James Gambier (Royal Navy officer)

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For the Admiral of the Fleet, see James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier.

James Gambier
Born1723
Died28 January 1789 (aged 65–66)
North America Station
Jamaica Station
Battles/wars

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

captain, he commanded HMS Flamborough and HMS Squirrel.[1] Later he commanded HMS Burford and took part in the capture of Louisbourg and the capture of Guadeloupe.[1]

In 1770 he was appointed

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.[1][2] During his time in the post, Gambier was repeatedly accused of corruption and he was despised by many of his contemporaries.[2]

In October 1783 he became commander-in-chief in the Jamaica Station.[3] He was not well liked by his men and was once described as "this penurious old reptile".[2] He retired in 1784.[1]

Captain George Vancouver likely named Gambier Point, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska after Gambier in 1794.[4][5]

Family

Gambier's nephew also became an admiral and later 1st Baron Gambier. Gambier's son, also James Gambier (1772–1844), was British consul-general to the Portuguese royal court from 1803. He followed the court's transfer to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1808, and returned to England in 1814. James Gambier the younger's illegitimate son was Royal Navy officer James Fitzjames, making him James Gambier the elder's grandson.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g James Gambier at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. ^
    doi:10.1111/1468-2281.00116
    .
  3. ^ Cundall, p. xx
  4. OCLC 5045388.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  5. OCLC 1111838457.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  6. ISBN 9781459710733
    .

Sources
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, North American Station
1770–1771 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, North American Station
1778–1779 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Joshua Rowley
 Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station
1783–1784 		Succeeded by
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