ville, in Indiana , a village of Harrison co., on the Ohio river, abt. 20 m. S. S. E. of Corydon. Blake'ville, in Iowa , a post-village of Black Hawk co., abt. 8 m. N. E. of Waterloo. Blake'ville, in New Hampshire, a village of Cheshire IMG:content-0645.png:[graphic] value. county.