Quiberon Bay.

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The Battle of Quiberon Bay (known as Bataille des Cardinaux in French), was a decisive naval engagement fought on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War between the Royal Navy and the French Navy. It was fought in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire. The battle was the culmination of British efforts to eliminate French naval superiority, which could have given the French the ability to carry out their planned invasion of Great Britain. A British fleet of 24 ships of the line under Sir Edward Hawke tracked down and engaged a French fleet of 21 ships of the line under Marshal de Conflans. After hard fighting, the British fleet sank or ran aground six French ships, captured one and scattered the rest, giving the Royal Navy one of its greatest victories, and ending the threat of French invasion for good.
The battle signalled the rise of the Royal Navy in becoming the world's foremost naval power, and, for the British, was part of the Annus Mirabilis of 1759.

Background.

During 1759, the British, under Hawke, maintained a close blockade on the French coast in the vicinity of Brest. In that year the French had made plans to invade England and Scotland, and had accumulated transports and troops around the Loire estuary. The defeat of the Mediterranean fleet at the Battle of Lagos in August made the invasion plans impossible, but Choiseul still contemplated a plan for Scotland, and so the fleet was ordered to escape the blockade and collect the transports assembled in the Gulf of Morbihan.

During the first week of November a westerly gale came up and, after three days, the ships of Hawke's blockade were forced to run for Torbay on the south coast of England. Robert Duff was left behind in Quiberon Bay, with a squadron of five 'fifties' (ships of the line with 50 cannons) and nine frigates to keep an eye on the transports. In the meantime, a small squadron from the West Indies joined Conflans in Brest and, when an easterly wind came on the 14th, Conflans slipped out. He was sighted by HMS Actaeon which had remained on station off Brest despite the storms but which failed to rendezvous with Hawke, by HMS Juno & Swallow which tried to warn Duff but were apparently chased off by the French, and by the victualler Love and Unity returning from Quiberon, which sighted the French fleet at 2pm on the 15th, 70 miles west of Belle-Isle. She met Hawke the next day and he sailed hard for Quiberon into a SSE gale. Meanwhile, HMS Vengeance had arrived in Quiberon Bay the night before to warn Duff and he had put his squadron to sea in the teeth of a WNW gale.

Battle.

Having struggled with unfavourable winds, Conflans had slowed down on the night of the 19th in order to arrive at Quiberon at dawn. 20 miles off Belleisle he sighted seven of Duff's squadron.
Once he realised that this was not the main British fleet, he gave chase. Duff split his ships to the north and south, with the French van and centre in pursuit, whilst the rearguard held off to windward to watch some strange sails appearing from the west. The French broke off the pursuit but were still scattered as Hawke's fleet came into sight. HMS Magnanime sighted the French at 8.30 and Hawke gave the signal for line abreast.



Tracks of English and French fleets

Conflans was faced with a choice, to fight in his current disadvantageous position in high seas and a "very violent" WNW wind, or take up a defensive position in Quiberon Bay and dare Hawke to come into the labyrinth of shoals and reefs. About 9am Hawke gave the signal for general chase along with a new signal for the first 7 ships to form a line ahead and, in spite of the weather and the dangerous waters, set full sail. By 2.30 Conflans rounded Les Cardinaux, the rocks at the end of the Quiberon peninsula that give the battle its name in French. The first shots were heard as he did so, although Sir John Bentley in Warspite claimed that they were fired without his orders. However the British were starting to overtake the rear of the French fleet even as their van and centre made it to the safety of the bay.





Just before 4pm the battered Formidable surrendered to the Resolution, just as Hawke himself rounded The Cardinals. Meanwhile, Thésée lost her duel with HMS Torbay and foundered, Superbe capsized, and the badly damaged Héros struck her flag to Viscount Howe before running aground on the Four Shoal during the night.

Meanwhile, the wind shifted to the NW, further confusing Conflans' half-formed line as they tangled together in the face of Hawke's daring pursuit. Conflans tried unsuccessfully to resolve the muddle, but in the end decided to put to sea again. His flagship, Soleil Royal, headed for the entrance to the bay just as Hawke was coming in on Royal George. Hawke saw an opportunity to rake Soleil Royal, but Intrépide interposed herself and took the fire. Meanwhile, Soleil Royal had fallen to leeward and was forced to run back and anchor off Croisic, away from the rest of the French fleet. By now it was about 5pm and darkness had fallen, so Hawke made the signal to anchor.

During the night eight French ships managed to do what Soleil Royal had failed to do, to navigate through the shoals to the safety of the open sea, and escape to Rochefort. Seven ships and the frigates were in the Villaine estuary (just off the map above, to the east), but Hawke dared not attack them in the stormy weather.The French jettisoned their guns and gear and used the rising tide and northwesterly wind to escape over the sandbar at the bottom of the Villaine river. One of these ships was wrecked, and the remaining six were trapped throughout 1760 by a blockading British squadron and only later managed to break out and reach Brest in 1761/1762. The badly damaged Juste was lost as she made for the Loire, 150 of her crew surviving the ordeal, and Resolution grounded on the Four Shoal during the night.



Battle of Quiberon Bay: the Day After
Richard Wright 1760

Soleil Royal tried to escape to the safety of the batteries at Croisic, but Essex pursued her with the result that both were wrecked on the Four Shoal beside Heros. On the 22nd the gale moderated, and three of Duff's ships were sent to destroy the beached ships. Conflans set fire to Soleil Royal while the British burnt Heros, as seen in the right of Richard Wright's painting. Hawke tried to attack the ships in the Villaine with fireboats, but to no effect.



Aftermath.


The power of the French fleet was broken, and would not recover before the war was over; in the words of Alfred Thayer Mahan (The Influence of Sea Power upon History), "The battle of 20 November 1759 was the Trafalgar of this war, and
the English fleets were now free to act against the colonies of France, and later of Spain, on a grander scale than ever before". For instance, the French could not be victorious at the land Battle of Sainte-Foy either, in what is now Canada in 1760 for want of reinforcements and supplies from France, and so Quiberon Bay may be regarded as the battle that determined the fate of New France and hence Canada. Hawke's commission was extended and followed by a peerage (allowing him and his heirs to speak in the House of Lords) in 1776.

France experienced a credit crunch as financiers recognised that Britain could now strike at will against French trade.
The French government was forced to default on its debt.

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Britain.


HMS Royal George, Hawke's flagship at Quiberon Bay - Replica of walrus ivory

Name	Guns	Commander	Men	Notes
Royal George	100	Captain John Campbell	880	Flagship of Sir Edward Hawke
Union	90	Captain Thomas Evans	770	Flagship of Sir Charles Hardy
Duke	80	Samuel Graves	800
Namur	90	Matthew Buckle	780
Mars	74	Commodore James Young	600
Warspite	74	Sir John Bentley	600
Hercules	74	William Fortescue	600
Torbay	74	Augustus Keppel	600
Magnanime	74	Viscount Howe	600
Resolution	74	Henry Speke	600	Wrecked on Le Four shoal
Hero	74	George Edgcumbe	600
Swiftsure	70	Sir Thomas Stanhope	520
Dorsetshire	70	Peter Denis	520
Burford	70	James Gambier	520
Chichester	70	William Saltren Willet	520
Temple	70	Washington Shirley	520
Essex	64	Lucius O'Brien	480	Wrecked on Le Four shoal
Revenge	64	John Storr	480
Montague	60	Joshua Rowley	400
Kingston	60	Thomas Shirley	400
Intrepid	60	Jervis Maplesden	400
Dunkirk	60	Robert Digby	420
Defiance	60	Patrick Baird	420
Rochester	50	Robert Duff	350
Portland	50	Mariot Arbuthnot	350
Falkland	50	Francis Samuel Drake	350
Chatham	50	John Lockhart	350
Venus	36	Thomas Harrison	240
Minerva	32	Alexander Hood	220
Sapphire	32	John Strachan	220
Vengeance	28	Gamaliel Nightingale	200
Coventry	28	Francis Burslem	200
Maidstone	28	Dudley Digges	200

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Captain John Campbell.




John Campbell was born in the parish of Kirkbean Scotland.

His father, John Campbell (d. 1733), was minister of Kirkbean and John was at an early age apprenticed to the master of a coasting vessel. That vessel's mate was pressed into the navy, and John is said to have entered the navy by offering himself in exchange for him. He served for three years in the Blenheim, Torbay, and Russell before being appointed in 1740 as a midshipman to the Centurion. On the Centurion's ensuing circumnavigation of the world as the flagship of Commodore George Anson, he was promoted master's mate when a vacancy came up soon after sailing, and was promoted to master after the 1743 engagement against the Manila galleon Nuestra Señora de Covadonga. One of his fellow midshipmen was Augustus Keppel, who from then on became a lifelong friend.

Returning home in early January 1745, Campbell passed the examination for lieutenant on 16 January 1745 and, with Anson's influence behind him, he was promoted to commander on 27 May 1747and given command of a sloop. Promoted to post captain on 23 November 1747, he was given command of the new frigate Bellona, a command he held until the peace in 1748. Praised for his successes on the Bellona, in 1749 he was given command of the expedition to the Pacific by the sloop Porcupine and the Raven, then of one to the north-west and north-east passages in the Atlantic, both of which were proposed but then called off for political reasons.

Astronomy and Brest.

Meanwhile, in about 1747, Campbell had his first direct involvement in the development of astronomical navigation, as the first person to use a Hadley quadrant to measure the angular distance between the moon and fixed stars.The astronomer royal, James Bradley, was shown Campbell's results and found them to correspond exactly with the actual distances in the sky, and Bradley and Campbell together made frequent observations at Greenwich of the moon's distance from the sun and stars, and of the stars' distances from one another.

His next commands after the Bellona were the Mermaid, the Prince (90 guns) and – in 1757 – the Essex (64 guns) under Edward Hawke in the Bay of Biscay and the blockade of Brest (barring an interlude in 1758/59, as flag captain to Anson in the Royal George when he temporarily took over command of the Brest fleet). During Campbell's command of the Essex, in 1756, James Bradley suggested to the Board of Longitude (chaired by Anson) that Campbell should give a sea trial to Tobias Mayer's new lunar tables and reflecting circle, and Campbell did so successfully within sight of the French coast, 'though they [the observations] were not taken with all the advantages that might have attended them, had I been alone; for I was all the cruise in company with an admiral whose motions I was obliged to follow', in trials which would profoundly influence marine navigation for the next 250 years. He compared Mayer's new reflecting circle instrument with the common wooden Hadley octant as means of observing lunar distances, and in doing so found Mayer's was much too heavy whereas Hadley's – though it could not measure angles beyond 90° and was often unstable in its wooden frame – was far more useful. From this, he suggested modifications to the Hadley octant, extending its arc from 45° to 60° (to allow the measurement of arcs up to 120°) and making it of brass not wood. In 1759 John Bird, commissioned by the Board of Longitude, produced an instrument taking up both suggestions, a sextant of 20 inches radius with a brass frame and 1/3 the weight of the 16-inch-diameter (410 mm) reflecting circle, which served as a prototype of the marine sextant still used today.

Seven Years War.

Campbell, meanwhile, returned to the Royal George as flag captain in November 1759, this time under Hawke (when Hawke moved his flag to that ship), serving as such during the decisive battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759. It was Campbell whom Hawke sent to England on 24 November in the frigate Vengeance with news of the victory, and after a six-day voyage Campbell, accompanied by Lord Anson (now First Lord of the Admiralty), personally gave the king the news.

Next, Campbell was captain of the Dorsetshire (70 guns), on the home station and in the Mediterranean, from 1760 to the peace in 1763. He was admitted as a fellow of the Royal Society on 24 May 1764 (and was one of its Visitors to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, from March 1765), before being one of those the Board of Longitude asked to 'number-crunch' the results of the 1764 second sea-trial to Barbados of John Harrison's longitude watch. From about 1764 he commanded the yacht Mary, later moving to the HMY Royal Charlotte, a command he retained until promotion to rear-admiral of the blue on 23 January 1778. He was promoted to rear-admiral of the white on 29 January 1778.

Then, in March 1778, he was chosen by his old friend Admiral Keppel (now in command of the Channel Fleet), to be "captain of the fleet" and effectively chief of staff in HMS Victory, which commissioned in May 1778 as Keppel's flagship. (Campbell was Victory's "1st captain", whilst Captain Jonathan Faulknor was her "2nd Captain".) As such, he took an important part in the battle of Ushant on 27 July, was warmly recommended to the king by the first sea lord Lord Sandwich, and remained in the role until the end of 1778. He was promoted to vice-admiral of the blue on 19 March 1779^[1] and to vice-admiral of the white on 26 September 1780.

Governorship.

However, Campbell was offered no further commands until April 1782, when Keppel became Sandwich's successor as first sea lord, and appointed Campbell, governor and commander-in-chief of Newfoundland; Campbell sailed there in HMS Portland (50 guns) on 17 June 1782. On 25 June, the Portland and another 27 ships were intercepted by the Franco-Spanish combined fleet commanded by Luis de Cordova. Although 18 vessels were captured, HMS Portland and nine ships managed to slip away. He held this post from 1782 to his death in London in 1790.

During this time he returned to England periodically, allowing him in 1784 and 1785 – at Hans Moritz von Brühl's request – to arrange trials of Thomas Mudge's first chronometer on his passage to and from England and in Newfoundland (borrowing an achromatic telescope from the Board of Longitude to ascertain Newfoundland's longitude). Also, as a result of Campbell's proclamation of religious freedom for all inhabitants of Newfoundland, James Louis O'Donel authorised the construction of a Catholic chapel.

He was promoted to vice-admiral of the white on 24 September 1787.

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Admiral Sir Edward Hawke.




Born the only son of Edward Hawke, a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, and Elizabeth Hawke (née Bladen), Hawke benefited from the patronage of Colonel Martin Bladen a Member of Parliament, who was his maternal uncle. Hawke joined the navy as a volunteer in the sixth-rate HMS Seahorse on the North American Station in February 1720.^[3] Promoted to lieutenant on 2 June 1725, he transferred to the fifth-rate HMS Kingsale on the West Coast of Africa later that month, to the fourth-rate HMS Portland in the Channel Squadron in April 1729 and to the fourth-rate HMS Leopard in November 1729. After that he moved to the fourth-rate HMS Edinburgh in the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1731, to the sixth-rate HMS Scarborough in January 1732 and to the fourth-rate HMS Kingston, flagship of Commodore Sir Chaloner Ogle, Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station, in December 1732.

After this, Hawke's career accelerated: promoted to commander on 13 April 1733, he became commanding officer of the sloop HMS Wolf later that month and promoted to captain on 20 March 1734, he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Flamborough later that month. The following year he went on half-pay and did not go to sea again until July 1739 when he was recalled to become commanding officer of HMS Portland on the North American Station and was sent to cruise in the Caribbean with orders to escort British merchant ships. He did this successfully, although it meant his ship did not take part in the British attack on Porto Bello in November 1739 during the War of Jenkins' Ear.

Battle of Toulon.

Hawke became commanding officer of the third-rate HMS Berwick in June 1743: he did not see action until the Battle of Toulon in February 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession. The fight at Toulon was extremely confused, although Hawke had emerged from it with a degree of credit. While not a defeat for the British, they had failed to take an opportunity to comprehensively defeat the Franco-Spanish fleet when a number of British ships had not engaged the enemy, leading to a mass court martial. Hawke's ship managed to capture the only prize of the battle, the Spanish ship Poder, although it was subsequently destroyed by the French. He was then given command of the second-rate HMS Neptune in August 1745.

Battle of Cape Finisterre.

Despite having distinguished himself at Toulon, Hawke had few opportunities over the next three years. However, he was promoted to rear admiral on 15 July 1747 and appointed Second-in-Command of the Western Squadron, with his flag in the fourth-rate HMS Gloucester in August 1747. He went on to replace Admiral Peter Warren as the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Squadron, with his flag in the third-rate HMS Devonshire, in October 1747. Hawke then put a great deal of effort into improving the performance of his crews and instilling in them a sense of pride and patriotism. The Western Squadron had been established to keep a watch on the French Channel ports. Under a previous commander, Lord Anson, it had successfully contained the French coast and in May 1747 won the First Battle of Cape Finisterre when it attacked a large convoy leaving harbour.

The British had received word that there was now an incoming convoy arriving from the West Indies. Hawke took his fleet and lay in wait for the arrival of the French. In October 1747, Hawke captured six ships of a French squadron in the Bay of Biscay in the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre. The consequence of this, along with Anson's earlier victory, was to give the British almost total control in the English Channel during the final months of the war. It proved ruinous to the French economy, helping the British to secure an acceptable peace at the negotiations for the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

Peace.

For Hawke, however, the arrival of peace brought a sudden end to his opportunities for active service. In December 1747, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the naval town of Portsmouth, which he was to represent for the next thirty years. He was not on good terms with the new First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Anson, although they shared similar views on how any future naval war against France should be waged. In spite of their personal disagreements, Anson had a deep respect for Hawke as an admiral, and pushed unsuccessfully for him to be given a place on the Admiralty board. Promoted to vice admiral on 26 May 1748, he became Port Admiral at Portsmouth serving in that post for three years. He was installed as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath (KB) on 26 June 1749 and was recalled as Port Admiral at Portsmouth in 1755.

Seven Years' War.

As it began to seem more likely that war would break out with France, Hawke was ordered to hoist his flag in the first-rate HMS St George and to reactivate the Western Squadron in Spring 1755. This was followed by a command to cruise off the coast of France intercepting ships bound for French harbours. He did this very successfully, and British ships captured more than 300 merchants ships during the period. This in turn further worsened relations between Britain and France, bringing them to the brink of declaring war. France would continue to demand the return of the captured merchant ships throughout the coming war. By early 1756, after repeated clashes in North America, and deteriorating relations in Europe, the two sides were formally at war.

Fall of Menorca.

Hawke was sent to replace Admiral John Byng as commander in the Mediterranean, with orders to hoist his flag in the second-rate HMS Ramillies, in June 1756. Byng had been unable to relieve Menorca (historically called "Minorca" by the British) following the Battle of Minorca and he was sent back to Britain where he was tried and executed. Almost as soon as Menorca had fallen in June 1756, the French fleet had withdrawn to Toulon in case they were attacked by Hawke. Once he arrived off Menorca, Hawke found that the island had surrendered and there was little he could do to reverse this. He decided not to land the troops he had brought with him from Gibraltar. Hawke then spent three months cruising off Menorca and Marseille before returning home where he gave evidence against Byng. Hawke was subsequently criticised by some supporters of Byng, for not having blockaded either Menorca or Toulon. He was promoted to full admiral on 24 February 1757.

Descent on Rochefort.

Hawke blockaded Rochefort in 1757 and later in the year he was selected to command a naval escort that would land a large force on the coast of France. The expedition arrived off the coast of Rochefort in September. After storming the offshore island of Île-d'Aix, the army commander Sir John Mordaunt hesitated before proceeding with the landing on the mainland. Despite a report by Colonel James Wolfe that they would be able to capture Rochefort, Mordaunt was reluctant to attack. Hawke then offered an ultimatum - either the Generals attacked immediately or he would sail for home. His fleet was needed to protect an inbound convoy from the West Indies, and could not afford to sit indefinitely off Rochefort. Mourdaunt hastily agreed, and the expedition returned to Britain without having made any serious attempt on the town. The failure of the expedition led to an inquiry which recommended the court-martial of Mordaunt, which commenced on the 14 December 1757 and at which he was acquitted.

In 1758 Hawke directed the blockade of Brest for six months. In 1758 he was involved in a major altercation with his superiors at the Admiralty which saw him strike his flag and return to port over a misunderstanding at which he took offence. Although he later apologised, he was severely reprimanded. In Hawke's absence the Channel Fleet was placed under the direct command of Lord Anson.

Battle of Quiberon Bay.

In May 1759 Hawke was restored to the command of the Western Squadron. Meanwhile, the Duc de Choiseul was planning a French invasion of Britain. A French army was assembled in Brittany, with plans to combine the separate French fleets so they could seize control of the English Channel and allow the invasion force to cross and capture London. When Hawke's force was driven off station by a storm, the French fleet under Hubert de Brienne, Comte de Conflans, took advantage and left port. On 20 November 1759 Hawke followed the French warships and, during a gale, he won a sufficient victory in the Battle of Quiberon Bay, that when combined with Admiral Edward Boscawen's victory at the Battle of Lagos, the French invasion threat was removed. Although he had effectively put the French channel fleet out of action for the remainder of the war, Hawke was disappointed he had not secured a more comprehensive victory asserting that had he had two more hours of daylight the whole enemy fleet would have been taken.

Blockade of France.

Although Hawke's victory at Quiberon Bay ended any immediate hope of a major invasion of Great Britain, the French continued to entertain hopes of a future invasion for the remainder of the war, which drove the British to keep a tight blockade on the French coast. This continued to starve French ports of commerce, further weakening France's economy. After a spell in England, Hawke returned to take command of the blockading fleet off Brest. The British were now effectively mounting a blockade of the French coast from Dunkirk to Marseille. Hawke attempted to destroy some of the remaining French warships, which he had trapped in the Vilaine Estuary. He sent in fire ships but these failed to accomplish the task. Hawke developed a plan for landing on the coast, seizing a peninsula, and attacking the ships from land. However he was forced to abandon this when orders reached him from Pitt for a much larger expedition.

Capture of Belle Île.

In an effort to further undermine the French, Pitt had conceived the idea of seizing the island of Belle Île, off the coast of Brittany and asked the navy to prepare for an expedition to take it. Hawke made his opposition clear in a letter to Anson, which was subsequently widely circulated. Pitt was extremely annoyed by this, considering that Hawke had overstepped his authority. Nonetheless Pitt pressed ahead with the expedition against Belle Île. An initial assault in April 1761 was repulsed with heavy loss but, reinforced, the British successfully captured the island in June.

Although the capture of the island provided another victory for Pitt, and lowered the morale of the French public by showing that the British could now occupy parts of Metropolitan France – Hawke’s criticisms of its strategic usefulness were borne out. It was not a useful staging point for further raids on the coast and the French were not especially concerned about its loss, telling Britain during subsequent peace negotiations that they would offer nothing in exchange for it and Britain could keep it if they wished.

First Lord of the Admiralty.

Hawke then retired from active duty, and became Rear-Admiral of Great Britain on 4 January 1763 and Vice-Admiral of Great Britain on 5 November 1765. He was made First Lord of the Admiralty in the Chatham Ministry in December 1766 and promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 15 January 1768. His appointment drew on his expertise on naval matters, as he did little to enhance the government politically. During his time as First Lord, Hawke was successful in bringing the navy's spending under control. He also oversaw the mobilisation of the navy during the Falklands Crisis in 1770 and was then succeeded as First Lord by Lord Sandwich in January 1771.

Hawke was created Baron Hawke of Towton on 20 May 1776. Towards the end of his life he had his country house built in Sunbury-on-Thames and lived alternately there and at a rented home in North Stoneham, Hampshire.


He died at his house in Sunbury-on-Thames on 17 October 1781 and was buried at St. Nicolas' Church, North Stoneham.

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Rear Admiral Sir Charles Hardy.




Born at Portsmouth, the son of a vice admiral, Charles Hardy joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in 1731.

He became a captain in the Royal Navy on 10 August 1741, around the age of 27. His first command was the 24-gun HMS Rye, stationed off the British Carolinas from January 1742 to February 1744. In 1744 he was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of the British colony of Newfoundland, though there is no record of his visiting it during his term in office. In 1745 he took command of HMS Torrington, assisting in the protection of a convoy which brought reinforcements from Gibraltar to the newly captured fortress of Louisbourg.

He was knighted in 1755 and served as governor of the Colony of New York from 1755 to 1757 (replaced by James Delancey). During his term he was made Rear Admiral of the Blue.

Seven Years' War.


In 1757, under the command of Vice Admiral Francis Holburne, Hardy escorted Lord Loudoun and his army from New York to Halifax intending to attack Louisbourg, but the attack was called off when Louisbourg was found to be strongly defended by a French fleet. The next year, he was second in command under Admiral Edward Boscawen at the successful Siege of Louisbourg.

That autumn, he and James Wolfe attacked French posts around the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and destroyed all of the French fishing stations along the northern shores of what is now New Brunswick and along the Gaspé Peninsula. He also participated in Hawke's victory at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

Hardy served as the governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1771 to 1780. In 1778, he was made Admiral of the White. In 1779 he became Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, remaining in that post until his death in May 1780.

Member of Parliament.

Hardy sat as Member of Parliament for Rochester from 1764 to 1768 and for Plymouth from 1771 to 1780.

Personal life.

In 1749 he married Mary Tate, however she died the next year without issue and left her home Delapré Abbey to Hardy which he sold in 1756 to Edward Bouverie for £22,000. Following his first wife's death, he married Catharine Stanyan, the daughter of Temple Stanyan. Through Catherine, he inherited Temple Stanyan's estate at Rawlins, Oxfordshire.

The couple had three sons and two daughters. Sir Charles Hardy died at Spithead. He bequeathed £3000 to each of the sons and £4000 to each daughter, as well as leaving his estate to his eldest son Temple Hardy. By Catharine's death in 1801, only Temple survived of the three sons. Hardy's brother Josiah was a merchant and the Governor of New Jersey from 1761-63.

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Captain Samuel Graves.



Son of Samuel Graves, he was thought to have been born in Northern Ireland where his grandfather, Captain James Graves (1654–1689), who married a daughter of Sir John Herdman of Stannington, lived, before he was robbed of his regiment's wages and murdered in his bed. Graves joined the Royal Navy in 1732. Made lieutenant in 1739, he participated in the 1741 expedition against Cartagena, serving on the frigate Norfolk, under his uncle and future admiral, Captain Thomas Graves. Samuel Graves's cousin Thomas, Captain Graves's son and also future admiral, served alongside him on the third-rate ship-of-the-line Norfolk. Promoted to command of the sloop Bonetta in 1743, Graves served in the West Indies until 1747, commanding Ripon's Prize, and, later, Enterprise.

Seven Years' War.


In 1756 Graves rose to command Duke.
Two years later, Graves returned to the command of Duke, serving again under Hawke in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759. He continued in command of Duke until his promotion to rear admiral in October 1762.

American Revolutionary War.

In October 1770 Graves rose to vice admiral, and in July 1774 assumed command of the North American Station. Graves's orders were vague, his resources overstretched, and his task, in the words of the Dictionary of National Biography, "perhaps the most ungracious duty that has ever fallen to the lot of a naval officer." According to his instructions, Graves was charged with supporting customs officials enforcing the various revenue and trade acts governing North American colonial trade within the empire, especially the Boston Port Act. With only 26 ships and over one-thousand miles of coastline from Nova Scotia to Florida to patrol, Graves's task was Sisyphean.

Manning problems made the Royal Navy's problems even more acute, thus forcing it to resort to press gangs in order to supplement the ships' slender crews. Compounding the problem was the attitude and behaviour of navy officers who did not recognize local authority and were more often contemptuous of local officials and sensitivities.
Headquartered in Boston, Graves was at the center of the Revolutionary turmoil in New England. His sailors manned the boats that ferried British soldiers across the Charles River en route to Concord on the night of 18 April 1775. Two months later, on 17 June 1775, his sailors again helped ferry troops, this time to the Charlestown Peninsula, while several of his ships provided fire support for the pyrrhic victory at Bunker Hill. During the Siege of Boston, Admiral Graves, on 6 October 1775, ordered Lieutenant Henry Mowatt, commanding the armed vessel HMS Canceaux, to destroy seaports that were supporting the rebellion. Mowatt burned Falmouth (today’s Portland, Maine) on 18 October.

On 27 January 1776, Vice Admiral Richard Howe succeeded Graves as commander-in-chief of the North American station. Graves returned to England without a command. In September 1777 he declined command of Plymouth, but indicated a desire to return to active duty. Graves advanced to admiral of the blue on 29 January 1778, admiral of the white on 8 April 1782, and died at his estate at Hembury Fort, Honiton, Devon on 8 March 1787. A monument sculpted by John Bacon but designed by a "Miss Burgess" was erected in Buckerell in Devon in the same year.

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Captain Matthew Buckle (1716 – 9 July 1784)




Naval career.

Promoted to captain on 29 May 1745, Buckle was given command of the third-rate HMS Russell on promotion and took part in the capture of the Spanish ship Glorioso on 8 October 1747. He went on to take command of the fourth-rate HMS Assistance in 1749, the sixth-rate HMS Unicorn in 1753 and the third-rate HMS Swiftsure in 1756. After that he was given command of the third-rate HMS Invincible later in 1756, the first-rate HMS Royal George in 1757 and the second-rate HMS Namur in 1758. In Namur he took part in the Battle of Lagos in August 1759, the Battle of Quiberon Bay in November 1759 and the action of 17 July 1761 as well as the attack on Havana in June 1762.

Admiral.

Promoted to rear-admiral on 18 October 1770, Buckle became second-in-command at Spithead in 1770. Promoted to vice-admiral on 31 March 1775, he became commander-in-chief the Downs in 1778 before being promoted to full admiral on 26 September 1780.

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Commodore James Young.




(15 November 1717 – 24 January 1789) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence, rising to the rank of admiral of the white.

Young entered the navy as a midshipman and went out to the Mediterranean, where he would rise through the ranks during a long and extended cruise, which saw him serve on a number of different vessels. A captain by the end of the War of the Austrian Succession, a fact that led to the caustic comment that he had been "midshipman, lieutenant, and captain in one voyage", he continued in active service after the war. He commanded several more ships during the Seven Years' War, and was one of those engaged at the controversial Battle of Minorca in 1756. The fleet's commander, Admiral John Byng, was court martialled over the affair, Young giving evidence at the inquiry gave some damming evidence against Byng.

Young also played a role in the more creditable performance at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, flying a broad pennant as a commodore, and participating in the decisive defeat of the French fleet. He went on to command several squadrons on the French coast, before his promotion to flag rank.

Young was back in active service during the American War of Independence, with the important posting as commander in chief of the Leeward Islands station. He acted to secure British trade from American warships and privateers, but was less successful at intercepting supplies of weapons and gunpowder being provided to the American rebels by the nominally neutral Dutch and French possessions in the Caribbean. His frustration mounted, especially after the Dutch island of St Eustatius fired the first salute to the American flag in 1776.

He left the post in 1778, returning to England, where he entered retirement and died in 1789.

He left a family, including two sons, William and James, who also became prominent naval officers.

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Captain, Sir John Bentley.





He entered the navy about the year 1720, and was made lieutenant 28 March 1734.

In the battle of Toulon, 11 Feb. 1743-4, he was a lieutenant of the Namur, Mathews's flag-ship, and was immediately afterwards promoted to the command of the Sutherland hospital-ship. On 1 Aug. 1744 he was posted into Burford, 70, and a few months later was sent home as a witness on the courts martial which rendered the years 1745-6 notorious.

In the spring of 1747, when Anson took command of the Channel fleet, Bentley was chosen to be his flag captain in the Prince George, and was with him in the battle of Cape Finisterre, 3 May. When the fleet returned to England, and Anson hauled down his flag, Bentley was transferred to the Defiance, 60, in which he shared in Hawke's victory in the Bay of Biscay, 14 Oct. 1747.
He afterwards, during the peace, successively commanded the Invincible, the Charlotte yacht, and the Barfleur, at Portsmouth, and in 1757 was a member of the court martial on Admiral Byng.

In 1758 he was again in command of the Invincible, one of the finest 74-gun ships in the service, and which he had himself helped Anson to capture from the French. She was under orders to proceed to Louisbourg with Admiral Boscawen, when, on 19 Feb., weighing from St. Helen's, her rudder jammed, and she grounded heavily on the Dean Sand. In the evening it came on to blow very hard, and the ship became a complete wreck. Bentley, with his officers, was acquitted of all blame (Minutes of the Court Martial), and shortly afterwards appointed to the Warspite, which through the summer of 1759 was in the Mediterranean with Boscawen, and on 18 Aug. when the French squadron, under De la Clue, was defeated. On the 19th, when the ships that had sought refuge in Lagos Bay were captured or destroyed, it was by Bentley's exertions that the Téméraire, which had been run ashore was brought off and added to the strength of the English navy.

In September Bentley was sent to England, was presented to the king, was knighted, and, still in the Warspite was ordered to join Hawke in the blockade of Brest. It was thus his peculiar fortune, after sharing in the defeat of De la Clue, to be present also in the great victory of Quiberon Bay, 20 Nov. 1759. The Warspite continued through 1760 attached to the grand fleet under Hawke, but the victory of 1759 had minimized the action of the navy in European waters, and Bentley's further service afloat was uneventful.

In 1761 he was appointed to a commissionership of the navy, but resigned it on being promoted to his flag, 28 Dec. 1763. He held no further command, but became a vice-admiral in October 1770, and died 3 Jan. 1772.

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Commodore Augustus Keppel.



A member of a leading Whig aristocratic family (which had come to England with William of Orange in 1688), Augustus Keppel was the second son of Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle and Anne van Keppel, a daughter of the 1st Duke of Richmond (himself an illegitimate son of King Charles II).

Educated briefly at Westminster School, Keppel went to sea at the age of ten, and had already five years of service to his credit when he was appointed to Centurion and sent with Lord Anson round the world in 1740.^[1] He had a narrow escape from being killed at the capture of Paita (13 November 1741) and was promoted to acting lieutenant in March 1742. Also on this voyage, he made friends with John Campbell, and lost many of his teeth to the scurvy prevalent on the voyage. After their return from the circumnavigation, in November 1744, he was promoted to be commander and post-captain of the 14-gun sloop Wolf. He transferred to the sixth-rate Greyhound in December 1744, to the fifth-rate Saphire in February 1745 and the fourth-rate Maidstone in November 1745. In June 1747 he ran his ship, the Maidstone, ashore near Belleisle while chasing a French vessel, but was honourably acquitted by a court martial, and reappointed to another command, the fourth-rate Anson. He was actively employed throughout the rest of the War of the Austrian Succession, until peace was signed in 1748.

Early in 1749, he was introduced by Lord Edgecombe to Sir Joshua Reynolds. When, on 11 May 1749, Keppel sailed from Plymouth to the Mediterranean, as Commodore commanding the Mediterranean Fleet. (with his pennant in his old ship HMS Centurion intending to persuade the Dey of Algiers to restrain the piratical operations of his subjects) Reynolds travelled with him as far as Menorca and there painted the first of his 6 portraits of Keppel, along with others of officers of the British garrison there. After trying the effect of bullying without success, the Dey made a treaty, and Keppel returned to England in 1751.

Seven Years' War.

uring the Seven Years' War he saw constant service. He served as Commodore on the North American Station with his broad pennant in the fourth-rate Norwich from 1751 to 1755. He was on the coast of France in 1756 and was detached on an expedition to conquer Gorée, a French island off the west coast of Africa in 1758. His ship, Torbay (74), was the first to get into action in the Battle of Quiberon Bay in November 1759.

In 1757 he had formed part of the court martial which had condemned Admiral John Byng, but was active among those who endeavoured to secure a pardon for him; but neither he nor those who had acted with him could produce any serious reason why the sentence should not be carried out. In March 1761, Keppel transferred to the third-rate HMS Valiant and was put in command of a squadron to reduce Belle Isle, which was successfully completed in June 1761.

Havana expedition.

When Spain joined France in 1762 he was sent as second in command with Sir George Pocock in the British expedition against Cuba which took Havana. His health suffered from the fever which carried off an immense proportion of the soldiers and sailors. The £25,000 of prize money which he received freed him from the unpleasant position of "younger son of a family ruined by the extravagance of his father".

Achievement of flag rank.

Promoted to rear admiral on 21 October 1762, Keppel became Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station late in the year. He was a member of the Board of Admiralty in the First Rockingham ministry from July 1765 and was Senior Naval Lord in the Chatham ministry from September 1766 until leaving the Admiralty Board in December 1766. In 1768 he acquired Elveden Hall in Suffolk. He was promoted to vice admiral on 24 October 1770. When the Falklands Crisis occurred in 1770 he was to have commanded the fleet to be sent against Spain, but a settlement was reached, and he had no occasion to hoist his flag.

American War of Independence.

The most prominent period of his life belongs to the opening years of the American Revolutionary War. Keppel was a strong supporter of the Whig connection, led by the Marquess of Rockingham and the Duke of Richmond. The Whigs were then excluded from power by George III. As a member of Parliament, in which he had a seat for Chichester from 1755 until 1761, Windsor from 1761 until 1780, and then for Surrey from 1780 to 1782, Keppel was a Whig partisan, hostile to the King's Friends. The Whigs believed that the king's ministers, and in particular Lord Sandwich, then First Lord of the Admiralty, were capable of any villainy. When Keppel was promoted to full admiral on 29 January 1778 and appointed to command the Channel Fleet, the main fleet prepared against France, he thought the First Lord would be glad for him to be defeated.

Prior to 1778 Keppel failed to persuade Sandwich to ignore technical difficulties and "copper sheath only a few ships"; he was later possibly unfairly to make political capital out of this in The London Magazine, March 1781. He had remarked that coppering "gave additional strength to the navy" and he reproached Lord Sandwich with having "refused to sheath only a few ships with copper" at his request, when he had since ordered the whole navy to be sheathed. The lack of coppering the Navy was one of the key reasons leading to Britain losing the 13 colonies.

Keppel–Palliser affair.

One of Keppel's subordinate admirals was Sir Hugh Palliser, a member of the Admiralty Board, a member of parliament, and in Keppel's opinion responsible with his colleagues for the bad state of the Royal Navy. The battle which Keppel fought with the French on 27 July 1778 (the First Battle of Ushant) ended badly. Reasons included Keppel's own management, but also the failure of Palliser to obey orders. Keppel became convinced that he had been deliberately betrayed.

Though Keppel praised Palliser in his public despatch, he attacked him in private. The Whig press, with Keppel's friends, began a campaign of calumny. The ministerial papers answered in the same style, and each side accused the other of deliberate treason. The result was a scandalous series of scenes in parliament and of courts martial. Keppel was first tried and acquitted, and then Palliser was also tried and acquitted. Keppel was ordered to strike his flag in March 1779. A column was built in the late 18th century to commemorate his acquittal, commissioned by Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham and designed by John Carr.

Political career.

When the North ministry fell in 1782 he became First Lord of the Admiralty, was raised to the peerage as Viscount Keppel, of Elveden in the County of Suffolk, and sworn of the Privy Council. His career in office was not distinguished, and he broke with his old political associates by resigning as a protest against the Peace of Paris. He finally discredited himself by joining the Coalition ministry formed by North and Fox, and with its fall disappeared from public life in December 1783. Keppel died unmarried on 2 October 1786. Burke, who regarded him with great affection, said that "he had something high in his nature, and that it was a wild stock of pride on which the tenderest of all hearts had grafted the milder virtues". The peerage died with him.

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Commodore Sir Richard Howe.




Howe was born in Albemarle Street, London, the second son of Emanuel Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe, who died as governor of Barbados in March 1735, and of Charlotte, a daughter of Baroness von Kielmansegg, afterwards Countess of Darlington, the half-sister of King George I.
After education at Eton College, Richard Howe entered the navy in the fourth-rate HMS Pearl in July 1739. He then transferred to the fourth-rate HMS Severn, one of the squadron sent into the south seas with Admiral George Anson in 1740. The Severn sailed to Cape Horn and then, after encountering storms, returned home in Spring 1742. Howe next served in the West Indies aboard the third-rate HMS Burford and was present when she was severely damaged in the unsuccessful attack on La Guaira in February 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession. He transferred to the third-rate HMS Suffolk, flagship of Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies, in March 1743 and then to the fifth-rate HMS Eltham in July 1743, before being promoted to midshipman on 8 October 1743 and returning to HMS Suffolk later that month. Promoted to lieutenant on 25 May 1744, he joined the bomb vessel HMS Comet and then transferred to the first-rate HMS Royal George, flagship of Admiral Edward Vernon, in August 1745.

Promoted to commander on 5 November 1745, Howe was commanding officer of the sloop HMS Baltimore in the North Sea during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and was severely wounded in the head while cooperating with a frigate in an engagement with two French privateers. Promoted to post-captain on 10 April 1746, he was given command of the sixth-rate HMS Triton and took part in convoy duties off Lisbon. He transferred to the command of the fourth-rate HMS Ripon in Summer 1747 and sailed to the West Indies before becoming Flag Captain to Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica, in the third-rate HMS Cornwall in October 1748. He was given command of the fifth-rate HMS Glory off the coast of West Africa in March 1751 and then transferred to the command of the sixth-rate HMS Dolphin in the Mediterranean Fleet in June 1752.

Seven Years' War.

In January 1755, Howe was given command of the fourth-rate HMS Dunkirk and was sent to North America as part of a squadron commanded by Admiral Edward Boscawen: his capture of the French Alcide was the first shot fired in the Seven Years' War.

He was elected Member of Parliament for Dartmouth in May 1757 and became commanding officer of the third-rate HMS Magnanime in the Channel in July 1757. From then until the peace of 1763, he served in the Channel in various more or less futile expeditions against the French coast, gaining a reputation as a firm and skillful officer for his role in the series of naval descents on the French coast including the Raid on Rochefort in September 1757.

Promoted to commodore, with his broad pennant in the third-rate HMS Essex, he took part in the Raid on St Malo in June 1758, the Battle of Saint Cast in September 1758 and the Raid on Cherbourg in August 1758. He was particularly noted for his conduct at Rochefort, where he had taken the Île-d'Aix, and was described by George Rodney as performing his duties "with such cool and steady resolution, as has most justly gained him the universal applause of army and navy".

After the death of his elder brother, killed near Ticonderoga on 6 July 1758, Howe became Viscount Howe in the Peerage of Ireland. On 20 November 1759, he led Admiral Edward Hawke's fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay where the British won a decisive victory, forestalling a Planned French invasion of Britain. He became Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral the Duke of York in the third-rate HMS Princess Amelia in June 1762.
Howe was appointed to the Board of Admiralty led by John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich as Senior Naval Lord in April 1763. He became Treasurer of the Navy in 1765 and, having been promoted to rear admiral on 18 October 1770, went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in November 1770. Promoted to vice admiral on 5 February 1776, he became Commander-in-Chief, North American Station later that month.

American Revolutionary War.

At the beginning of the American War of Independence, Howe was known to be sympathetic to the colonists. He had known Benjamin Franklin since late 1774 and was joined in a commission with his brother, General Sir William Howe, head of the land forces, to attempt a reconciliation.

Blockade.

Howe was ordered to institute a naval blockade of the American coastline, but this proved to be ineffective. Howe claimed to have too few ships to successfully accomplish this, particularly as a number had to be detached to support operations by the British Army. As a result, large amounts of covert French supplies and munitions were smuggled to America. It has been suggested that Howe's limited blockade at this point was driven by his sympathy with and desire for conciliation with the Americans. By 1778 the blockade was looking more promising, with many merchant ships being taken. Howe complained to London that while his ships were able to successfully guard the southern colonies, the blockade of the northern colonies was still ineffective.

New York and Philadelphia.

The strategy of the British in North America was to deploy a combination of operations aimed at capturing major cities and a blockade of the coast. The British took Long Island in August 1776 and captured New York City in September 1776 in combined operations involving the army and the navy during the New York and New Jersey campaign. In 1777 Howe provided support to his brother's operation to capture Philadelphia, ferrying General Howe's army to a landing point from which they successfully marched and took the city. Howe spent much of the remainder of the year concentrating on capturing Forts Mifflin and Mercer which controlled entry to the Delaware River without which ships could not reach Philadelphia. News of the capture of a separate British army under General John Burgoyne threw British plans into disarray. Howe spent the winter in Newport, Rhode Island.

Return to England.

In Summer 1778 a French squadron commanded by the Comte d'Estaing was sent to America. Howe's fleet was delayed departing New York by contrary winds, and he arrived off Point Judith on 9 August. Since d'Estaing's fleet outnumbered Howe's, the French admiral, fearful that Howe would be further reinforced and eventually gain a numerical advantage, reboarded the French troops, and sailed out to do battle with Howe on 10 August. As the two fleets prepared to battle and manoeuvred for position, the weather deteriorated, and a major storm broke out. Raging for two days, the storm scattered both fleets, severely damaging the French flagship. As the two fleets sought to regroup, individual ships encountered enemy ships, and there were several minor naval skirmishes; two French ships (including d'Estaing's flagship), already suffering storm damage, were badly mauled in these encounters. The French fleet regrouped off Delaware, and returned to Newport on 20 August, while the British fleet regrouped at New York.

Three of Howe's ships, the sixth-rate HMS Sphynx, the converted merchantman HMS Vigilant and the row galley HMS Spitfire Galley, bombarded the American troops during the Battle of Rhode Island on 29 August. Howe then chased the remaining ships of the French fleet to Boston in Massachusetts where they made repairs. With no prospect of the French fleet coming out of port, Howe left his station in September 1778.

Declining to serve afterwards, Howe cited distrust of Lord North and a lack of support during his command in America. He was further embittered by the replacement of himself and his brother as peace commissioners, as well as by attacks in the press against him by ministerial writers including the prominent American Loyalist Joseph Galloway. An inquiry in Parliament demanded by the Howe brothers to justify their conduct in America was held during 1779 but ended inconclusively. Howe spent much of the next three years with the opposition attacking the government's alleged mismanagement of the war at sea. The only exception was his support of a motion of thanks to Admiral George Rodney for his victory against the Spanish during the Moonlight Battle.

As Howe had joined the opposition in Parliament to North's government, it was clear that until it was replaced he would be unable to secure a fresh naval command. Despite the setback at Saratoga, and the entry of France, Spain and the Dutch Republic into the war, North's government continued to gain strength until October 1781 when a British army under Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender to a combined Franco-American force at Yorktown. Although the government was able to continue for several more months its effective power had been sapped. In March 1782 the House of Commons passed a motion ending offensive actions against the American rebels, although the war around the rest of the globe continued with the same intensity. North's government then fell and was replaced by a weak coalition of Whigs led by the Marquess of Rockingham.

Command of the Channel Fleet.

Not until the fall of Lord North's government in March 1782 did Howe once again accept a command. Despite the suspension of hostilities in America, the war in Europe continued with the same force and the Royal Navy was severely stretched in having to deal with the French, Spanish and Dutch fleets. Howe received instructions from Augustus Keppel, the new First Lord of the Admiralty to proceed to Portsmouth and take command of the Channel Fleet which he did in April 1782. Promoted to full admiral on 8 April 1782, he was created Viscount Howe in the Peerage of Great Britain on 20 April 1782.
Howe's task was complex. He had to protect inbound trade convoys from the Americas, keep track of the Franco-Spanish fleet, while also keeping an eye on the Dutch fleet at port in the Texel but reportedly ready to sail. He also had to keep in mind the need to attempt a relief of Gibraltar which had been under siege for several years and would be forced to surrender if it wasn't resupplied soon. Howe had to accomplish these tasks with significantly fewer ships than his combined opponents. Keppel observed the Royal Navy's best hope was to quickly shift their limited forces from one area of danger to another.

In May Howe took a number of ships to the Dutch coast to scout out Dutch preparations. If the Dutch made a sortie into the North Sea they would be able to threaten Britain's vital Baltic convoys, including precious naval stores which were needed for continuing the war. This in turn might lead the Dutch to launch attacks on the East coast of England. As the Dutch fleet appeared unlikely to immediately put to sea, Howe returned to Britain leaving a squadron of nine ships to keep a watch on the Texel. The French and Spanish fleets had sailed from Brest and Cádiz and combined in the Western Approaches, where they managed to capture some merchant ships. Howe put to sea to try and monitor them, and received information that a major trade convoy was incoming from the West Indies.

Howe had only 25 ships-of-the-line against 36 enemy ships under Admiral Córdoba and was separated by them from the convoy he was ordered to protect. He sent a message for the convoy to put into safety in ports in Ireland. Howe then took his fleet through a dangerous route, around the north side of the Isles of Scilly. This allowed him to get between the inbound convoy and the Franco-Spanish fleet as well as allowing him to gain the weather gauge which would be a major advantage in any battle. The next morning the Franco-Spanish fleet had disappeared. After waiting a while Howe decided to go in pursuit of them, later receiving news that the West Indian convoy had safely reached harbour in the English Channel. The Franco-Spanish fleet had been blown southwards by a strong gale, and then received orders in early August to return home.

Relief of Gibraltar.

In September 1782, Howe carried out the relief of Gibraltar — a difficult operation, 46 French and Spanish ships-of-the-line against only 33 of his own. The exhausted state of the fleet made it impossible for Howe to fit his ships properly or supply them with good crews, and Howe's progress to Gibraltar was hampered by the need to escort a large convoy carrying stores. Howe successfully relieved Gibraltar and then fought an indecisive action at the Battle of Cape Spartel in October 1782 after which he was able to bring his fleet safely back to Britain, bringing an effective end to the naval campaign.

First Lord of the Admiralty.

Howe became First Lord of the Admiralty in January 1783 during the Earl of Shelburne's ministry, resigning in April 1783 when the Duke of Portland came to power and being re-appointed in December 1783 under the Younger Pitt's first ministry. The task was often difficult, for he had to agree to extreme budgetary constraints and disappoint the hopes of many officers who were left unemployed by the peace. Nonetheless, during his time in office a number of new ships were built as part of a naval arms race with France and Spain. During his time at the Admiralty, Howe oversaw a number of innovations to signalling. Howe felt constantly undermined by Charles Middleton, the Comptroller of the Navy. Pitt often completely bypassed Howe on naval decisions and went directly to Middleton. By 1788 Howe grew tired of this and he resigned his post as First Lord despite efforts to persuade him to stay. To show their goodwill and approval of him, the government awarded Howe an Earldom on 22 July 1788.

Spanish Armament.

In 1790 a dispute by Britain and Spain over the Nootka Sound on the Pacific coast of North America threatened to spark a war between the two states. Howe, as one of the most senior and experienced officers still serving, was offered command of the fleet in May 1790 and took up his post in Portsmouth in July 1790. Consisting of 35 ships-of-the-line the Channel Fleet put to sea and cruised for around a month to the west of Ushant before returning to port. The crisis was then settled peacefully by diplomats and Howe was able to return to his retirement on land. During a similar crisis with Russia in 1791 known as the Russian Armament Howe was not offered any command, probably because he was suffering from ill health.

French Revolutionary Wars.

Following the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars, Howe was again given command of the Channel Fleet in 1793. In command of a British fleet of twenty-two ships he defeated a fleet of twenty-five French ships, which had been escorting a grain convoy, capturing seven of the enemy ships, at the Glorious First of June in June 1794. For this victory he received the large Naval Gold Medal and chain. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 12 March 1796.

Later career.

In May 1797, Howe was called on to pacify Spithead mutineers: he spent twelve hours being rowed round the fleet and speaking to the men following which peace was restored. For this he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter on 2 June 1797.
Howe died at his home at 11 Grafton Street in London on 5 August 1799 and was buried in his family vault at St Andrew's Church, Langar in Nottinghamshire. His monument by John Flaxman is in St Paul's Cathedral.

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Captain Henry Speke

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Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service2.11.174
Last Known Service4.1760
Date of Death17.11.1760 - Lisbon ref:664

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
2.11.1745		Lieutenant
8.6.1749		Commander
16.1.1749/50	1.1753	Swallow (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
12.1753	20.1.1754	Kingfisher (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
20.1.1754		Captain
20.1.1754	9.1757	Kent (64), Captain and Commanding Officer
11.1.1756	14.1.1756	Capture of Geriah
7.3.1757	22.3.1757	Expedition against Chandernagore
4.1759	7.1759	Sandwich (90), Captain and Commanding Officer
7.1759	20.11.1759	Resolution (74), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
4.1760		Modeste (64), Captain and Commanding Officer.

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Captain George Edgcumbe.





Edgcumbe was the second surviving son of Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe and his wife Matilda, the only child of Sir Henry Furnese. He is thought to have been educated at Eton.
He was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1739 and in 1742 was promoted to be commander of the bomb vessel HMS Terrible. In the course of 1743 he was appointed acting captain of the 20-gun HMS Kennington, and was officially confirmed on 19 August 1744. He commanded her in the Mediterranean until 1745, when he was advanced to the 50-gun HMS Salisbury. This ship, as part of the Western Fleet under Edward Hawke and Edward Boscawen, initially patrolled the Bay of Biscay during the War of the Austrian Succession. Her ship's surgeon was James Lind, who conducted his experiments on scurvy during such a patrol in 1747. The war ended in 1748. About this time Edgcumbe was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds and the Salisbury appears in the background.

In 1746, Edgcumbe was returned as Member of Parliament for Fowey at a by-election, on his father's interest. He was considered a government Whig, but rarely attended Parliament as he was at sea. In 1747, he was appointed Clerk of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster, an office he retained until 1762.

In 1751, he went to the Mediterranean as senior officer in HMS Monmouth, and the following year in the 50-gun HMS Deptford. He was still in her and with his small squadron at Menorca, when the French invaded the island on 19 April 1756. He hastily landed the marines and as many of the seamen as could be spared, and sailed the next day for Gibraltar, before the French had taken any measures to block the harbour. At Gibraltar he was joined by Admiral John Byng, by whom he was ordered to move into the 66-gun HMS Lancaster. In the Battle of Minorca, on 20 May the Lancaster was one of the ships in the van, under Rear-Admiral Temple West, which did get into action, and being unsupported suffered severely. In 1758, still in the Lancaster, he was in the fleet under Edward Boscawen at the reduction of Louisbourg. On his return to England, with the despatches announcing this success, he was appointed to the 74-gun HMS Hero, in which he took part in the blockade of Brest during the long summer of 1759, and in the crowning Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759.

He continued in the Hero, attached to the grand fleet under Hawke or Boscawen, until the death of his brother Richard on 10 May 1761, when he inherited his brother's barony, and succeeded him to Mount Edgcumbe House and as Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 21 October 1762.

He was appointed Treasurer of the Household in 1765, serving until 1766, and made a Privy Councillor on 26 July. He became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth the same year, retaining the command until 1771. In 1770, he was promoted vice-admiral and was appointed joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. He remained Vice-Treasurer until 1772, when he was appointed Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners. Promoted to admiral in 1778, he was created Viscount Mount Edgcumbe and Valletort in 1781, and remained Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners until resigning in 1782, when he was appointed Vice-Admiral of Cornwall. In 1784, he was again appointed joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, holding office until 1793. In 1784, he was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society In 1789, he was granted the further title of Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, and died on 4 February 1795.

On 16 August 1761, he had married Emma Gilbert (the only daughter of John Gilbert, Archbishop of York) and they had one child, Richard who succeeded to his titles. In English folklore, Emma has been identified as the subject of the story of the "Lady with the Ring". Lady Emma's Cottage on the Mount Edgcumbe estate is named after her.
A manuscript journal, kept by Edgcumbe and Captain William Marsh, from 30 April 1742 to 1 June 1744, is in the Bodleian Library. A letter from Edgcumbe to Garrick is printed in the latter's ‘Private Correspondence’.

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Captain Sir Thomas Stanhope.




I can find very little on this Captain save these two snippets.
He does not seem to figure very significantly in the Stanhope history.

By Sir Thomas Stanhope, Commanding His Majesty's Ships and Vessels in Basque Road.

To the Hon. Capt. Barrington, Achilles.

T. Stanhope.

You are hereby required and directed to put yourself under the command of the Right Hon^ble the Lord Howe and follow his Orders for your further proceedings.
Dated on board His Majesty's Ship Swiftsure in Basque Road 7th March 1762.


Inscription in Shelford Church Nottingham.

"Near this Stone
Lie the Remains of Arthur Charles Stanhope Esqr of Mansfield in this County, who died 27th of February 1770, aged 55 Years. Also the Remains of two of his Wives, Mary his first Wife the
Daughter
of S^r Andrew Thornhagh Esqr of Osberton in this County. And Margaret his second Wife Daughter of Charles Headlam
Esq^r
of Kexby in the County of York. And likewise the Remains of Sir Thomas Stanhope Knt a Post
Captain of His Majesty's Royal Navy and a Colonel of His Majesty's
Marine Forces. He died a Batchelor in London March 7th 1770
aged 53 Years. Also the Remains of Lovel Stanhope Esqr who died a
Batchelor in
London October 3d 1783. aged 62 Years.

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Captain Peter Denis.



The son of a Huguenot refugee, Denis was educated at The King's School, Chester and joined the navy as a young man. He was a midshipman in HMS Centurion under the command of Commodore George Anson at the start of his famous circumnavigation (1740–1744). He was promoted to lieutenant in 1739. On 5 November 1741, in the South Seas, he was sent in command of 16 men in a cutter to pursue a Spanish vessel . He boarded and carried his prize, which proved to be bound from Guayaquil to Callao. The cargo was of little value to its captors, but intelligence derived from the capture led to the attack on the town of Paita a few days afterwards.

By 1745 Denis had been promoted to command and given the 26-gun sixth rate HMS Greyhound. Soon afterwards he was transferred to temporary command of HMS Windsor, during which time he captured a French privateer and recaptured two British merchantmen.

By 1747 Denis was back in the 50-gun Centurion as her captain, commanding her at the Battle of Cape Finisterre, where he once more served under Anson, now an admiral. When the enemy was sighted, Anson signalled a general chase as he expected the French to evade action if possible until they could escape under cover of darkness; Centurion was swiftest into action, engaging the rearmost French ship and occupying her and two larger enemy ships until the main body of the British fleet could come up. After the battle Denis was entrusted with bringing back to England the news of Anson's victory; as the public acclaim that followed won Anson a peerage, this may well have further endeared Denis to Anson.

In 1754, Denis entered Parliament as member for Hedon, a Yorkshire borough where Anson was the "patron" with the power to select the MPs. He held the seat for fourteen years, throughout which time the other MP was another naval officer, Sir Charles Saunders, who later rose to become First Lord of the Admiralty.

Denis continued his naval career, commanding the 90-gun HMS Namur in Admiral Edward Hawke's unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort in September 1757. At the Action of 29 April 1758, he was captain of the 70-gun HMS Dorsetshire which defeated and captured French ship of the line Raisonnable in the Bay of Biscay.
Dorsetshire was with the fleet at the decisive victory of Quiberon Bay in 1759. In 1767 he was created a baronet, of St Mary's in the County of Kent, but as he left no male heir the title became extinct on his death.

Denis became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, based on the River Medway in 1771 with his flag in the third-rate HMS Trident.

He died in 1778, having reached the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Red.

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Captain James Gambier.





Vice-Admiral James Gambier (1723–1789) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, North American Station. The historian David Syrett presented a study of Gambier, which presented him as corrupt and largely disliked by his fellow officers.

Naval career.

Gambier joined the Royal Navy in about 1740 being promoted to Lieutenant in 1743. Promoted to Captain, he commanded HMS Flamborough and HMS Squirrel. Later he commanded HMS Burford and took part in the battle of Quiberon Bay capture of Louisbourg and the capture of Guadeloupe.

In 1770 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, North American Station; this appointment had been predictable because of his connections with the Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Cornish. He was subsequently removed from control of the North American Station, following the rise of Lord Sandwich as First Lord of the Admiralty.

In 1773 he was made Commissioner of Victualling Accounts on the Navy Board in an attempt to make amends to him for the his political removal from his command in North America. In September of that same year Gambier was appointed commissioner of Portsmouth. However, Gambier was not very successful or content with this position, as he was completely unprepared for managing a large civilian organization such as that at Portsmouth. After becoming rear-admiral of the red from seniority in 1778, he returned to North America and was briefly Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station again after resigning from the commissionership at Portsmouth. During his time in the post, Gambier was repeatedly accused of corruption and he was despised by many of his contemporaries.
In October 1783 he became Commander-in-Chief in the Jamaica Station. He was not well liked by his men and was once described as "this penurious old reptile". He retired in 1784.

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Captain William Saltern Willett.

---

Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service23.7.1741
Last Known Service1767
Date of Death8.12.1769

---

Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
23.7.1741		Lieutenant
1745	12.1745	John and Anne (16), Lieutenant and Commanding Officer
12.1745	9.1747	Kingfisher (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
1.10.1747		Captain
9.1748	11.1753	Garland (24), Captain and Commanding Officer
1754	4.1756	Augusta (60), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.1756	8.1761	Chichester (68), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
10.5.1761	6.1763	Warspite (74), Captain and Commanding Officer
5.1762	10.1762	Crescent (32), Captain and Commanding Officer
1765	1767	Ramillies (74), Captain and Commanding Officer

Plus a couple of entries I found in the national Archives.

Description:	Henry Godsalve, Captain; William Marsh, Captain; William Saltern Willett, 3rd Lieutenant; James Loggie, 2nd Lieutenant; Nicholas Vincent, 2nd Lieutenant; Hyde Parker, 3rd Lieutenant; John Goard, Lieutenant; Dennis Donning, Lieutenant; John Campbell, Lieutenant. Warrants or commissions for service at this rank in the Royal Navy
Date:	1744

Description:	Captain William Saltren Willett, the Guarland, Plymouth. Is sending the monthly muster books and the pay ticket for Thomas Couzins, deceased.
Date:	1753 Aug 22
Description:	Captain William Saltren Willett, Warspite, Portsmouth. List of men transferred from the Prince who need to be paid
Date:	26 Apr 1763
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Language:	English
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

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Captain Washington Shirley.





He was the second son of Lawrence, third earl of Ferrers, and Anne, fourth daughter to Sir Walter Clarges, of Aston, in the county of Hertford, Bart. having betaken himself to a maritime life, and undergone the necessary years of probation, as well as passed through the several more subordinate ranks of midshipman, lieutenant, and commander, with the greatest credit and reputation.

He was, on the 19th of April, 1746 appointed captain of the Fox frigate. he remained but a very short time in this ship, having been, early in the ensuing year, promoted to the Dover, a vessel of forty-four guns. From this ship he removed into the Renown, a frigate captured by him a short time before, while captain of the Dover.

At the latter end of the year 1753 he was appointed to the Mermaid frigate, in which he probably continued till the commencement of the war with France, in 1756. In 1758 he was captain of the Duc D'Aquitain, of fifty guns, and the only subsequent command in which we find him mentioned, is that of the Temple a ship of the line, carrying seventy guns, one of the Channel fleet under the orders of Sir Edward Hawke, which totally defeated that of France, on the 20th of November, 1759, in Quiberon Bay. Captain Shirley on this occasion distinguished in a very conspicuous manner, but succeeding to the title of Earl Ferrers, on the death of his unfortunate brother, Lawrence, the fourth earl, on the 5th of may 1760, he from that time quitted the naval service.

On the 14th of December, 1761, he was elected fellow of the royal society, in compliment to him for a series of very accurate observations he made on the transit of Venus over the sun, on the sixth of June preceding, and which he had communicated to that learned body, together with many other useful and interesting discoveries, tending to the improvement of mathematical and nautical knowledge. his lordship having for many years, as we have already stated, declined the service, continued a long time at the head of the list as the senior captain capable of serving; but afterwards as a very proper and honourable testimony of the abilities he had displayed when actually engaged in service, was, on the 31st of March 1775 advanced to be rear admiral of the white, which was his first appointment in the rank of a flag officer.

On the 3rd of February, 1776, he was moreover promoted to be vice admiral of the blue. This was the highest rank his lordship lived to attain to. he dying at Stanton Harold in Leicestershire on the 1st of October 1778, was buried there.

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Captain Lucius O'Brien.





I could not find a lot of information on this Captain save the following snippets.

Colchester

4th Rate

50

978

140.5 x 40

1746

Southampton

Lucius O'Brien

Capt Lucius O'Brien's gave his account of engaging two French ships of war, 17 May 1756.

On November 20 1759, O'Brien was present at the decisive battle of Quiberon which eliminated any serious threat from the French navy for the rest of the war. he lost the Essex 64 on Le Four shoal.

On March 9 1760, the ship Temple was part of rear-admiral Holmes' squadron which sailed from Gosport to escort a convoy transporting the 68th Foot (approx. 600 men) as reinforcements for the garrison of Guadeloupe Island. The squadron reached Barbados then sailed for Guadeloupe. On May 7, it anchored in the roads of Basse-Terre one of most important towns of Guadeloupe island. In August, captain O'Brien who now seems to have taken command was informed that the sloop Virgin (12), who had been captured in May, and 3 French privateers were in Petit Havre Bay in Martinique Island. He set sail along with the Griffin (44), attacked the French vessels even though they were covered by 3 small forts mounting a total of 18 guns (including some 32-pdrs and 24-pdrs). The British ships captured the 4 French vessels and destroyed the 3 forts. They then attacked a nearby fort where they captured 3 additional vessels along with 13 victuallers. They brought back their prizes to Antigua. In this action, the ship lost 1 man killed and 3 wounded.



In April 1762, the ship was at Jamaica. In June, she took part in the expedition against Cuba. In October, she sailed from Havanna for Great Britain. On December 18, she foundered off Cape Clear.
The only other reference I can find is that in 1764 he seems to be in command of Juno Frigate.1764 -

1765.

Captain Lucius O'Brien (d.1771)

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Captain John Storr.






Storr was born on 18 August 1709 at Humbleton, East Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Joseph Storr.

Career.

Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service3.7.1746
Last Known Service26.9.1780
Date of Death1.1783

---

Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
3.7.1746		Commander
1.11.1748		Captain
1.11.1748	1753	Gloucester (50), Captain and Commanding Officer
1.1755	5.1756	Saint George (90), Captain and Commanding Officer
1757	1760	Revenge (70), Captain and Commanding Officer
28.2.1758		Osborne's Action
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
1760	1762	Monmouth (70), Captain and Commanding Officer
1.1.1779	19.3.1779	Included in the list of captains receiving half-pay.
19.3.1779		Rear-Admiral of the White
26.9.1780		Rear-Admiral of the Red

Storr was appointed commander on 3 July 1746, and captain on 1 November 1748. He was given command of HMS Gloucester on 1 November 1748, a position he held until 1753. He was later posted on HMS St George, a 90-gun second-rate ship, in January 1755, a post which he retained until the following year.

In 1757 he took command of HMS Revenge and kept it until 1760. On board, he took part in the Battle of Cartagena on 28 February 1758 off the Spanish port of Cartagena in the Mediterranean. A British fleet under the command of Admiral Osborn, who blocked the French fleet inside the port of Cartagena, attacked and defeated a French fleet under the orders of Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville, who had come to their aid. The interception of the French fleet was intended to limit the reinforcements sent to the aid of Louisbourg in North America, which was then besieged by the British.

He participated in the Battle of Quiberon Bay, 20 November 1759, still on HMS Revenge. He was then part of the Red Squadron, the central body of the fleet, under the command of Edward Hawke, admiral of the Blue.
From 1760 to 1762 he commanded HMS Monmouth. Storr was appointed rear admiral of the White, 19 March 1779 and then rear admiral of the Red, 26 September 1780.

Personal life.

Storr married on 11 May 1773 at St George’s Church, Bloomsbury, London. His wife was John Norris Gordon, noted at her death as an art collector and amateur artist.

Storr died on 10 January 1783 and was buried at Westminster Abbey. A marble tablet and bust was erected in the chapel of St John the Evangelist in Westminster Abbey in his memory.

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Captain Joshua Rowley.



He entered the navy and served on his father’s flagship HMS Stirling Castle and served at the battle of Toulon, a battle that was exceptionally controversial despite its inconclusive outcome and led Admiral Thomas Mathews and several of his Captains to be dismissed from the Royal Navy. Admiral William Rowley then became Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean until 1748. Joshua Rowley remained with his father and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 2 July 1747. In 1752 Rowley’s name appears once more serving as lieutenant aboard the 44-gun fifth-rate frigate HMS Penzance. On 4 December 1753 he was promoted to post-captain and given command of the sixth-rate HMS Rye of 24-guns. By March 1755 he had been appointed to HMS Ambuscade, a fifth Rate 40-gun frigate that had been captured from the French during the War of the Austrian Succession in 1746. In Ambuscade he was attached to a squadron under Admiral Edward Hawke in the Bay of Biscay. During that short period Hawke’s squadron captured over 300 enemy merchantmen. By the time Hawke had replaced the unfortunate Admiral John Byng at Minorca in 1756 Rowley had been moved to the 50-gun HMS Hampshire.


Battle of Cartagena.


By October 1757 Rowley had been given the task of commissioning the 60-gun fourth-rate HMS Montague. Once launched she joined Admiral Henry Osborn’s fleet of 14 ships of the line in the Mediterranean. Osborn was at the time blockading the French under Admiral La Clue in the Spanish city of Cartagena preventing them from joining the fleet off Louisburg in Nova Scotia. French command had ordered the Marquis Duquesne to break through the British blockade and reinforce La Clue and then with superiority of numbers break out of Cartagena and make their way to America. Osborn intercepted Duquesne and his three ships of the line and one frigate. The subsequent action became known as the Battle of Cartagena and took place on 28 February 1758. Osborn’s squadron captured two of the French line of battle ships and, under the guns of the Spanish castle the 60-gun French Oriflamme was driven on shore by the Montagu and the Monarch. Whilst the battle was not particularly grand the annihilation of the forces under Duquesne had two distinct effects. Firstly, the battle restored much of the pride that had been sapped from the navy after several defeats including those at Toulon and Minorca. Secondly, the siege of Louisburg and its surrender led to the French being marginalised as a significant power in North America. The battle can therefore be considered by the British as one of the defining achievements of the Seven Years' War. Had La Clue managed to break out from Osborn's close blockade the modern map of North America might appear quite different.


Battle of Saint Cast.


Rowley joined Admiral Anson’s fleet in the channel in 1758 and took part in the fateful expeditions along the coast of France.
The expedition, which took place throughout early September 1758 was a massive undertaking. Britain’s Naval forces were under the command of Admiral Lord Anson, seconded by Commodore Howe. Britain’s Land forces were commanded by Lieutenant-General Thomas Bligh. These included twenty two ships of the line with nine Frigates and Commodore Howe's one third-rate, four fourth-Rates, ten frigates, five Sloops, two Fire-ships, two Bomb Ketches, one hundred transports, twenty tenders, ten store-ships and ten cutters . The land forces consisted of four infantry brigades and a few hundred Light Dragoon cavalry, totaling over 10,000 soldiers.
Initially the expedition met with considerable success capturing the port of Cherbourg. The British destroyed the port, the docks and the ships harbored there, carrying off or destroying considerable war material and goods. French troops from neighbouring towns and villages began moving on Cherbourg and the British expedition re-embarked to move against Saint-Malo on 5 September but it was found to be too well defended. The weather now turned against the British as well and it was decided it would be safer to re-embark the land forces further west in the bay of Saint Cast near the small village of Saint Cast. The fleet sailed ahead while the army marched overland on 7 September, engaging in skirmishes on the 7, 8 and 9. On 10 September the Coldstream Guards were sent ahead to Saint Cast to collect provisions and convoy them back to the army. Lieutenant-General Bligh with the army camped in Matignon some 3 miles from Saint Cast.

During this time Richelieu, military commander of Brittany, had gathered some 12 infantry battalions. In addition to these forces the French army amounting to 8,000 or 9,000 men, under the field command of Marquis d'Aubigné, were fast marching on Saint Cast from Brest. Bligh broke camp by 3am on the morning of the 11 September and reached the beach at Saint Cast before 9am but the embarkation went very slowly. Hardly any soldiers had embarked when the French appeared and began a cannonade of the beach. A great deal of confusion followed and as panic set in among the British, the French forces moved down a covered way to the beach and deployed three brigades into line with a fourth in reserve. The five frigates and the bomb ketches tried to cover the British retreat and their fire disordered and drove back the French line for a while. The French artillery batteries however were well positioned on higher ground and drove off the frigates and sank three landing boats full of soldiers and other landing boats were destroyed on the beach. The rear guard attempted a counter-attack during which the Grenadier Guards broke and routed. According to Fortescue, of the 1400 men that remained in the rear guard 750 officers and men were killed and wounded...the rest of the rear guard were taken prisoner." Captain Rowley was wounded and was left on the beach. Along with captains Maplesden, Paston, and Elphinstone he was taken prisoner on the beach.

With the huge loss of life and military equipment, the battle ended British hopes of an invasion of Brittany during the Seven Year's War. The battle was an embarrassment for both the British Army and Navy.


Battle of Quiberon Bay.


By late October 1759 Rowley had been exchanged by the French for their own prisoners who were held by the British (a common practise of the time) and was once more in command of the Montagu. He was again assigned to Admiral Hawke’s squadron and was with the fleet with Hawke off Brest and in the Battle of Quiberon Bay. The French had designs to invade Scotland and had been ordered to break through the blockading British ships and collect transports for the invasion. On 20 November, 23 ships of Hawke’s squadron that had been sheltering from the seasonal gales in Torbay caught up with and attacked 21 Ships of the Line under Admiral Conflans in Quiberon bay. The bay itself is infamous due to its clustered and hidden shoals and variable wind and weather. The battle was fought directly through the dangerous shoals and the British lost two ships wrecked on the shoals and the French lost six with another successfully captured. The battle has been described by several later historians as the "Trafalgar" of the Seven Years' War. The risks of taking such a large fleet into the dangerous shoals of the bay with the Atlantic gales beating down upon them separated Hawke from many of his contemporaries and showed not only his daring genius but the confidence that he inspired in his subordinates. The French were equally impressed at the daring and audacity of the British Naval commanders and it took a great many years for them to recover.


West Indies and Convoy Duty.


In 1760 he went out with Commodore Sir James Douglas to the West Indies, where he took part in the expedition against Dominica that landed General Rollo and forced the island into capitulation on 7 June after one day of fighting. In November 1760 Rowley moved into the third-rate 74-gun HMS Superb.

He accompanied an East India Company convoy in that year and returned to England. In 1762, with two frigates, HMS Gosport, under a young Captain John Jervis, and HMS Danae, in company, he took another convoy of East and West Indian trade to the westward, and successfully protected it from the squadron of Commodore de Ternay. “So highly, however, was his conduct approved, by the East India Company, and by the London West - India merchants, that they presented him with a handsome silver epergne and dish”. It was during this period that Rowley took a particular interest in the career of midshipman Erasmus Gower, appointing him to acting lieutenant and recommending to the Admiralty that Gower serve on loan to the Portuguese Navy. Gower's subsequent distinguished career carried all the hallmarks of Rowley's influence. After several years on the beach, in October 1776 Rowley was appointed to the 74-gun HMS Monarch, in which at the beginning of 1778 he convoyed some transports to Gibraltar.


Battle of Ushant.


On his return to England he was attached to the fleet under Admiral Keppel whom he had last seen leading the van at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in HMS Torbay. It was with Keppel on 27 July 1778 that Rowley led the van (on the starboard tack) at the First Battle of Ushant. Monarch had two killed and nine wounded.^[20][21] Once more Rowley was involved in a battle that ended ambiguously and yet caused great upheaval and political and naval ramifications. As a consequence of the battle Keppel resigned his command after a court-martial acquitted him. Admiral Hugh Palliser was also court martialled and was heavily criticized leading to his resignation as a member of parliament.


Battles of Grenada & Gaudeloupe.


At the end of 1778 Rowley moved into the 74-gun HMS Suffolk and was sent to the West Indies with a commodore’s Broad pennant in command of a squadron of seven ships, as a reinforcement to Admiral John Byron, whom he joined at Saint Lucia in February 1779. On 19 March he was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue.^[19] On 6 July 1779 Rowley once more led the van division against Admiral d’Estaing. The battle was a draw and did little to change the course of the war that was already moving into its closing stages.

Later that year Rowley captured two French frigates and a Sloop-of-war. They were, la Fortunée (42 guns), la Blanche (36 guns), and l'Ellis (28 guns). Rowley also led his squadron to capture of a large French convoy, from Marseilles, off Martinique.


Rodney and the Battle of Martinique.


When Admiral Sir George Rodney arrived from England to command the station, Rowley shifted his flag to the 74-gun HMS Conqueror in which ship he commanded the rear division in the action off Martinique on 17 April against the comte de Guichen and the van in the two further stalemate engagements of the 15 and 19 May. The three battles were inconclusive and when the hurricane season arrived de Guichen returned to Europe and Rodney sent Rowley to Jamaica with ten ships of the line to reinforce Sir Peter Parker, as there was an imminent threat to the colony from the Spanish.

Commander-in-Chief Jamaica.

In 1782 Rowley succeeded to the command of the Jamaica Station a post which he held until the end of the American War of Independence. Rowley had proved throughout his career that he was both brave and a very capable officer and yet the successes of other commanders of the Jamaica station had set an extraordinary precedent that he could not match in his brief time there. He was also instrumental in corresponding with Henry Christophe of Haiti for the reason of attempting to bring peace to the Kingdom of Haiti Rowley, later, returned to England in 1783 and was not appointed to another command. On 10 June 1786 he was honoured with a (baronetcy - with the hereditary title of Sir Joshua Rowley, Bt. of Tendring Hall, Suffolk), he was promoted on 24 September 1787 to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the White.

He died at his home, Tendring Hall in Suffolk, on 26 February 1790.

[Bligh]

Captain Thomas Shirley.





Which gentleman was the third son of Laurence, the tenth son of Robert, first Earl Ferrers, and Anne, fourth daughter to Sir Walter Clarges, of Aston, in the county of Hertford, bart. He was born on the 6th of April, 1733; and having entered into the royal navy at a very early age, was, on the 11th of October, 1755, promoted to the rank of lieutenant: but we have no farther intelligence concerning him till he was promoted to the rank of post-captain, by commission bearing date November the 19th, 1759, appointing him to the Garland. He very soon afterwards was made captain of the Kingston, of sixty guns, in which he continued till towards the end of the year 1761, when that ship, following the battle of Quiberon Bay. and being deemed unfit for further service, was dismantled, and captain Shirley removed into the Princess Mary, of the same force, employed as a guardship during the remainder of the war.
Subsequent to that time, he appears, during a considerable interval [In this space he was appointed deputy-ranger of St. James's and Hyde Parks] to have retired from the service, not having, far as we have been able to discover, held any commission till the month of July 1780, when he was appointed to the Leander, of fifty guns, a ship then newly launched. He was employed for some time as a cruiser in the North Sea, and at the end of the year 1781 was sent out, in the same ship, to the coast of Africa with a convoy, consisting of a few merchant- vessels and transports.
In the ensuing spring, while off that coast, he attacked and made himself master of five Dutch forts, mounting from eighteen to thirty-two guns each, besides destroying a French store-ship, called the l'Officeuse, off Senegal, supposed to be worth 30,000L. Captain Shirley passed from the coast of Africa to the Weft Indies [Where he became, towards the end of the year 1782, for a few weeks previous to the arrival of Admiral Pigot, commanding officer, as senior captain.], where he was promoted, by the commander-in-chief on that station, to the Union, a second rate of ninety guns. In this ship he returned to England early in the ensuing summer the Union being immediately put out of commission in consequence of peace having taken place, we do not find him ever to have held any subsequent command. When he became senior on the list of captains he was put on that of superannuated rear-admirals.

Thomas Shirley died April 6, 1814.

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Captain Jervis Maplesden.

Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service1734
Last Known Service3.1763
Date of Death3.4.1781

---

Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1734		Passed the Lieutenant's Examination
3.11.1739		Lieutenant ADM 6/15/419
6.10.1746		Commander
6.10.1746	12.1746	Furnace (8), Commander and Commanding Officer
5.1754	11.1756	Fortune (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
20.5.1756		Battle of Minorca
21.5.1756		Captain
1757	11.9.1758	Portland (50), Captain and Commanding Officer
10.1759	1761	Intrepid (64), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
4.10.1760	3.1763	Prince Frederick (70), Captain and Commanding Officer
1.1.1779	31.12.1779	Included in the list of captains receiving half-pay.

	Captain Jarvis Maplesden, the Furnace Sloop, Deptford. Request that William Davis late Master of the Royal George is appointed Master of the Furnace Sloop.
Date:	1746 Nov 15
	HMS Intrepid: assigned 'Captain Jarvis Maplesden, Commander' and 'William Steinson, Master'; 15 October 1759 to 8 December 1760; Bay of Biscay

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Captain Robert Digby.




1732-1815. Born on 20 December 1732, he was the third son of the Hon. Edward Digby and his wife Charlotte Fox, sister to the Earl of Ilchester and Lord Holland. He was the grandson of William, 5th Baron Digby in the Irish peerage, and the younger brother of Henry, first Earl Digby, and he was also the uncle of Admiral Sir Henry Digby, Captain Charles George Digby and Captain Stephen Thomas Digby.

Little is known of Digby’s early career other than that he was commissioned lieutenant on 29 October 1752 and on 5 August 1755 was posted to the frigate Solebay 20 for purposes of rank only. He then commanded the Weazle 16, removing in February 1756 to commission the new Biddeford 20 in which he was initially employed in the Downs, and in which he enjoyed a measure of success cruising against the enemy.

After coming home from the West Indies with bullion amounting to 300,000 guineas he succeeded Captain Lord Howe in command of the Dunkirk 60 in August 1757, which he retained until the peace of 1763. Commanding this vessel he was employed in home waters, with the Rochefort expedition of September 1757, in Commodore Hon. Augustus Keppel’s expedition to Gorée during late 1758, and at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759. He then saw duty in the Mediterranean under the orders of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Saunders from 1760-3.

From 1757-61 he was M.P. for Wells in his family interest, and although he did not enjoy another command at sea until the American Revolutionary War he was appointed a colonel of marines on 4 April 1775.

In May 1777 he joined the Ramillies 74, and he commanded a small squadron which cruised to the westward from 11 November until 26 December that year. The Ramillies was in Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser’s division at the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778 where she suffered twelve deaths and sixteen men injured, and she was employed in the Channel fleet for the remainder of the year. Although the evidence Digby gave on behalf of Palliser at his court martial favoured Admiral Hon. Augustus Keppel’s cause, and despite the fact that he was a cousin of the leading Whig, Charles James Fox, Digby was nevertheless recognised as being well disposed to the government. Hence in order that he would be able to sit on Palliser’s court martial a general promotion was instigated at the King’s behest to allow his advancement to the rank of rear-admiral on 19 March 1779. He immediately raised his flag aboard the Namur 90, Philip Patton, removing it shortly afterwards to the Prince George 98 with the same officer.

In the summer of 1779 Digby was third in command to Admiral Sir Charles Hardy in the Channel fleet, taking part in the August retreat, and he held a similar position to Admiral Sir George Rodney at the Moonlight Battle on 16 January 1780 where the Prince George captured the San Julian 70. After attending the subsequent relief of Gibraltar he returned to England with the Spanish prizes, his squadron capturing the richly laden Protée 64 in passage.


Digby remained as second-in-command of the Channel fleet to Admiral Francis Geary and Vice-Admiral George Darby during the June to December 1780 campaign, with Captain William Fox as his flag captain until the end of the year, whereupon he was succeeded by Captain James Williams, an officer who had risen from the lower deck. He was present at the second relief of Gibraltar on 12 April 1781, and was thereafter ordered to patrol the approaches to the Channel with eight sail of the line in protection of the incoming convoys, and in the hope of encountering a French force under Admiral La Motte-Piquet. When the latter returned to Brest Digby brought his own force back to port.

In July 1781 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the North American station, but upon arriving at New York three weeks after the inconclusive Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781 he did not immediately assume command but instead allowed his predecessor, Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, to attempt the rescue of General Cornwallis’s army at Yorktown. Shortly afterwards he shifted his flag from the Prince George into the Lion 64, Captain William Fooks, in order that the former could add weight to Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood’s force in the Leeward Islands. Despite this handsome gesture he fell out badly with the difficult Hood when the latter was temporarily on the North American station, engaging in a ferocious war of letters over the allocation of prize-money and refusing to supplement Hood’s scurvy-ridden ships with his own men.

Commanding a much reduced squadron which was in poor order, Digby presided over a quiet station for the remainder of the war, with the most excitement being caused by General Washington’s authorisation of a kidnap attempt on Digby and Prince William, who had served with him since 1778. At the end of the war he evacuated many loyalist families from New York to Conway in Nova Scotia which was renamed Digby in his honour, having advised Washington that should the loyalists not be allowed unhindered passage he would take up arms again.

After the war Digby entered retirement at his residence in Minterne near Sherborne, Dorset, taking a great interest in the development of his estate. He became a vice-admiral on 24 September 1787, an admiral on 12 April 1794, and died on 25 February 1815.

On 19 August 1784 Digby married a widow, Mrs Eleanor Jauncy, who was the niece of Admiral John Elliot and the daughter of the lieutenant-governor of New York, Andrew Elliot. They had no issue, but at the time of their marriage Digby already had two illegitimate sons, one of whom, Robert Murray, entered the navy and rose to the rank of admiral. His residence at Minterne Magna in Dorset passed to his wealthy nephew, Captain Sir Henry Digby.

Digby was described as being handsome and an easy mover in Court circles, was seen as tough, and was regarded as his own man. That he fell out with Prince William, to whom he was governor from 1778 until 1782, after refusing to advocate his early promotion to captain illustrated his strength of will and devotion to duty, and the fact that the parents of the future admirals Keats, Foley, Legge, Oliver and Stopford saw fit to place their sons on the Prince George demonstrated the esteem in which he was held.

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Captain Patrick Baird.






Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth1700 - Edinburgh

First Known Service 29.11.1738
FatherSir James Baird of Saughtonhall, 2nd Bt. (1658-1715)
MotherElizabeth Gibson (1665-?)
BrotherCharles Baird (c.1696-c.1778)
Last Known Service 27.5.1759
Date of Death1761

Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth1700 - Edinburgh
First Known Service 29.11.1738
FatherSir James Baird of Saughtonhall, 2nd Bt. (1658-1715)
MotherElizabeth Gibson (1665-?)
BrotherCharles Baird (c.1696-c.1778)
Last Known Service 27.5.1759
Date of Death1761

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
29.11.1738		Lieutenant ADM 6/15/152
1746	1747	Fly (8), Commander and Commanding Officer
5.1747	1749	Rainbow (44), Captain and Commanding Officer
27.5.1747		Captain
1749		Shoreham (20), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.1749	1754	Surprise (24), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.1755	1757	Portland (50), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.5.1756		Battle of Minorca
6.1756	1759	Defiance (58), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.1758	27.7.1758	The Seige of Louisburg
1759	1761	Defiance (58), Captain and Commanding Officer

1747 June 20.

Captain Patrick Baird, the Rainbow at Deptford. Requests two canvas cabins at the steerage bulkhead and asks to which Officers they should be assigned.



1748 Sept 30

Captain Patrick Baird, the Rainbow, Plymouth Sound. Requests that Owen McGraugh, of General Cornwall's Regiment of Marines aboard the Rainbow, is rated Serjeant on the prize list given to John Morshed, merchant in Plymouth and agent for the Conte de Noailles Privateer, taken on the 22 January1747 in company with the Romney and Amazon, so that he can be paid the head money due to him.


1751 Dec 18.

Captain Patrick Baird, the Surprise at Hamoaze. Is sending a General Muster books and two monthly books.

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Captain Robert Duff.



Duff was born c. 1721, among the youngest of more than thirty children of Patrick Duff of Craigston, by Craigston's second wife. Little is known about his early life, but a story that does survive attests to his father's fecundity and possibly also to Robert's own spirited approach. Walking in his garden the father, Patrick Duff, came across a small boy and enquired 'And wha's laddie are you?' to which his son, the future Admiral Robert Duff, replied 'Dinna ye ken your ain son Robbie, ye auld fool!'.

Robert joined the navy and was listed a lieutenant by 9 March 1739.He was advanced to commander on 4 December 1744, and by 1746 was in command of the bomb vessel HMS Terror, serving off the Scottish coast. Duff received the command of the 44-gun Anglesea on 23 October, and remained in her off the Irish and English coasts until the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession.

Seven Years' War.

Duff's next ship was the 50-gun HMS Rochester, which he joined in 1755. He spent several years cruising, either independently or as part of the main fleet, and in 1758 was part of Commodore Richard Howe's squadron defending the expeditions against St Malo, Cherbourg and St Cas. He became senior officer of a small squadron stationed off Brittany in 1759, watching the French fleet in Morbihan, while a fleet under Edward Hawke blockaded Brest, France. While at anchor in Quiberon Bay on 20 November, his scouts reported a large French fleet to the south of Belle Île. Duff hurried his squadron, consisting of four 50-gun ships and four frigates, out to sea while the French chased them. Before they could be caught, the main fleet under Hawke came up and overran the French, defeating them in the decisive Battle of Quiberon Bay.

Duff was then appointed to the 80-gun HMS Foudroyant and went out with her to the West Indies with Rear-Admiral George Brydges Rodney's fleet. Duff saw action at the capture of Martinique during January and February 1762, but owing to his seniority, he refused to serve as Rodney's flag-captain, and was sent home. In 1764 he married Helen Duff, the daughter of his cousin, the first Earl of Fife. Duff was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue on 31 March 1775, and in April was sent out as commander-in-chief at Newfoundland. His posting was brief, in 1776 he became rear-admiral of the white and in September 1777 he was appointed to the command of the Mediterranean Fleet, with the 60-gun HMS Panther as his flagship.

American War of Independence.

By now a rear-admiral of the red, he supported the British forces defending Gibraltar from Don Antonio Barcelo's fleet when the siege there broke out in 1779, but had limited forces at his disposal and he was recalled early in 1780. He had been promoted to vice-admiral of the blue on 29 January 1778, and was advanced to vice-admiral of the white later that year, but held no further command after his return to England in 1780.

Later years and death.

His portrait was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds for Greenwich Hospital. Increasingly ill with gout during his later years, he died at Queensferry on 6 June 1787, his death being attributed to an attack of gout in the stomach.

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Captain Mariot Arbuthnot.





A native of Weymouth, England, Arbuthnot was the son of Robert Arbuthnot and Sarah, née Bury. Robert's father was the son of the Rev. Robert Arbuthnot, minister of Crichton & Cranston. Mariot Arbuthnot entered the Royal Navy in the late 1720s, became a lieutenant in 1739, and commander in 1746. In 1746 he was commander of the sloop HMS Jamaica, which captured two French privateers while employed as a cruiser in the channel. He was appointed post captain in 1747. On 22 June 1747 he became captain of the frigate HMS Surprize. Shortly afterwards he became captain of the Triton.

Seven Years' War.

In 1757 he became chief officer of the Garland. In 1759, during the Seven Years' War, he commanded the Portland, one of the ships employed under Commodore Robert Duff in the blockade of Quiberon Bay, and was present at the total defeat of the French on 20 November. Towards the end of the war he commanded HMS Oxford. In 1770 he was made captain of HMS Terrible.

American War of Independence.

From 1775 to 1778, he was naval commissioner resident at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, 1776-78. He was replaced in this role by Richard Hughes. It may have been about then that an armed schooner was named Arbuthnot after him. On 19 March 1779, he was made Vice Admiral of the Blue, and on 2 May 1779 took command of HMS Europa. That same year he took up his appointment as commander-in-chief on the North American Station.^[4] Soon after arriving at his destination, he was blockaded in New York City harbour by the French fleet under Count d'Estaing.



In December 1779, Arbuthnot conveyed the troops of Sir Henry Clinton to Charleston, South Carolina, and cooperated with him in laying siege to that city. The surrender document signed by prominent citizens was addressed to him and Clinton. On 26 September 1780 he was promoted to Vice Admiral of the White. On 13 March 1781, he fought the French Newport squadron, at the Battle of Cape Henry, before returning to England.

Later life.

He advanced by seniority to become, on 1 February 1793, Admiral of the Blue. He died in London the following year, leaving two sons, John and Charles.

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Captain Francis Samuel Drake.




Francis was baptised on 14 September 1729, at Buckland Monachorum, Devonshire. He was the fourth son of Sir Francis Henry Drake, 4th Baronet, and Anne Heathcote. He was the younger brother of Sir Francis Henry Drake, 5th Baronet, the last in the line of baronets descending from Sir Francis Drake, 1st Baronet, nephew of the Elizabethan naval hero Sir Francis Drake.

He served for a time as lieutenant aboard the 44-gun HMS Torrington and the 60-gun HMS Windsor.He was promoted to command the 10-gun sloop HMS Viper on 30 March 1756, during the Seven Years' War, and achieved the rank of post-captain later that year with a posting to command the 20-gun HMS Bideford on 15 November. On 11 March 1757 he was appointed, in succession to his second brother, Francis William Drake, to the 50-gun HMS Falkland. He commanded the Falkland for the next five years.

He was present in the West Indies during the operations under Commodore John Moore between 1757 and 1758, and then went to St. Helena to escort the homeward-bound trade in the spring of 1759. He served on the south coast of Brittany that autumn with the squadron under Captain Robert Duff, and was present at the defeat of the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759.

Drake then served in the Saint Lawrence River with Commodore Swanton in the summer of 1760; with Lord Colville on the coast of North America, and with Sir James Douglas at the Leeward Islands in 1761 during the Invasion of Dominica, continuing there under Sir George Rodney in 1762 during the Invasion of Martinique, when he was moved into the 50-gun HMS Rochester, which he commanded until the end of the war.

Peace and American War of Independence.

Drake was appointed to command the 70-gun HMS Burford in 1766, and moved from there to the 74-gun HMS Torbay between 1772 and 1775. Torbay was the guardship at Plymouth during this time. With the outbreak of the American War of Independence, Drake was appointed to command the 74-gun HMS Russell in the spring of 1778. The Russell was one of the squadron which sailed for America under the command of Vice-Admiral John Byron. The Russell was badly damaged in a gale which scattered the squadron, and Drake was forced to return to England for repairs. He therefore did not sail to America until the spring of 1779. During that year and the early part of 1780, Drake operated as part of the fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot.

Drake was then sent to join Rodney in the West Indies, and accompanied him to the coast of North America, and back again to the West Indies, where he received a commission as rear-admiral, dated 26 September 1780. He then hoisted his flag in the 70-gun HMS Princessa; took part under Rodney in the operations against the Dutch Islands, including the Capture of Sint Eustatius, and was detached under Sir Samuel Hood to blockade Martinique, where, with his flag in HMS Gibraltar, he was warmly engaged in the Battle of Fort Royal against with De Grasse on 29 April 1781. In August, with his flag again in the Princessa, he accompanied Hood to North America, and commanded the van at the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September, with the fleet under Sir Thomas Graves. The Princessa was heavily damaged in the battle, forcing Drake to shift his flag temporarily to the 74-gun HMS Alcide.

He afterwards returned with Hood to the West Indies, took part with him in the Battle of Saint Kitts in January 1782, and on 12 April, by the accident of position, commanded the van of the fleet under Sir George Rodney in the Battle of the Saintes. He was made a baronet on 28 May 1782 for his conduct on this occasion. He continued in the West Indies until the end of the war, after which he had no further service.

Later life.

On 12 August 1789 was appointed a junior lord of the admiralty, but died shortly afterwards, on 19 October 1789.

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Captain John Lockhart-Ross.



Lockhart was born into a gentry family in 1721 and embarked on a naval career. He served on a number of ships during the War of the Austrian Succession, seeing action at both the First and Second Battles of Cape Finisterre, having by then risen to the rank of lieutenant.

He had his own commands by the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, and enjoyed particular success as a frigate captain, cruising against privateers while in command of HMS Tartar. Further commands followed, including roles in detached squadrons at the Battle of Quiberon Bay.
Taking the additional name Ross after he inherited a deceased relative's estates, he served as a member of parliament and undertook land reforms and improvements during the years of peace before the outbreak of the American War of Independence.

Lockhart-Ross returned to sea on the outbreak of war, commanding a ship at the Battle of Ushant, and later being promoted to flag rank. He served in several actions as a junior commander of Rodney's fleet, including the capture of the Caracas convoy, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and the relief of Gibraltar.

He then retired ashore, devoting himself to his estates until his death in 1790. He was succeeded in the baronetcy he had inherited in 1778 by his son.

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Captain Alexander Hood.



Hood entered the navy in January 1741 and was appointed Lieutenant in HMS Bridgewater in 1746. He was promoted to Commander in 1756 and served as flag captain for Rear Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, first on HMS Prince in the Mediterranean (the flagship of Rear-Admiral Saunders, under whom Hood had served as a lieutenant), then on the frigate HMS Minerva.

Seven Years' War.

Main article: Great Britain in the Seven Years' War
In the Seven Years' War Hood fought at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, and in 1761 Minerva recaptured after a long struggle, the 60-gun HMS Warwick of equal force, which had been captured by the French in 1756. For the remainder of the war, from 1761 to 1763, he was captain of HMS Africa in the Mediterranean.

American War of Independence.

From this time forward Hood was in continuous employment afloat and ashore. In 1778 he was appointed to HMS Robust and fought at the First Battle of Ushant on 22 July. In the court-martial of Admiral Augustus Keppel that followed the battle, although adverse popular feeling was aroused by the course which Hood took in Keppel's defence, his conduct does not seem to have injured his professional career.

In 1780 Hood was promoted to Rear Admiral of the White, and succeeded Kempenfeldt as one of Howe's flag-officers. In the American Revolutionary War, in HMS Queen, he took part in Howe's relief of Gibraltar in 1782.

French Revolutionary War.

Hood served in the House of Commons for a time. Promoted vice-admiral in 1787, he became K.B. in the following year, and on the occasion of the Spanish armament in 1790 flew his flag again for a short time. On 22 October 1790 he was a member of the court that acquitted William Bligh of losing his ship HMS Bounty.
On the outbreak of war with France in 1793 he went to sea again. In the War of the First Coalition, on 1 June 1794, in HMS Royal George (100), he was third in command to Admiral Lord Howe at the battle of the Glorious First of June. For his exploits in this battle he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Bridport and received the large Naval Gold Medal and chain.

Henceforth Hood was practically in independent command. On 23 June 1795, with his flag in Royal George, he fought the inconclusive Battle of Groix against the French under Rear Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse off the Île de Groix and captured three ships. He was much criticized in the navy for his failure to win a more decisive victory. However the British public considered the battle a great victory and his peerage was made English and he was promoted to Vice-Admiral of Great Britain.
From 1795 until Hood's retirement in 1800, he was commander of the Channel Fleet. In 1796 and 1797 he directed the war from HMS London, rarely hoisting his flag afloat save at such critical times as that of the Irish expedition in 1797. He was about to put to sea when the Spithead fleet mutinied. He succeeded at first in pacifying the crew of his flagship, who had no personal grudge against their admiral, but a few days later the mutiny broke out afresh, and this time was uncontrollable. For a whole week the mutineers were supreme, and it was only by the greatest exertions of the old Lord Howe that order was then restored and the men returned to duty. After the mutiny had been suppressed, Hood took the fleet to sea as commander-in-chief in name as well as in fact, and from 1798 he personally directed the blockade of Brest, which grew stricter and stricter as time went on. In 1800 he was relieved by John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent.

In reward for Hood's fine record his peerage was made a viscounty. He spent the remaining years of his life in retirement and died on 2 May 1814.

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Captain John Strachan.





John Strachan was born the eldest son of Patrick Strachan, M.D., physician to the Greenwich Hospital, and his wife, the daughter of a Royal Navy captain. Little is known about his early life, but he appears to have entered the Navy in about 1727. It would be twenty years before he would be promoted to the rank of lieutenant, in January 1747.

Seven Years War.

In 1755, Strachan was appointed second lieutenant aboard the 98-gun HMS St George, which was then the flagship of Lord Hawke. The following year Strachan accompanied Hawke to Gibraltar aboard HMS Antelope, to relieve John Byng. On arriving he was appointed to command the 18-gun sloop HMS Fortune, and on 9 September 1756 was posted to HMS Experiment.

Serving on the Experiment he captured the 20-gun French privateer Télémaque off Alicante on 19 July 1757, in a lopsided engagement that saw 110 French sailors killed and 156 wounded, against a total of 41 British casualties. During the encounter Strachan came alongside and sent a boarding party onto the Télémaque under William Locker, who secured her surrender. Strachan took the prize into Gibraltar and along with Locker, was reassigned to the 32-gun HMS Sapphire. He returned to England aboard her and in 1759 was attached to the Grand Fleet under Sir Edward Hawke. He was then assigned to the light squadron in Quiberon Bay under Commodore Robert Duff, and was present at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759.
Strachan remained in command of the Sapphire until 1762.

Later life.

In 1770 Strachan was appointed to command HMS Orford, one of the squadron which went with Rear-Admiral Robert Harland to the East Indies. Ill health forced him to return to England just two years later whereupon he retired from active service.
He had married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Lovelace of Battersea, but the marriage produced no children. He died at Bath on 28 December 1777.

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Captain Gamaliel Nightingale.

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Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service1752
Last Known Service1763
Date of Death1791

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1752		Passed the Lieutenant's Examination
8.7.1753		Lieutenant
8.1756	3.8.1757	Badger (10), Lieutenant and Commanding Officer
1757		Commander
24.2.1757		Badger vs l'Escorte
3.8.1757		Commander
3.8.1757	10.1758	Badger (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
18.10.1758		Captain
18.10.1758	1.1759	Vengeance (28), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.4.1759	24.5.1761	Vengeance (28), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
7.1761	1763	Flora (32), Captain and Commanding Officer
1.7.1779		Included in the list of captains receiving half-pay.

[Bligh]

Captain Francis Burslem.

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Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth1.1723 - Packington, Leicestershire
Baptism15.1.1723
First Known Service26.6.1735
FatherJames Burslem (Bef 1695-1765)
MotherElizabeth Godolphin (1688-1767)
WifeMary (d.1815)
DaughterElizabeth (c.1776-1846)
SonJames Godolphin (c.1780-1861)
SonThomas (c.1779-c.1826)
DaughterFrances (c.1780-?)
DaughterMargaret (c.1781-?)
GrandsonGodolphin James Burslem (1808-1891)
Last Known Service4.1760
Date of Death11.12.1801 - Youghal, Ireland
Will Probated21.5.1802,

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1743		Passed the Lieutenant's Examination
17.9.1743		Lieutenant ADM 6/16/218
30.6.1744	6.1746	Lark (44), Lieutenant
1755		Rye (24), Lieutenant
24.6.1757		Commander
24.6.1757	1758	Racehorse (18), Commander and Commanding Officer
4.1759	4.10.1759	Coventry (28), Commander and Commanding Officer
4.10.1759		Captain
4.10.1759	4.1760	Coventry (28), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
1.7.1779		Included in the list of captains receiving half-pay.

He was educated at Eton about Mar 1732. He was a King's Scholar.

He was commissioned Lieutenant, RN on 17 Sep 1743. In Between Jun 1744 and Jun 1746 he served in HMS LarkIn 1755 he was in Ireland, recruiting men for the Navy. 5. He was commissioned Lieutenant-Commander, RN on 24 Jun 1757
In 1759 he had a new ship's surgeon, who kept a journal that was subsequently published. It reads, in part.

"In 1759 I was superseded, and appointed to the Coventry, a new frigate commanded by Captain Burslem. Our first cruise in the Coventry was with Sir Edward Hawke in the bay, which lasted two months, but produced nothing remarkable, being tied to the fleet we had no chance of doing anything for ourselves. I found my situation much more comfortable than in the Diligence, the officers being of a superior cast ; but from the easy temper and very humane disposition of the captain, they complained of a great relaxation in naval discipline. The sailors had very great indulgences, especially in a harbour, so that the ship resembled a privateer more than a man-of-war. This want of sub-ordination was the more striking, as I had been accus-tomed to very different scenes, where things had been carried to the opposite extreme of tyranny and des-potism, particularly in the Monarque and Magnanime, where the nicest punctilio of rank and precedence was observed, and where the captain did not even walk on the same side of the quarter-deck with the admiral, the happy mean betwixt these two extremes is the most eligible path to be chosen in this as well as in other matters.

Being sent into Plymouth to dock and refit, which employed near six weeks, we sailed in November to rejoin the western squadron cruising off Brest; but meeting with strong gales from the westward, were ten days before we cleared the channel and got upon the station, being great part of this time under our courses. As we saw nothing concluded that they had been forced up the channel, upon which we returned to Plymouth Sound, where we found some of the ships, the rest with the admiral being in Torbay. Having got a fresh supply of beer and water, we sailed again for Brest; and the wind being favourable, we joined the fleet in twenty-four hours. On hailing the admiral, were informed that the French fleet were come out of Brest, and had been seen steering for Quiberon Bay, that he was then in pursuit of them, and ordered us to keep about two cables' length on his weather-bow, during the night, and to make the proper signals on discovering the enemy. We run all night in the bay, steering for Bellisle ; but the wind died away, and next day it was a dead calm, with a great swell from the westward, so that some of the large ships were obliged to get out their boats to tow clear of one another and prevent falling aboard ; but in the evening, the breeze freshening from the westward, the admiral carried a press of sail all the night, steering directly for the French shore ; and, about seven in the morning, the Vengeance frigate that was ahead let fly her top-gallant-sheets as a signal for seeing the enemy, which we instantly repeated; and immediately the signal was made by the admiral for a general chase, when every ship crowded all the sail she could carry to come up with the enemy.

As the gale increased from the western quarter, we gained fast upon the enemy, who, having passed Bellisle about ten in the morning, formed their line of battle ahead under a gentle sail standing to the south-east, consisting of twenty-two ships of the line with three flags. Conflans, the Commander-in-Chief, being in the centre in the Soleil Royale, Mr. Beaufremont in the van, and Monsieur St. Andre de Verger in the rear. The admiral (Hawke) now made the signal for the line of battle abreast, as the enemy seemed resolved to risk a general action ; but this occasioned the loss of two hours, as many of the large ships were far astern, although they crowded every rag of sail. During this delay a ship was seen under Bellisle standing towards the French fleet, which the Coventry immediately chased and cut off from joining Conflans. We thought to have had the honour of beginning the action, but alas I she proved a Dutchman, bound for Quiberon Bay. Our line being formed about one o'clock, and, bearing down upon the enemy, Conflans broke his line of battle, and steered directly for the shore. Our admiral instantly made the signal for a general chase, and about half-past two the signal to engage, as some of our headmost ships were then up with the enemy's rear. Lord Howe in the Magnanime had lead the chase the greatest part of the day, but was now passed by Sir Peter Dennis in the Dorsetshire and Captain Patrick Baird in the old Defiance, who run along the French line to windward, receiving the fire of every ship they passed, without making any return, intending to stop and engage the van of the enemy. Lord Howe followed in the same glorious career, but coming abreast of the rear-admiral in the Formidable, was disabled from going farther, his foreyard being carried away in the slings ; he immediately bore down upon the rear-admiral, and getting under his lee, opened a most tremendous fire from his thirty-two and twenty-fours. He was soon joined by Sir John Bentley in the Warspight, and in half an hour they made a dreadful havoc in the For-midable, whose fire began to slack, when the Superbe coming up, instead of pursuing ahead, must needs run betwixt Lord Howe and the French admiral, fell on board the Magnanime and forced her upon the Warspight, thus our three ships were entangled and totally prevented from continuing the action, but lay all of a heap alongside the Formidable, who might have torn them to pieces if she had not been almost a wreck her-self. As the three ships drove altogether, it was im-possible to get clear, till Sir John Bentley, being the senior officer (at the suggestion of Lord Howe) ordered the Superbe to let go an anchor, by which means the two other ships got clear, but were thrown out of the action by driving so far to leeward. By an officer from the Magnanime we afterwards learned that his lordship was so much incensed that he had threatened Captain Bentley with a court-martial for his bad conduct, etc., but for certain reasons he escaped.

The wind had now increased to a most violent storm, and the best part of our fleet had got into Quiberon Bay in pursuit of the enemy, who still kept flying away and keeping as much as possible to windward so as to avoid close action. As we lay about a musket shot to windward of our line we had a fine opportunity of observing the different manoeuvres, without running any risk, being furnished with excellent glasses. The evening began to set in, it being the 20th of November, and no ship was yet captured except the Formidable, which at last struck to the Resolution, Captain Speke, being dismasted, and having received the fire of almost every ship that passed, she was a mere wreck ; as we lay very near her, we were just going to take possession, when we saw a large ship overset, about two cables' length ahead, in a violent squall, and thinking it was one of our own ships, immediately flew to their assistance, and had men ready in the chains with ropes to save as many as possible ; her topmasts were still visible, and the sea covered with miserable wretches crying, "O Jesus! 0 Jesus!" But our ship had such fresh way in bringing to, that the poor creatures could not lay hold of the ropes as we ran through them; however, two boats were hoisted out, and we saved 15 that were hanging by the topmast shrouds, and the boats from the Torbay took up about the same number, which were all that escaped from the Thessee, a new ship of 74 guns and 750 men. Mr. Kepple had engaged her to leeward in the Torbay, and when the squall came on, both ships were laid on their beam ends, and the Frenchman's lee ports being open she immediately filled, and went down in about six fathom water. The Torbay escaped by putting before the wind, with six feet water in her hold, but was thrown out of the action by going to leeward, having had a very narrow escape. The Superbe, another 74, having received one broadside from the Royal George, likewise overset in the same violent squall, and but a few of the people saved. The Hero, a 74, being disabled and driven out of the French line, was followed by Lord Howe, who, ranging close alongside, commenced a dreadful fire and obliged her to strike, but did not take possession of her, as he expected an attack from the Soleil Royale, who was then very near him; but Conflans passed without firing, and as the signal was now made for the fleet to anchor, being near the shore, he com-manded the Hero to come to an anchor near him, but not having sent an officer on board, they cut their cable in the night, and ran the ship on shore near Croissie, where Conflans came to an anchor about a league to leeward of our fleet, while Monsieur Beaufremont kept working to windward, and as soon as he perceived our ships at an anchor, and that he could weather them, he stretched out to sea and escaped to Rochefort with ten sail of the line, the rest being shut up betwixt our ships and the shore.

The gale continued with great violence all night, and in the morning we perceived that five of the French ships had got into the river Vilaine by taking advantage of the spring tide. This was a great disappointment, as we thought we had them snug in a corner, and never imagined they could escape into the Vilaine. There was now only one ship left in the bay riding at anchor off Croissie, about two miles to leeward of our fleet, and another was seen dismasted and on shore on "the Foure," a large sand bank which runs across, the bay to the southward. The Essex's signal being made to chase to leeward, Conflans immediately cut his cable and ran the Soleil Royale on shore under the bat-teries of Croissie, where, after he had landed his men, she was set on fire, together with the Hero, by the boats from the Magnanime notwithstanding the heavy fire from the batteries on shore. I watched the conflagration, expecting every minute the grand explosion of the magazine, but they burned a long time before they blew up, and then indeed the spectacle was grand and tremendous, not unlike the explosion of Vesuvius. The Essex had mistaken her signal, and, instead of bearing down on the Soleil Royale, had steered towards the ship in distress, which proved to be the Resolution, Captain Speke, and being ignorant of the situation of the Foure sand, ran plump upon it, and was obliged instantly to cut away his masts to save the ship from going to pieces, and as the gale still continued violent there was no possibility of giving either of them any assistance by sending the boats from the fleet to take out the men. Fifty of the seamen returned from the Resolution on a raft, thinking to reach Croissie, but the sea running very high they could not reach the shore, but were all drowned. On the third day, when the gale was but little abated, all the boats were ordered on the dangerous service of taking out the men, which was performed without any loss, but with considerable risk and hazard ;, the crews were sent chiefly on board the Formidable, being the nearest ship to the wrecks, which were afterwards set on fire and burned without being able to save either guns or stores. Thus ended the battle of Quiberon Bay.

Having been now some months at sea, and, in consequence, very foul, were sent into Plymouth to dock and refit, where Captain Burslem went ashore to sick quarters, and Captain Ogle was appointed to command in the interim.
Upon our return to Plymouth, to dock and refit, we could hear no account of Captain Burslem, who had been missing some time, and, being subject to religious melancholy, his friends were much concerned and exceedingly anxious to dis-cover his retreat. After much trouble lie was traced as far as Exeter, but no further intelligence could be got, till one day he was discovered in the cathedral, and followed to a mean house in the neighbourhood, where he had taken up his abode. No persuasion could prevail on him to return to the service, having resolved to devote himself to solitude and devotion. This is perhaps the only instance in the annals of the Navy of a captain of a man-of-war taking so singular a turn.

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Captain Dudley Digges.

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Nationality British
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service1745

Last Known Service1763
Date of Death27.9.1779
Burial5.10.1779 - Saint Mary's

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1745		Passed the Lieutenant's Examination
13.7.1745		Lieutenant
28.8.1751	12.1753	Swan (10), Commander and Commanding Officer
18.12.1753		Captain
1754		Centaur (22), Captain and Commanding Officer
10.1754	4.1756	Nightingale (22), Captain and Commanding Officer
3.1756	1757	Kennington (20), Captain and Commanding Officer
1.1758	1762	Maidstone (28), Captain and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
9.1761	1763	Deptford (60), Captain and Commanding Officer
6.6.1762	13.8.1762	Operations against Havanna
1.1.1779	31.12.1779	Included in the list of captains receiving half-pay.

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Order of battle.

France.



Battle of Quiberon Bay by Richard Perret

Name	Guns	Commander	Men	Notes
First Division
Soleil Royal	80	Paul Osée Bidé de Chézac (fr)	950	Flagship of Marquis de Conflans – Aground and burnt
Orient	80	Alain Nogérée de la Filière (fr)	750	Flagship of Chevalier de Guébridant Budes – Escaped to Rochefort
Glorieux	74	René Villars de la Brosse-Raquin (fr)	650	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until April, 1762
Robuste	74	Fragnier de Vienne	650	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until 1761, returned to Brest in January, 1762
Dauphin Royal	70	André d’Urtubie (fr)	630	Escaped to Rochefort
Dragon	64	Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche (fr)	450	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until January, 1761
Solitaire	64	Louis-Vincent de Langle (fr)	450	Escaped to Rochefort
Second Division
Tonnant	80	Antoine de Marges de Saint-Victoret (fr)	800	Flagship of Chevalier de Beauffremont – Escaped to Rochefort
Intrépide	74	Charles Le Mercerel de Chasteloger (fr)	650	Escaped to Rochefort
Thésée	74	Guy François de Kersaint (fr)	650	Foundered
Superbe	70	Jean-Pierre-René-Séraphin du Tertre de Montalais (fr)	630	Sunk by Royal George
Northumberland	64	Belingant de Kerbabut	450	Escaped to Rochefort
Éveillé	64	Pierre-Bernardin Thierry de La Prévalaye (fr)	450	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until 1761, returned to Brest in January, 1762
Brillant	64	Louis-Jean de Kerémar (fr)	450	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until January, 1761
Third Division
Formidable	80	Louis de Saint-André du Verger (fr)	800	Flagship of De Saint André du Vergé – Taken by Resolution
Magnifique	74	Bigot de Morogues	650	Escaped to Rochefort
Héros	74	Vicomte de Sanzay	650	Surrendered, but ran aground next day during heavy weather, burnt
Juste	70	François de Saint-Allouarn (fr)	630	Wrecked in the Loire
Inflexible	64	Tancrede	540	Lost at the entrance to the Vilaine
Sphinx	64	Goyon	450	Escaped to the Vilaine, blockaded there until April, 1762
Bizarre	64	Prince de Montbazon	450	Escaped to Rochefort
Frigates and corvettes
Hébé	40		300	Returned to Brest
Aigrette	36			Escaped to the Vilaine
Vestale	34		254	Escaped to the Vilaine
Calypso	16	Paul Alexandre du Bois-Berthelot (fr)		Escaped to the Vilaine
Prince Noir	6	Pierre-Joseph Kergariou de Roscouet (fr)		Escaped to the Vilaine
Other
Vengeance	?

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Captain Paul Osée Bidé de Chézac.

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Nationality French
Date of Birth19.2.1707 - La Rochelle
First Known Service12.1721
FatherPaul Bidé de Chézac (d.1715)
Last Known Service23.5.1764
Date of Death23.5.1764 - Brest

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1759	20.11.1759	Soleil Royal (80), Capitaine de Galère and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay

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secrétaire de 1756 à 1765.

Son of Paul Bidé de Chézac (? -1715), lieutenant and captain in Santo Domingo on July 1, 1695, and Jeanne Richard.

Guard of the Navy December 12, 1721, Signboard and Infantry October 1, 1731, acting as an aide-major at Rochefort in 1738-1740 Lieutenant and Infantry May 1, 1741, Captain May 17, 1751.

Embarked in 1722 on the 48-gun flute Elephant, he participated in a campaign in Cayenne.

In 1725 and 1726 he served as a boy-major at Rochefort.

He took part in a campaign on Île Royale on the flute,44 cannon, Dromedary in 1729. In 1730, he was appointed sergeant in the cadet company of Rochefort.In 1733, he moved to Toulon with the infantry company of La Brosse. From May 13, 1734 to November 6, 1735, he served on the ship of 74 guns Saint-Philippe under the command of the squadron commander Gaspard Charles de Goussé La Rochalar. From 1738 to 1740, he served as an aide-major in Rochefort and in 1741 raised a new company, then he was assigned until 1742 to the company of Camilly, cantoned in Calais.Lieutenant of the Marine Guards on October 10, 1743. Embarked from 17 August 1743 to 21 June 1744 on the vessel of 64 guns Le Content, he participated, May 19, 1744, in the capture of the English vessel of 64 guns Northumberland off the archipelago Berlengas by its building and the vessel 64 guns on March. From September 14, 1744 to August 5, 1745, he went to the West Indies aboard the Northumberland in the division which transports the captain Charles de Tubières de Caylus, the new governor of Martinique, and escorts a large convoy back to Brest. From March 19, 1746, he took part, on the ship of 64 guns L'Ardent, to the disastrous campaign of the lieutenant general of the naval armies Jean-Baptiste of La Rochefoucauld de Roye, duke of Anville, in Chibouctou, Acadia . On his way back, his ship delivered a bitter fight against Belle-Île to four English ships on October 12, 1746, and was forced, in order to avoid being captured, to run aground at Quiberon, where it was set on fire.

Commander of the company of the Marine Guards in Brest on May 17, 1751. He commanded from 3 September 1753 to 24 February 1754 the frigate of 32 guns Comet aboard which he carried out an instruction cruise of the naval guards in Lisbon, the Canaries and the Azores and proceeded, in the company of the lieutenant of the ship Gabriel de Bory and the ensign Francois Louis Edme Gabriel Dumaitz of Goimpy, to many hydrographic and astronomical observations (especially on the solar eclipse of October 26, 1753 in Aveiro, Portugal).

Flag Captain of Marshal Hubert de Brienne Conflans on the ship of 80 guns Royal Sun from June 1 to November 21, 1759, he participated in the Battle of the Cardinals delivered on November 20, 1759, to the squadron of the English Admiral Sir Edward Hawke. At the end of the fight, his ship was deliberately stranded at Croisic and burned to prevent the enemy from seizing it.

He commanded the 74-gun ship the Six-Corps from June 17 to October 1, 1763, then the 74-gun ship Scepter from May 15, 1764, but he died on board on May 23.

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The Marquis de Conflans.



The son of Henri Jacob marquis de Conflans and Marie du Bouchet, at 15 he was made a knight of the Order of Saint Lazarus and the following year entered the Gardes de la Marine school at Brest.

He then served in the War of the Spanish Succession under Duquesne-Guitton (from 1708 to 1709) and Duguay-Trouin (1710), in which he received his baptism of fire, taking part in the capture of an English vessel then a Portuguese merchantman.

In 1712, he was made ensign and participated in several anti-pirate operations in the Caribbean and on the Moroccan coast. In 1721, he was sent on a mission to Constantinople, and then in 1723 cruised along the coast of Saint-Domingue and took part in the repression of the troubles there.

First commands and governor-general of Saint-Dominique.


He was made lieutenant in 1727 and carried out two campaigns in the Mediterranean. Then, in 1731, he served as lieutenant of the gardes de la Marine at Rochefort. The following year he was made knight of the Order of Saint Louis and from 1733 to 1734 commanded a flotilla charged with guarding the transport of men and munitions to Cayenne and Martinique. That same year, he was promoted to captain, and served again under Duguay Trouin then under the marquis d'Antin during the War of the Polish Succession.

In 1741, he commanded the gardes de la Marine school at Brest, where he had begun his career. Eventually, he was put in command of the Content and captured the English vessel Northumberland on 8 May 1744. On board the Terrible he escorted Atlantic convoys and in 1746 took the Severn.

In 1747, he was made governor-general of Saint-Domingue, but on the voyage to take up the post his vessel was attacked by the English and he was wounded and captured. He was not freed until 1748, in the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, on which he was made "chef d'escadre", a role he held up to 1751. In 1752 he became lieutenant général of the navy.

Seven Years' War and the battle of Quiberon Bay.


In 1756 he received the rank of vice-admiral of the Ponant (roughly, the Atlantic fleet). In 1758, King Louis XV made him a Marshal of France in reward for his service.

Planned invasion.


In 1759, he was put in charge with landing troops in Scotland for an invasion of England organised by Louis XV, Nicolas René Berryer and the marshal of Belle-Isle, and named "le Grand Dessein de débarquement". Command of the expeditionary force was given to Emmanuel-Armand de Richelieu, duc d'Aiguillon. Relations between Conflans and Aiguillon were far from cordial and, in effect, Conflans disagreed with the conduct of the campaign by his superiors and informed the king that he was anxious to avoid battle with the British fleet under Admiral Hawke. The fleet was mustered in the gulf of Morbihan, and it was there that Conflans had to start his escort duties. Nevertheless, he had to annihilate the division of commodore Robert Duff which had crossed into the area. Finally, Hawke momentarily relaxed his blockade of Brest in order to avoid a storm and Conflans got out of Brest on 14 November.
Opposing currents diverted the marshal from his initial route and Conflans did not sight Belle Isle until the 20th. Meanwhile, Hawke had been warned of Conflans's departure and moved to block his path. On 20 November on a stormy sea, Conflans sighted Duff's division fleeing and gave the order to attack it, but as victory seemed in Conflans's hands, Hawke's fleet sighted Conflans's. Duff then put about so that Conflans turn aside to chase him, thus allowing Hawke to bring his fleet into line of battle and begin pursuing the French fleet. Conflans decided to sail into Quiberon Bay, little known to the English, and engage Hawke there, even though Hawke had caught up with Conflans just as the French fleet began to enter the bay. Hawke nevertheless joined battle and destroyed two French vessels and forced two others to strike their colours. Conflans moved to the safety of a ship in his rear, but night soon put a temporary end to the battle.

During the night, Conflans's flagship, the Soleil Royal ran aground, without his knowing, within only a few cable lengths of the British fleet. When dawn rose, he realized the danger that awaited him and sailed across the Croisic to embark on the French vessel Héros. He then burned his flagship after evacuating it.

Aftermath and final years.

On his return to Brest, Conflans would not only have to explain his defeat but also his burning of his flagship. His choice to engage in the bay of Quiberon was criticized, because it reckoned without the audacity of Hawke. The reasons for his decision to abandon his vessel remain obscure. He was reproached for it at the time.



Disgraced, he passed his last years in Paris where he died in 1777. His post of vice admiral of the Ponant would be given to Joseph de Bauffremont, his subaltern at Quiberon Bay.

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Captain Alain Nogérée de la Filière.



Origins and family. Google translation.

Alain Nogérée de la Filière was born in Soubise on February 15th, 1701 and was baptized on the 30th of the same month in the church of Saint-Pierre de Soubise1. He is the son of Alain I of Nogérée of the Filière, teaches then lieutenant of the vessels of the king, and Jeanne Senat du Chatenet. In August 1735, he married Marie-Françoise-Charlotte from Clairambault in Plounéour-Ménez, then Élisabeth-Antoinette Héron in July 1741 in Rochefort1.

Career.

Alain Nogérée de la Filière commits himself as a marine guard on March 25, 17162. He becomes a lieutenant on May 1, 17412.

As captain of the East, he took part in the battle of the Cardinals, November 20, 1759. the ship is part of the 21 ships of the squadron that is gathered in Brest to attempt a landing in England3. The East bears the mark of the squadron commander Budes de Guébriant who commands the French vanguard (7 vessels), itself under the orders of Marshal Conflans. It is one of eight ships that leave the battlefield to take refuge in Rochefort

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Captain René Villars de la Brosse-Raquin.

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Nationality French
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth1704
First Known Service27.9.1718
Date of Death19.6.1776

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
10.6.1733		Sous-Lieutenant de Vaisseau
1.5.1741		Capitaine de Vaisseau
1756		Le Guerrier (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.5.1756		Battle of Minorca
1759		Le Glorieux (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay

Origins and family. Google translation.

René Villars de la Brosse comes from the House of Villars, an old noble family from Palice en Bourbonnais. The House of Villars is known since Itier de Vilars (circa 1090). He is the son of Claude Villars de La Brosse (? -1737), lieutenant on 1 January 1703.

Career in the King's Navy.

He entered the King's Navy in 1711 as a volunteer. He joined a companion of the Navy on September 27, 1718.

He began his career in the artillery marine artillery aid on September 16, 1726, he was promoted to lieutenant artillery June 10, 1733, then lieutenant artillery on May 1, 1741 and captain of artillery on January 1, 17462.

During the War of Austrian Succession, he served in the detachment of the Navy troops sent to Louisiana in 1739-1740, then served in Flanders in 1743 at 1745. Peace returned, he was appointed ordinary member of the Navy Academy on July 30, 1752 (retired in 1769). In 1755, he was assigned to the forges of Saint-Gervais.He continued his progress and was appointed general commissioner of artillery July 25, 1754.

When the Seven Years' War broke out, he passed on the vessels of the King. In 1756 he commanded the Warrior, a 74-gun ship on which he took part in the Battle of Menorca (May 20, 1756) against Admiral Byng's English squadron and the capture of Port Mahon. Three years later, he commanded Le Glorieux (74), with which he participated in the Battle of the Cardinals (November 20, 1759) before assuming temporary command of the group of warships refugees in the Vilaine.As a result of the battle, seven ships of the line and four frigates retreat into the Vilaine whose headwinds and the presence of the English prevent them from leaving.

The Secretary of State of the Navy, Berryer, preoccupied with saving money, talks about disarming buildings that have become useless. The officers protest. The minister replied dryly "not to add mad spending to a very great evil. New protest, noisy and collective, officers; they ask to be brought before a court of war, "the only competent judge," they say, "to judge facts denatured by indecent and false relations. The conflict between the minister and the officers ends with the annulment of the officers and the internment at the castle of Saumur of Mr. Villars de La Brosse, the author of the letter to the minister. Locked under an order of the king of 14 February 1760, Villars de La Brosse is released by an order of 1 December 17613.

His disgrace lasted only one time since he was promoted to head of the artillery brigade on January 15, 1762, he received the rank of brigadier of the naval armies on March 25, 1765, and that of squadron commander of the navies on March 15 August 17712. He is Commander of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louis; at his death, his charge passes to the Comte de Breugnon.

He died June 19, 1776 in Rochefort, in his 71st year, without issue.

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Captain Fragnier de Vienne.

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Nationality French
Roles Naval Sailor

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1759		Robuste (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay

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Captain André d'Urtubie.






Origins and family.

André d'Urtubie, born June 1, 1707 in Urrugne, is the son of Henri d'Urtubie (1669 - 1731) and Jeanne de Laborde. His father, whose names and titles are Henri de Gamboa of Alzaté, knight, viscount of Urtubie was himself a captain of the king and commands the navy of Bayonne.

Career.

André d'Urtubie enlisted as a naval officer on July 23, 1724. He became a lieutenant on May 1, 1741, then captain on April 1, 1748. He joined the rank of squadron leader on October 1, 1764.

In 1757, he was present at Louisbourg, on Île Royale, as commander of the Dauphin Royal, in the important naval concentration to defend the place. He then took part in the battle of the Cardinals on the same ship, November 20, 1759, in the white squadron commanded by Joseph-Marie Budes de Guébriant. Fleeing the battlefield after the engagement that saw the destruction of the rear guard, he manages to escape to Rochefort.

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Captain Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche.





Origins and family.

Google translation.

Coming from one of the founding families of the French colony in Martinique, he is also related to several famous sailors. Born March 31, 1709, or March 31, 1710 (he will not remember it very well in his old age and the American War will prevent him from obtaining his baptismal certificate), Mr. Le Vassor de La Touche is a Creole from Martinique. He is the second of seven children2. He is the eldest brother of Charles-Auguste Levassor of La Touche-Tréville, squadron leader in 1776 and Lieutenant General of the navies in 1779, who will stand out during the American Revolutionary War. His father, Charles-Lambert The Vassor of La Touche was born November 11, 1676 in Lamentin. On August 11, 1700, at the age of 24, he married in Fort Royal the daughter of Louis de Mallevault de la Varenne, "Commander for the King at the Fort".


Military career.

He joined a naval guards company in 1726. A nunner in 1733, he was promoted to lieutenant in 1741. Received Knight of Saint-Louis (1744), he received a commission of captain of ship in 1751.

Seven Years War.

General Captain Coast Guard of Croisic, captain of the king, inspector of the troops of the navy. On November 20, 1759, at the Battle of the Cardinals delivered in the bay of Quiberon, he commanded the ship The Dragon, 64 guns, with which he was forced to seek refuge in the mouth of the Vilaine.

Governor of Martinique and the Windward Islands.

He is a candidate for the succession of Beauharnais in 1760. January 18, 1760, Berryer, the Secretary of State for the Navy writes: "It is proposed to His Majesty, to be willing to hand over this choice at the end of this year or in the beginning and, in the meantime, to give a commission of the general commander of the Isles of the Wind, to the Sieur Vassor de la Touche, captain of ships, who is to command a squadron destined for these islands, and from which he will confide the command. after his arrival at Martinique, to the oldest captain of the same squadron. His Majesty having defended that he was appointed to the posts of governor general of the colonies, persons who had dwellings. The Sieur the Vassor who possesses property in Martinique, can have no other title than that of acting commander ... By this means we will avoid the discussions that could be between the Sieur de Beauhamais and the Sieur the Vassor.

During the stay of the squadron at Martinique, the Marquis de Beauhamais will be able to arrange for his return, and that of his family, by the frigate who is to pass to San Domingo the new steward of this colony. The presence of the Sieur Vassor who is allied with the main families of the Windward Islands and who during the different campaigns in these colonies, has been able to reconcile the spirit of the inhabitants, will be able to revive their zeal and dispel the impressions that the domination Englishmen in Guadeloupe could do them. "He forced the blockade imposed by the English in the mouth of the Charente in December 1760 aboard the frigate Hebe to reach Martinique. He is governor of Martinique and general commander of the Windward Islands from 1761 to 13 February 1762.

Besieged by the English squadrons in the Caribbean Sea, and seeing no help from France, he must resolve to give the island to the English in 1762. He was promoted to the rank of squadron of naval armies in 1771, then commander of the Navy at Rochefort in 1775.He was made lieutenant general of the navies in 1779.


He died on April 13, 1781 in Paris. At his death, he has so much debt that Louis XV, to leave intact the memory of a brave sailor, entrusts the creditors of the estate, as compensation, a building of the State to make commercial navigation to their profit.

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Captain Louis-Vincent de Langle.





Louis-Vincent, Earl of Langle, was born on November 2, 1714 in Brest.

He enlisted as a marine guard on the 6th of February 1730.
He became a lieutenant on the 1st of January 1746, and was posted on the Achilles.

He was appointed captain of the ship on May the 17th, 1756. His next command was the Solitaire.

In 1759, in command of the the Solitaire, he was part of the squadron of 21 ships under Marshal Hubert de Brienne Conflans concentrated in Brest for a landing in England..

He took part in the battle of the Cardinals (Quiberon bay) on November the 20th, 1759, in the white squadron - the squadron that formed the battle body so named, was commanded by Marshal Conflans himself from the flagship, the Royal Sun. In the aftermath of this lost battle, the Solitaire was part of the group of eight ships that fled to the island of Aix and Rochefort..

He retired from active service on September 16, 1764.

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Captain Antoine de Marges de Saint-Victoret.



Antoine de Marges de Saint-Victoret entered the Navy on September 9, 1732. He then became guard of the Admiral Pavilion on December 18, 1732. He was then ensign and lieutenant of infantry on May 1, 1741, lieutenant of the ship May 17, 1751, Captain on April 17, 1757, Brigadier of the Naval Armies January 8, 1767, Commander of the Brigade of Bordeaux on March 10, 1773. He ended his career as retired with provisions of squadron leader April 14 1776.

From June 24, 1733 to March 21, 1734, as a marine guard, he was aboard the 70-gun ship Le Conquérant, du Diamant from April 28, 1735 to March 1, 1736, and from Ardent from July 27, 1740 to April 28, 1741 , who took an active part in the battle against an English squadron of six ships off Cape Tiburon (west of Santo Domingo), January 18 and 19, 1741.

Ensign of ship, it serves on the Vigilant7 from April 3 to May 19, 1745, with mission to supply Louisbourg. He was taken prisoner with the crew of the Vigilant on May 20, 1745 by the English squadron of Peter Warren and was not released until March 19, 1746. On January 1, 1748, he embarked on the Magnanimous. He was again taken prisoner when Nottingham captured his ship on the 31st of the same month.
He had become an ordinary member of the Naval Academy on July 30, 1752, being the author of numerous publications concerning maneuvering, packing and rigging for the Academy's dictionary.

He obtained his first command on August 9, 1756 on the Savage, which he kept until March 21, 1758,during which time he took part in the battle of Cap-Français on October 21, 1757.

He received the command of Tonnant from April 29, 1759 to January 22, 1760 and took part in the battle of the Cardinals November 20, 1759. He then passes on the Hector on March 7, 1763, keeping this command until June 18, 1763.

Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
9.9.1732		Garde de la Marine
24.6.1733	21.3.1733/34	Conquérant (70), Garde de la Marine
28.4.1735	1.3.1735/36	Le Diamant (50), Garde de la Marine
27.7.1740	28.4.1741	L'Ardent (64), Garde de la Marine
7.1.1740/41		Action of 1741-01-07
1.5.1741		Enseigne de Vaisseau
1745	19.5.1745	Le Vigilant (64), Enseigne de Vaisseau
1.1.1747/48	31.1.1747/48	Le Magnanime (74), Enseigne de Vaisseau
31.1.1747/48		Action of 1748/01/31
17.5.1751		Lieutenant de Vaisseau
9.8.1756	17.4.1757	La Sauvage (32), Lieutenant de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
17.4.1757		Capitaine de Vaisseau
17.4.1757	21.3.1758	La Sauvage (32), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
21.10.1757		Forrest's Action
29.4.1759	21.1.1760	Le Tonnant (80), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
7.3.1763	18.6.1763	Le Hector (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
8.1.1767		Brigadier des Armées Navales
14.4.1776		Chef d'escadre retiré

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Captain Charles-Hyacinthe-Auguste, The Mercerel de Chasteloger.






Origins and family. (google translation.)

Charles-Hyacinthe-Auguste The Mercerel de Chasteloger comes from the family Le Mercerel de Chasteloger, a family of the nobility of Brittany, from Noyal-sur-Vilaine in the diocese of Rennes. His relatives live in Fougères (in Saint-Léonard parish), while others live in Maine. The lordship of Chasteloger - under the fief of Saint-Brice - is located parish of Ferré, near Louvigné-du-Désert.

He was born around 1698, in Saint-Denis-de-Gastines, in the diocese of Le Mans (where his elder brothers Joseph were baptized on September 3, 1696, and Jean-René on May 4, 1699), either in Rennes, whose mother is from (Saint-Jean parish), and where her parents were married in 1693. He is one of the three sons of Joseph-Hyacinthe The Mercerel de Chastelroger (1665-v.1731) and Jeanne de Serizay. His grandfather is the second cousin of the chiefs of Nos (1645-1701) and Nos de Champmeslin (v.1653- 1726) squadrons, his father is the cousin of the squadron commander of Nos ( 1677-1747) and of Madame de Chavagnac, wife of the squadron chief of that name, to his generation, he is the cousin of the fourth squadron commander of Nos.

Career in the French Royal Navy.

He entered young into the King's Navy. He was about fifteen years old when he joined a companion of Guards of the Navy in 1715. He was promoted guard of the flag in 1720, then ensign in 1727 and lieutenant in 1738.

In 1741, Mercerel de Chasteloger must descend to the ignominy of giving d'Hozier the spelling of his name, since he is the only adult of his name, he belongs to a family totally unknown to the genealogists of the King's orders.
He is consequent to this made knight of Saint-Louis by Louis XV during the promotion of January 1st, 1742.

Mr. de Chasteloger received a certificate as captain of the ship on January 1, 1746. He appears in the general list of the Navy of 1749. He served this rank during the Seven Years' War. On November 20, 1759, he is at the battle of the Cardinals. On this occasion he captains the Intrepid, 74 canons, with which he is forced to find refuge in Rochefort. He was elevated to the rank of squadron commander of the navies during the promotion of 1 January 17611. He commanded the Navy in Rochefort between 1762 and his death.

The Squadron Leader of Chasteloger died in Brest on December 5, 1763, at about age 65.

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Captain Guy-François de Coëtnempren (Comte de Kersaint)

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Nationality French
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth7.6.1703 - Brézal
First Known Service1718

Last Known Service20.11.1759
Date of Death20.11.1759

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1703		Appointed Comte de Kersaint
1722		Garde de la Marine
1731		Enseigne de Vaisseau
1741		Lieutenant de Vaisseau
1744		La Meduse (16), Lieutenant de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
1745	1746	La Renommée (30), Lieutenant de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
1746		Appointed Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur
1747		Capitaine de Vaisseau
1747		L'Alcide (64), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
25.3.1747		Action of 25 March 1747
20.6.1747		Action of 1747-06-20
1757		L'Intrépide (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
21.10.1757		Forrest's Action
1759	20.11.1759	Le Thésée (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay

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Origins and youth.

Guy-François de Kersaint came from a family of the Breton nobility of chivalric extraction dating back to the time of the Crusades. He entered the French Royal Navy at the age of fifteen. He was the eldest of the two sons of Jacques IV de Coëtnempren, lord of Kersaint and his wife, Yvonne-Catherine de Pentrès. His brother, Joseph-Olympe, was rector of Ploërdut from 1738 to 1761.


Military career.

Appointed naval officer in 1722, after the campaign of Santo Domingo, then guard of the flag in 1727 during the campaign of Tripoli. He took part in various expeditions. In 1731, at the end of the Louisiana campaign, he was promoted to lieutenant in 1741.

Appointed harbor lieutenant in Le Havre, he married Jeanne-Armande Eustache de l'Écluse, daughter of an alderman of the city, and received in 1744 the command of La Méduse with the mission to cross on the coasts of the Channel, then La fame.

In 1745, Kersaint, in command of La Renommée, was stopped at the bay of Aboutoux on Île Royale off Newfoundland, by the English and forced two enemy frigates to give him passage. Seriously wounded, he left the command at La Motte-Picquet In 1746, aboard La Renommée, he forced the English blockade at Louisbourg, Île Royale. Then, off Newfoundland, he boarded a vessel of 800 tons and 28 guns, the Prince d'Orange, which carried the governor of New York and the papers of his government.

The same year, off the Azores he took part in a four-day fight against two enemy ships, lost a large part of his crew and once more suffered a serious injury. On his return to France, he had to pass the English squadron, who had twelve ships, and wished to prevent him from entering Lorient, in the engagement he received a further three wounds. For this action he was knighted with the order of St. Louis.

In 1747, Kersaint was appointed captain of the ship L'Alcide in the Indian Sea. Here he thwarted Commodore Peyton's search for him, and manages to disembark the relief sent to Dupleix at Pondicherry.

In 1756, he was called to the command of a squadron and was assigned to seize all English ships on the coast of Guinea. He was attacked on the 21st of October, 1757, near the Caicos, by three English vessels. For several hours he fought with the greatest valor, and, though almost completely helpless, and receiving a further nine wounds, he forced his enemy to retreat. On March 24, 1758, he received a pension of 1,000 livres on the order of St. Louis.

On 21 November 1759, at the Battle of Quiberon, Kersaint commanded The Theseus, a ship of 74 guns. Admiral Hawke, after having cut off the French line, attacked the Royal Sun, the French flagship. Kersaint, seeing this maneuver, acted bravely and arrived to prevent his chief from being overwhelmed. Unfortunately, he neglected, whilst tacking, to close the ports of his guns, and Theseus was overwhelmed by the sea along with the valiant commander and his 600 crewmen including two of his sons, Jacques Guy- François and Guy-François.
Only twenty-two men who could swim survived.

His other sons Guy Pierre de Kersaint and Armand de Kersaint also distinguished themselves as sailors.

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Captain Jean-Pierre-René-Séraphin du Tertre de Montalais

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Nationality French
Roles Naval Sailor
First Known Service 22.5.1713
Last Known Service 20.11.1759
Date of Death 20.11.1759

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Event History

Date from	Date to	Event
1731		Enseigne de Vaisseau
1.5.1741		Lieutenant de Vaisseau
17.5.1751		Capitaine de Vaisseau
1759	20.11.1759	Le Superbe (74), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay

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He enlisted as a naval officer on May 22, 1713. He then became ensign in 1731, lieutenant on May 1, 1741and finally captain of the ship on May 17, 1751.

On November 20, 1759, the Superb, commanded by Montalais, took part in the battle of the Cardinals. The French rearguard was overtaken by the first British ships, the Torbay, the Resolution, the Warspite and Dorsetshire. The first shots are exchanged from 2.30 pm. Around 4.30 pm, the Royal George and the Royal Sun - the latter being protected by the Superb, the Intrepid and the Thunder - face each other. While the Royal Sun manages to disengage, the Superb sinks sideways at 16:41 with 630 crewmen on board, "while from the tops, the grenadiers still fire on the enemy.

As for the Theseus around 4 pm, is sinking due to the entrance of the sea through the open ports of the lower battery. According to Alfred Doneaud du Plan, a precipitous tack, the accuracy of the English firing, the late closing of the ports after a shot by a crew little trained, or even the pride of the captain refusing to see the danger presented by the open ports, are the cause of this disastrous water entry. For Olivier Chaline, the Superb having only 70 guns against the 100 pieces of the Royal George, tries to reduce the disadvantage by deploying the heavy guns of his lower battery. The sea then rushes through the open gunports of the ship, which is, in addition, losing the the wind to his opponent. It is a two edged weapon, taken advantage of by the Royal George, The Superb disappears under the waves.

Some Superb men are rescued by the British.

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Captain Vincent-Jean de Bellingant (Comte de Bellingant)

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Nationality French
Roles Naval Sailor
Date of Birth17.6.1700 - Lannilis
First Known Service18.10.1718
WifeMarie-Anne-Jaquette de La Haye
Last Known Service4.8.1775
Date of Death4.8.1775 - Lannion

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Event History.

Date from	Date to	Event
		Appointed Comte de Bellingant
		Appointed Seigneur de Crenan
5.4.1738		Lieutenant de Vaisseau
1.4.1748		Capitaine de Vaisseau
1759		Le Northumberland (64), Capitaine de Vaisseau and Commanding Officer
20.11.1759		Battle of Quiberon Bay
16.9.1764		Chef d'escadre

Vincent-Jean de Bellingant (or Belingant), Earl of Bellingant, lord of Crenan, born June 17, 1700 was an officer of the French Royal navy and aristocrat of the eighteenth century. He served during the Seven Years' War. Commander of ships, he ended his career with the rank of squadron commander of the navies. He was also knight of the royal and military order of Saint-Louis.

Biography.

Vincent-Jean de Bellingant enlisted as a naval officer on October 18, 1718. He became a lieutenant on April 1, 1738, then captain on April 1, 1748. He joined the rank of squadron leader on September 16, 1764.

Commander of the Northumberland, he participated on November the 20th 1759 in the Battle of the Cardinals. When Admiral Conflans turned to help his rearguard aboard the Royal Sun, his flagship, Northumberland was the second ship to follow the maneuver of his leader. During the night following the battle, Northumberland sailed with eight other ships (including the Tonnant and Prince Bauffremont) for the Charente and Rochefort. After waiting at the Ile-d'Aix, they quickly returned to the Charente to escape the British, Keppel and his division soon block the river. This blockade lasted until the Treaty of Paris in February 1763.

He married Marie-Anne-Jaquette from The Hague. The couple had two children, Jean-Marie-Louis de Bellingant and Jeanne-Françoise de Bellingant.
Bellingant died at Lannion on the 4th of August 1775.

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Captain Pierre-Bernardin Thierry.




Pierre-Bernardin Thierry, Marquis de La Prévalaye, La Roche and Montbourcher, born June 16, 1711 in Rennes and died in the same city December 26, 1786, was a French naval officer and aristocrat of the XVIII century. He served in the French Royal Navy and ended his career with the rank of Wing Commander of the Naval Forces and Commander of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louis. He was director of the port and commander of the navy in Brest.

Biography.

Pierre-Bernardin Thierry hails from the Thierry family (sometimes spelled Thiéry), a Breton family enriched through trade - the Thierry were the main bankers of Anne of Brittany - and ennobled. Son of François-Hyacinthe Thierry, lord of La Prevallais and his wife, Perrine de La Roche-Macé. His father was"Captain of the King's Vessels" and Knight of St. Louis.


He entered the King's Navy at the age of eighteen and joined a naval guard company on May the 3rd 1729. He then climbed up the ranks of the hierarchy of this corpsand was finally promoted to ensign on July 1st 1735.

In 1742 he was sent to serve in Canada. He was elevated to the rank of lieutenant on the 1st January 1746. In 1755, he returned to Canada in the fleet under the command of Dubois de La Motte. On this occasion, he commanded Le Brunel, a frigate of 32 guns, and received on his return a commission as captain of the ship on May the 15th 1756. He received command of the station of the Antilles.

Appointed commander of L'Éveillé, he participated in the battle of the Cardinals on November the 20th, 1759.

In 1778, he was in charge of supervising the armament of the fleet sent to support the American insurgents revolted in the Thirteen colonies. He ended his career with the rank of Wing Commander of the Naval Forces and Commander of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louiswhich had been awarded in 1779. He was director of the port and commander of the navy in Brest.
He died on December the 26th 1786 in his hotel parish of St-Étienne, and was buried on December 27, at his childhood church, Toussaints of Rennes "in the presence of the Messeigneurs the commissioners of the States and the clergy"

.Marriage and descent.

In 1742, he married Marie Jeanne Geneviève de Robien de (born in 1724). From this union were born two boys and two girls.

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Captain Louis-Jean de Keremar of Boischâteau.




Birth 27th April 1716.
Death 1794.

French origin.

Allegiance Kingdom of France, French Royal Navy

Captain grade.

Years of service 17 February 1732-26 April 1767

Conflicts.


War of Polish Succession.
War of Succession of Austria.
Seven Years War.
________________________________________


Biography.

Louis-Jean de Kerémar, lord of Boischâteau, Kerphilipe, Grand Chesnay, Gascoin, Ville-Guyomar, Kergomar, Kergony and Rossais, was born on April 27, 1716.

He enlisted as a naval officer on the17th of February 1732. He took part in the siege of Danzig in 1734 during the Polish War of Succession.

He then became a lieutenant on the 11th of January 1746 and ordered the batteries of Lorient the same year during the siege of the region, a clash in the events of the War of the Austrian Succession. He was appointed by the Count de Volvire to carry the news of the raising of the siege to Fontainebleau. His valor at the siege of Dantzig earned him an advancement to the rank of ensign and his behavior at the siege of Lorient earned him the cross of St. Louis which he received from King Louis XV on the recommendation of Volvire.

He was appointed captain of the ship on May the 15th, 1756 and received the command of Le Brillant which, in 1759, was part of the squadron of 21 ships of Marshal Hubert de Brienne Conflans concentrated in Brest for an attempted landing in England. He took part in the battle of the Cardinals on November the 20th, 1759. He was then in the white and blue squadron - the squadron which forms the vanguard so named, was commanded by Joseph de Bauffremont, sporting his pennant on the Tonnant. In the aftermath of the French defeat, Le Brillant took refuge with 6 other ships, the Robust, the Unyielding, the Glorious, the Awakened, the Dragon and the Sphinx, accompanied by two frigates - the Vestal and the Egret - and two corvettes - the Calypso and the Black Prince - in the estuary of the Vilaine.

In 1752 he married Joachine-Mathurine of Kerfaliou du Rechau; the couple had two children, both subsequently engaged in the Navy.
Louis-Jean de Kerémar (or Quérémar), knight, lord of Boischâteau, retired from active service on April the 16th 1767 and died in 1794.