one o'clock
Four of the Volunteers had been struck down -- two of them mortally wounded , but after the first passage through the enemy 's fleet , Prince Rupert had ordered them to arm themselves with muskets from the racks , and to keep up a fire at the Dutch ships as they passed , aiming specially at the man at the wheel . The order had been a very welcome one , for , like Cyril , they had all felt inactivity in such a scene to be a sore trial . They were now ranged along on both sides of the poop . At one o'clock Lord Sandwich signalled to the Blue Squadron to close up together as they advanced , as before , against the enemy 's line . His position at the time was in the centre , and his squadron , sailing close together , burst into the Dutch line before their ships could make any similar disposition . Having thus broken it asunder , instead of passing through it , the squadron separated , and the ships , turning to port and starboard , each engaged an enemy . The other two squadrons similarly ranged up among the Dutch , and the battle now became furious all along the line .