The personal rivalry between Edward Spragge and Cornelis Tromp became a battle within the battle. Their ships battered one another so severely that both commanders had to change flagships repeatedly. Spragge drowned when his boat overturned during his final transfer, but the larger operational damage had already been done: the duel consumed attention and pulled the English line out of order. Their pursuit of personal honour directly undermined coalition command and the fleet's strategic mission.
Notable Point · 25:56-26:37
Spragge and Tromp's destructive duel
Spragge and Tromp repeatedly disabled each other's flagships, consuming ships in a personal contest that disordered the English line and ended with Spragge's death.