John Amherst
Encyclopedia
Admiral John Amherst (1718 – 14 February 1778) was a Royal Navy
officer served during the First Carnatic War
and the Seven Years' War
, and who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
.
, and his older brothers included Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst and Lieutenant-General William Amherst.
in 1730, and after serving as midshipman
and lieutenant
in the Mediterranean Fleet
under the command of Admirals Nicholas Haddock
and Thomas Mathews
, he was promoted to the rank of captain
in December 1744.
In 1746, during the First Carnatic War
, Amherst was appointed commander of the 50-gun Preston
, and served as flag captain
to Rear-Admiral Griffin, on board the Princess Mary
in the East Indies
.
In 1753 he commissioned the 64-gun which formed part of the fleet sent into North American waters under Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen
in 1755. On entering Halifax Harbour
, Mars ran aground, and was wrecked. Amherst was court-martial
ed, but subsequently acquitted.
On his return to England, was appointed to command the 50-gun , which sailed with Admiral John Byng
to the Mediterranean in March 1756. In the Battle of Minorca
, off Cape Mola on 20 May, the admiral ordered the Deptford to quit the line of battle
, to be ready to assist any ship, as directed. Amherst took no part in the battle, except to assist the disabled . The following year he commanded the 64-gun during the Louisbourg Expedition
, under Francis Holburne
and Boscawen; and in 1761 commanded the 74-gun ship at the capture of Belle Île
.
Afterwards, in 1762, he flew his broad pennant
as senior officer at Gibraltar
. In 1765 he was advanced to flag rank, and in 1776 was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
. He was still holding this command, when he died suddenly at Gosport
, on 14 February 1778, in his 59th year. He was buried in the parish church of Sevenoaks
, Kent
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer served during the First Carnatic War
Carnatic Wars
The Carnatic Wars were a series of military conflicts in the middle of the 18th century on the Indian subcontinent...
and the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, and who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
.
Family
He was the fourth son of lawyer Jeffrey Amherst and Elizabeth Kerrill, of Riverhead, KentRiverhead, Kent
Riverhead, a one-time small village and now a village part of the built-up area to the north of the town Sevenoaks, is also a civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish has a population of around 2500...
, and his older brothers included Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst and Lieutenant-General William Amherst.
Naval career
Amherst joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1730, and after serving as midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
and lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
under the command of Admirals Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock
Nicholas Haddock was an admiral in the British Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament .Haddock, the second son of Admiral Sir Richard Haddock, was destined for a naval career from childhood and first distinguished himself at the age of 16 as a midshipman at the Battle of Vigo in 1702...
and Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews
Thomas Mathews was a British officer of the Royal Navy, who rose to the rank of admiral.Mathews joined the navy in 1690 and saw service on a number of ships, including during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He interspersed periods spent commanding ships with time at home...
, he was promoted to the rank of captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
in December 1744.
In 1746, during the First Carnatic War
Carnatic Wars
The Carnatic Wars were a series of military conflicts in the middle of the 18th century on the Indian subcontinent...
, Amherst was appointed commander of the 50-gun Preston
HMS Salisbury (1698)
HMS Salisbury was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Richard and James Herring at Baileys Hard on the Beaulieu River in Hampshire, England and launched on 18 April 1698....
, and served as flag captain
Flag captain
In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
to Rear-Admiral Griffin, on board the Princess Mary
HMS Mary (1704)
HMS Mary was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 12 May 1704.Orders were issued on 15 December 1736 for Mary to be taken to pieces and rebuilt according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment at Portsmouth, from where she was...
in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
.
In 1753 he commissioned the 64-gun which formed part of the fleet sent into North American waters under Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen
Edward Boscawen
Admiral Edward Boscawen, PC was an Admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall. He is known principally for his various naval commands throughout the 18th Century and the engagements that he won, including the Siege of Louisburg in 1758 and Battle of Lagos...
in 1755. On entering Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
, Mars ran aground, and was wrecked. Amherst was court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed, but subsequently acquitted.
On his return to England, was appointed to command the 50-gun , which sailed with Admiral John Byng
John Byng
Admiral John Byng was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to Vice-Admiral in 1747...
to the Mediterranean in March 1756. In the Battle of Minorca
Battle of Minorca
The Battle of Minorca was a naval battle between French and British fleets. It was the opening sea battle of the Seven Years' War in the European theatre. Shortly after Great Britain declared war on the House of Bourbon, their squadrons met off the Mediterranean island of Minorca. The fight...
, off Cape Mola on 20 May, the admiral ordered the Deptford to quit the line of battle
Line of battle
In naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line end to end. A primitive form had been used by the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama in 1502 near Malabar against a Muslim fleet.,Maarten Tromp used it in the Action of 18 September 1639 while its first use in...
, to be ready to assist any ship, as directed. Amherst took no part in the battle, except to assist the disabled . The following year he commanded the 64-gun during the Louisbourg Expedition
Louisbourg Expedition (1757)
The Louisbourg Expedition was a failed British attempt to capture the French fortress of Louisbourg on Île Royale during the Seven Years' War ....
, under Francis Holburne
Francis Holburne
Admiral Sir Francis Holburne was a Royal Navy officer who also served as a Member of Parliament.-Naval career:Francis entered the Navy in 1720 as a volunteer aboard , passing his examinations in 1725...
and Boscawen; and in 1761 commanded the 74-gun ship at the capture of Belle Île
Capture of Belle Île
The Capture of Belle Île was a British amphibious expedition to capture the French island of Belle Île off the Brittany Coast in 1761, during the Seven Years War. After an initial British attack was repulsed, a second attempt under General Studholme Hodgson forced a beachhead...
.
Afterwards, in 1762, he flew his broad pennant
Broad pennant
A broad pennant is a swallow-tailed tapering flag flown from the masthead of a ship to indicate the presence of a commodore on board. It is so called because its dimensions are roughly 2:3....
as senior officer at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. In 1765 he was advanced to flag rank, and in 1776 was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
. He was still holding this command, when he died suddenly at Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, on 14 February 1778, in his 59th year. He was buried in the parish church of Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.