Edward Boscawen
Edward Boscawen | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Old Dreadnought[1]: 281 Wry-necked Dick[1]: 100 |
Born | Tregothnan, Cornwall, England | 19 August 1711
Died | 10 January 1761 Hatchlands Park, Surrey, England | (aged 49)
Buried | |
Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1723–1761 |
Rank | Admiral of the Blue |
Commands held |
|
Battles/wars | Anglo-Spanish War (1727–1729) War of Jenkins' Ear |
Relations | Lieutenant General the Hon. George Boscawen |
Early life
The Honourable Edward Boscawen was born in Tregothnan, Cornwall, England, on 19 August 1711, the third son of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (1680–1734)[3] by his wife Charlotte Godfrey (died 1754) elder daughter and co-heiress of Colonel Charles Godfrey, master of the jewel office by his wife Arabella Churchill, the King's mistress,[4]: 181 and sister of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.[5]
The young Edward joined the navy at the age of 12 aboard
War of Jenkins' Ear
Porto Bello
The War of Jenkins' Ear proved to be Boscawen's first opportunity for action and when Shoreham was declared unfit for service he volunteered to accompany Vernon and the fleet sent to attack
During the siege, Boscawen was ordered with Sir
Cartagena
In 1741 Boscawen was part of the fleet sent to attack another Caribbean port,
War of the Austrian Succession
In 1742 Boscawen returned in Prince Frederick to England, where she was
In 1744 the French attempted an invasion of England and Boscawen was with the fleet under Admiral Norris when the French fleet were sighted. The French under Admiral Rocquefeuil retreated and the British attempts to engage were confounded by a violent storm that swept the English Channel.[11]
Whilst cruising the Channel, Boscawen had the good fortune to capture the French frigate Médée.[4]: 185 She was the first capture of an enemy ship made during the War of Austrian Succession and was commanded by M. de Hocquart. Médée was sold and became a successful privateer[12] under her new name Boscawen commanded by George Walker.[13]
At the end of 1744 Boscawen was given command of
First Battle of Cape Finisterre
In 1747 Boscawen was ordered to join Admiral Anson and took an active part in the first Battle of Cape Finisterre.[15]: 290 [4]: 186 The British fleet sighted the French fleet on 3 May. The French fleet under Admiral de la Jonquière was convoying its merchant fleet to France and the British attacked. The French fleet was almost completely annihilated with all but two of the escorts taken and six merchantmen. Boscawen was injured in the shoulder during the battle by a musket ball.[15]: 291 Once more the French captain, M. de Hocquart became Boscawen's prisoner and was taken to England.[16]
Command in India
Boscawen was promoted rear-admiral of the blue on 15 July 1747
Boscawen returned to England in 1750.
Seven Years' War
On 4 February 1755 Boscawen was promoted vice admiral[4]: 200 and given command of a squadron on the North American Station. A squadron of partially disarmed French ships of the line were dispatched to Canada loaded with reinforcements and Boscawen was ordered to intercept them. The French ambassador to London, the Duc de Mirepoix had informed the government of George II that any act of hostility taken by British ships would be considered an act of war. Thick fog both obstructed Boscawen's reconnaissance and scattered the French ships, but on 8 June Boscawen's squadron sighted the Alcide, Lys and Dauphin Royal off Cape Ray off Newfoundland. In the ensuing engagement the British captured the Alcide and Lys but the Dauphin Royal escaped into the fog.[4]: 200 Amongst the 1,500 men made prisoner was the captain of the Alcide. For M. de Hocquart it was the third time that Boscawen had fought him and taken his ship.[4]: 185 [20][4]: 202 Pay amounting to £80,000 was captured aboard the Lys.[4]: 202 Boscawen, as vice-admiral commanding the squadron, would have been entitled to a sizeable share in the prize money. The British squadron headed for Halifax to regroup but a fever spread through the ships and the Vice-admiral was forced to return to England.[21]
Boscawen returned to the
Siege of Louisburg
In October 1757 Boscawen was second in command under Admiral Edward Hawke. On 7 February 1758 Boscawen was promoted to Admiral of the blue squadron.[24] and ordered to take a fleet to North America. Once there, he took naval command at the siege of Louisburg during June and July 1758.[4]: 202–204 On this occasion rather than entrust the land assault to a naval commander, the army was placed under the command of General Jeffrey Amherst and Brigadier James Wolfe. The siege of Louisburg was one of the key contributors to the capture of French possessions in Canada.[4]: 202–204 Wolfe later would use Louisburg as a staging point for the siege of Quebec. The capture of the town took away from the French the only effective naval base that they had in Canada, as well as leading to the destruction of four of their ships of the line and the capture of another.[25] On his return from North America Boscawen was awarded the Thanks of both Houses of Parliament for his service. The King made Boscawen a Privy Counsellor[26] in recognition for his continued service both as a member of the Board of Admiralty and commander-in-chief.[4]: 205
Battle of Lagos
In April 1759 Boscawen took command of a fleet bound for the Mediterranean. His aim was to prevent another
Final years, death, and legacy
Boscawen returned to England, where he was promoted General of Marines in recognition of his service. He was given the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh. Admiral Boscawen returned to sea for the final time and took his station off the west coast of France around Quiberon Bay. After a violent attack of what was later diagnosed as Typhoid fever, the Admiral came ashore, where, on 10 January 1761, he died at his home in Hatchlands Park in Surrey. His body was taken to St. Michael's Church in St Michael Penkevil, Cornwall, where he was buried. The monument was designed by Robert Adam and sculpted by John Michael Rysbrack.[29] The monument at the church begins:
Edward Boscawen,
Admiral of the Blue, General of Marines,
Lord of the Admiralty, and one of his
Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council.
His birth, though noble,
His titles, though illustrious,
Were but incidental additions to his greatness.[4]: 211
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham and Prime Minister once said to Boscawen: "When I apply to other Officers respecting any expedition I may chance to project, they always raise difficulties, you always find expedients."[30]: 289
Legacy
The town of Boscawen, New Hampshire is named after him.[31] Two ships and a stone frigate of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Boscawen, after Admiral Boscawen, whilst another ship was planned but the plans were shelved before she was commissioned. The stone frigate was a training base for naval cadets and in consequence three ships were renamed HMS Boscawen whilst being used as the home base for the training establishment.[32]
Quotes
Boscawen was quoted as saying "To be sure I lose the fruits of the earth, but then, I am gathering the flowers of the Sea" (1756)[33] and "Never fire, my lads, till you see the whites of the Frenchmen's eyes."[34]
Frances Evelyn Boscawen
In 1742 Boscawen married Frances Evelyn Glanville (1719–1805), with whom he had three sons and two daughters, and who became an important hostess of Bluestocking meetings after his death.[35] The older daughter Frances married John Leveson-Gower, and the younger, Elizabeth married Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort.[36]
References
- ^ a b The Naval Chronicle. Vol. 11. London: I. Gold.
- ^ a b c Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 277–278.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af The Naval Chronicle. Vol. 7. London: I. Gold.
- ^ DCB: "BOSCAWEN, EDWARD"
- ^ "No. 7892". The London Gazette. 11 March 1739. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 8015". The London Gazette. 16 May 1741. pp. 1–2.
- ^ "No. 8662". The London Gazette. 28 July 1747. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 9371". The London Gazette. 11 May 1754. pp. 1–2.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 2)
- ^ Rodger 2006, p. 244
- ^ "No. 8613". The London Gazette. 7 February 1746. p. 2.
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
- ^ a b c The Naval Chronicle. Vol. 8. London: I. Gold.
- ^ British naval biography : comprising the lives of the most distinguished admirals from Howard to Codrington : with an outline of the naval history of England from the Earliest period to the present time. Scott, Webster and Geary. 1840. p. 282.
M. de Hocquart captured.
- ^ "No. 8658". The London Gazette. 14 July 1747. pp. 1–2.
- ^ "No. 9721". The London Gazette. 10 September 1757. p. 1.
- ^ "Sainty, JC, Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660–1870, Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4: Admiralty Officials 1660–1870 (1975), pp. 18–31". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ "No. 9493". The London Gazette. 12 July 1755. p. 1.
- ISBN 978-1504944892.
- ISBN 978-1-84212-607-3.
- ^ Rodger 1979, pp. 51–52
- ^ "No. 9763". The London Gazette. 4 February 1758. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 9818". The London Gazette. 15 August 1758. pp. 1–4.
- ^ "No. 9866". The London Gazette. 30 January 1759. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 9948". The London Gazette. 13 November 1759. p. 5.
- ^ Stewart, p. 45
- ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.338
- ^ The Naval Chronicle. Vol. 10. London: I. Gold.
- ^ Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts: A.J. Coolidge. pp. 424–426.
coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.
- ^ Ballard, p. 33
- ISBN 9780192820846.
- ^ Viator (March 1819). "Cornish Topography". European Magazine, and London Review. Vol. 75. p. 226.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/47078. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "Discover the Naval Temple at The Kymin". National Trust. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
Sources
- Ballard, G. A., Admiral (1980). The Black Battlefleet. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-924-3.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ISBN 0900963948.
- ISBN 978-0141026909.
- Stewart, William (2009). Admirals of the World: A Biographical Dictionary, 1500 to the Present. McFarland & Co. ISBN 978-0-7864-3809-9.