John Benbow
Encyclopedia
John Benbow was an English
officer in the Royal Navy
. He joined the navy aged 25 years, seeing action against Algeria
n pirates before leaving and joining the merchant navy
where he traded until the Glorious Revolution
of 1688, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.
Benbow fought against France
during the Nine Years War, serving on and later commanding several English vessels and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head
, Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during campaigns against Salé
and Moor
pirates; laying siege to Saint-Malo
; and fighting in the West Indies against France during the War of the Spanish Succession
.
Benbow's fame and success earned him both public notoriety and a promotion to Admiral. He was then involved in an incident during the Action of August 1702
, where a number of his captains refused to support him while commanding a squadron of ships. Benbow instigated the trial and later imprisonment or execution of a number of the captains involved, though he did not live to see these results. These events contributed to his notoriety, and led to several references to him in subsequent popular culture.
John Partridge
recorded the exact time and date of his birth as being at noon on 10 March 1653, and this is the date used by the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and the local historical accounts of Joseph Nightingale
published in 1818. A biography within an 1819 publication of The Gentleman's Magazine, however, records in a short biography entitled Life and Exploits of Admiral Benbow by D. Parkes that he was born in 1650, as does the 1861 Sea kings and naval heroes by John George Edgar. Edgar records that Benbow's father died when Benbow was very young, while Parkes' account describes his father as being in the service of the Army under Charles I
and not dying until Benbow was in his teens. Encyclopedia Britannica writes that Benbow's father was in fact a tanner
. Meanwhile, his uncle, Thomas, was executed by Charles I. Both Parkes and the National Museum of the Royal Navy concur that Benbow was born in Coton Hill in Shrewsbury
, Shropshire
, and Nightingale asserts that the death of both uncle and father, and the family's association with Charles I in the years following
his execution, ensured that the "family were brought very low." Benbow's lack of possessions, Nightingale writes, turned him to a career at sea.
aboard the 64-gun HMS Rupert
under the command of Captain Arthur Herbert
, whilst she was fitting out at Portsmouth
. He sailed with her to the Mediterranean, where Herbert was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral whilst serving under the commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, Admiral Sir John Narborough
. During this period the English fleet was often in action against the Barbary pirates of North Africa
that were actively preying upon European shipping. The Rupert herself captured an Algerine
warship in 1678, which was later commissioned in the Royal Navy as the HMS Tiger Prize. Benbow distinguished himself well in a number of actions against the Algerine vessels, and won Herbert's approval. On Narborough's return to England, Herbert was appointed acting commander-in-chief, and made Benbow master aboard HMS Nonsuch
on 15 June 1679. The Nonsuch would remain at Tangiers and off the African coast and had a number of successive captains who would go on to achieve flag rank, including George Rooke
, Cloudesley Shovell
and Francis Wheler
. All were impressed by Benbow, and would afterwards help to advance his career.
The Nonsuch was next in action on 8 August 1681, this time against the Algerine warship, the Golden Horse. The Golden Horse had been engaged by HMS Adventure
, under the command of Captain William Booth, and when the Nonsuch arrived on the scene the Golden Horse surrendered. A dispute then arose over the question of the prize money and how it should be shared out, and comments were made amongst the Nonsuchs crew against those of the Adventure. Benbow's repetition of these eventually came to Booth's knowledge, and the captain brought a court-martial
against Benbow, however this revealed that Benbow had only been repeating these words rather than being their originator. Benbow was ordered to forfeit three months' pay, amounting to £12 15s., to the Adventures crew, and to "ask Captain Booth's pardon on board His Majesty's ship Bristol
, declaring that he had no malicious intent in speaking those words; all the commanders being present, and a boat's crew of each ship's company".
and Bristol
to ports in Italy
and Spain
. By 1686 he was a "tough merchant seaman" and the owner and commander of a frigate
named the Benbow, trading with the Levant
. In May 1687 he commanded a merchant vessel, the Malaga Merchant, and was aboard her when she was attacked by a Salé
pirate. He mounted a successful defence and beat off the attack. It was claimed afterwards that he cut off and salted the heads of thirteen Moors
who were slain aboard his ship, and then took them into Cadiz
to claim a reward from the magistrate
s. A Moorish skull-cap
, "coated with varnish and set in silver" and bearing the inscription "First adventure of Captain John Benbow, and gift to Richard Ridley, 1687" is referred to in 1844 by Charles Dickens
in Bentley's Miscellany where he speaks of Shrewsbury's history, and the 1885 Dictionary of National Biography also relates the story.
Benbow only returned to the Navy after the Glorious Revolution
in 1688. His first recorded commission was to the post of third lieutenant of HMS Elizabeth
on 1 June 1689, under the command of Captain David Mitchell. His first command came on 20 September of that year, when he was appointed captain of HMS York
. He was transferred to HMS Bonaventure
on 26 October and then to HMS Britannia
on 12 November.
Benbow's next post was as Master Attendant of Chatham Dockyard
. He then moved to become Master Attendant at Deptford in early March 1690, a post he intermittently held for the next six years. He was master of HMS Sovereign
in summer 1690, under his old commander Arthur Herbert, now Lord Torrington. He was assigned to act as master of the fleet
, and took part in the English defeat in the Battle of Beachy Head
. After the defeat, a Royal Commission
was held into the circumstances that led to it. Benbow was highly regarded as a specialist in both navigation
and pilotage
, and his evidence given in July 1690 to the preliminary investigation strongly favoured his old patron, Torrington. He did not however testify during Torrington's court-martial in December that year.
Benbow continued aboard the Sovereign throughout 1691, and by the summer of 1692, was again master of the fleet, this time under Admiral Edward Russell
, then aboard the Britannia. Benbow worked closely with his old colleague David Mitchell, then serving as Russell's first captain, and Josiah Burchett
, Russell's clerk. Benbow may have advised Russell to take the Gull Passage inside the Goodwin Sands
to the Downs
, where they linked up with the Dutch forces. Benbow served as master of the fleet during the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue. After the battles, Benbow returned to Deptford to resume his duties as master attendant, spending a brief period at Portsmouth Dockyard helping to oversee repairs to the fleet. He had already had his pay upgraded to that of a master attendant, he was now to be paid as a master, in addition to his master attendant's wage, presumably as an acknowledgement of his special services.
, the second engineer of the ordnance, in jointly commanding a flotilla of bomb vessel
s to attack Saint-Malo
. Benbow went aboard the 48-gun HMS Norwich
and began the bombardment on 16 November. It continued intermittently until 19 November when a large fireship was sent into the harbour. An attempt was made to bring her alongside the town walls, but she ran aground, was set fire to and then exploded. Despite the failure of the initial plan, considerable damage was done, and Benbow's forces were able to take the fort on Quince Rock and disabled it, carrying artillery and prisoners away and bringing them to Guernsey
. Benbow was still dissatisfied with the overall result and initiated a court-martial against Captain Henry Tourville, accusing him of cowardice for not bringing his ship in closer. There was no conviction though, as the mortars
were proved to be defective.
Benbow's experience led to him being promoted to a similar flotilla, this time to be deployed against Dunkirk under the command of Vice-Admiral Shovell. A number of converted merchant vessels, rigged like fireships but designed to explode rather than burn, were assigned to support the expedition. Benbow had a hand in preparing these vessels for the operation throughout 1694, and worked closely with the principal storekeeper of the ordnance, Willem Meesters. Benbow's attacking fleet was covered by Shovell's fleet on the Downs and the attack was planned for 12 and 13 September. The French were able to block the entrance to the port though, preventing Benbow's squadron from entering, and a storm further disrupted operations. Benbow drew back from Dunkirk, and instead sailed around to Calais
, where he carried out a further bombardment on 27 September. He returned to the Downs and then resumed his duties at Deptford Dockyard. He spent December organising a convoy for a fleet of merchant vessels due to sail to Cadiz.
Benbow was soon at sea again in March 1695, being appointed commander-in-chief of His Majesty's ships which were then off the coast of France. His squadron was highly successful, taking a number of French merchants in early April and bringing them to England as prizes. Benbow was recommended by Lord Berkeley
, who had served with Benbow at Saint-Malo, to be promoted to Rear-Admiral at the next opportunity, and in the meantime he was appointed to the command of the 70-gun HMS Northumberland
. He was soon joined by a volunteer – his then fourteen year old son – also named John Benbow. Benbow then sailed with Berkeley and the Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral Philips van Almonde
to Saint-Malo, intending to operate against privateer
ing operations being conducted from the area. Benbow moved to command HMS Charles Galley
, to direct the inshore operations of ten English and Dutch warships, nine English bomb vessels, and seventeen small boats and vessels. They began operations on their arrival off Saint-Malo on 4 July, remaining in action until evening the next day when they withdrew, without having achieved any decisive result. Several houses had been destroyed for the damage and loss of a few of the bomb vessels. Benbow was given eight bomb vessels and seven or eight frigates and was dispatched down the coast. He attacked Granville
on 8 July, shelling it with over 900 bombs over several hours, and departed having set the town ablaze.
However the Admiralty
approved of Benbow's conduct and ordered him "to be paid as Rear-Admiral during the time he has been employed this summer on the coast of France ... as a reward for his good service." Benbow was then appointed to the grand committee of sixty men to oversee the plans for Greenwich Hospital in December 1695, but the issue dragged on until 1 May 1696. The Admiralty again stepped in and Benbow was finally promoted and appointed commander-in-chief of the squadron before Dunkirk as "Rear-Admiral of the Blue for the duration of this present expedition" and moved aboard the 70-gun HMS Suffolk
. His orders were to protect English and Dutch shipping, especially from the squadron of the privateer Jean Bart
. Bart was mostly successful in evading pursuit however, usually escaping into Dunkirk when Benbow's force drew near.
Benbow was appointed to command a squadron in the Soundings in December 1696. He carried out a number of cruises between March and August 1697, protecting allied trade and escorting the West Indian and Virginian merchant fleets into port. These activities marked the last English naval expedition of the war. He also carried out reconnaissance activities on the French fleet in port in Brest
in July, before resuming patrol operations off Dunkirk, this time in concert with a number of Dutch ships under Rear-Admiral Philips van der Goes, until the end of the war in September 1697.
. He sailed in November, the first leg taking him from Portsmouth to Madeira
. Sailing under his protection from the Salé pirates was the Paramore
, under Edmond Halley
, then sailing to the North Atlantic to carry out experiments to observe magnetic variations
. Benbow finally reached Barbados
in February 1699, and moved to the Spanish Main
aboard his flagship
, the 60-gun HMS Gloucester
. He threatened the governor of Cartagena
with a blockade, and so compelled him to restore two English merchant ships that he had detained. These ships had been intended to take part in an expedition against the Scottish Darién scheme
. Without the ships, this became impossible and the colonists were saved for the time being. This was counter to the English government's desire to see the end of the Scottish colonising efforts, and in June Benbow and the other West Indies governors received orders "not to assist the Scotch colony in Darien."
Benbow then sailed as far north as Newfoundland
in order to drive the pirates away, but they evaded capture. Benbow returned to England in the summer of 1700, and was appointed to the command of a fleet in the Downs. Benbow served there until summer 1701, under the command of Admiral Sir George Rooke
. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red on 14 April, followed by Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 30 June. He then flew his flag in the 70-gun HMS Breda
.
be made". Benbow's squadron was detached on 2 September and sailed for the West Indies, arriving on 14 November, and was at Jamaica
in mid-December. He remained here for the several months, being joined on 8 May 1702 by several vessels under Captain William Whetstone
. Whetstone was made Rear-Admiral under Benbow, who had been promoted to Vice-Admiral of the White on 19 January 1702 By now the War of the Spanish Succession
had broken out, and news of its declaration reached Benbow on 7 July. He detached Whetstone and six ships to search off Port St Louis in Hispaniola
for a French squadron under Admiral Jean du Casse
, which it was believed would call at the port on his voyage to Cartagena, from where he might raid English and Dutch shipping. After Whetstone had left, Benbow took his squadron and sailed for Cartagena, anticipating that either he or Whetstone would find Du Casse and bring him to battle.
By the time Whetstone had reached Hispaniola, Du Casse had already departed. Benbow's force subsequently sighted the French on 19 August, sailing off Cape Santa Marta. The French had four warships, carrying between 68 and 70 guns, and three transports, whilst Benbow commanded seven ships, carrying between 50 and 70 guns. The English forces were heavily scattered, and the light winds meant that they were slow to regroup. They did not achieve a form of collective order until four in the afternoon, after which a partial engagement
was fought, lasting about two hours, until nightfall caused the fleets to temporarily break off.
The action quickly revealed a breakdown in discipline amongst Benbow's captains. He had intended that the 64-gun HMS Defiance
under Captain Richard Kirkby would lead the line of battle, but Kirkby was not maintaining his station. Benbow decided to take the lead himself, and the Breda pulled ahead, followed by the 50-gun HMS Ruby
under Captain George Walton. The two maintained contact with the French throughout the night, but the other five ships refused to close. The chase ensued until 24 August, with only Benbow, Walton and Samuel Vincent aboard HMS Falmouth
making active efforts to bring the French to battle. At times they bore the brunt of the fire of the entire squadron. The Ruby was disabled on 23 August, and Benbow ordered her to retire to Port Royal
. The French resumed the action at two in the morning on 24 August, the entire squadron closing on the Breda from astern and pounding her. Benbow himself was hit by a chain-shot
that broke his leg and he was carried below.
Despite his wounds Benbow was determined to continue the pursuit, despite Captain Kirkby's arrival on-board and attempts to persuade Benbow to abandon it. Benbow summoned a council of war, and the other captains agreed, signing a paper drafted by Kirkby that declared that they believed "that after six days of battle the squadron lacked enough men to continue and that there was little chance of a decisive action, since the men were exhausted, there was a general lack of ammunition, the ships' rigging and masts were badly damaged, and the winds were generally variable and undependable." They recommended breaking off the action and following the French to see if the situation improved. By now Benbow, "who having seen the cowardly behaviour of some of them before, had reason to believe that they either had a design against him or to be traitors to their country if an opportunity happened that the French could have destroyed the Admiral", ordered the squadron to return to Jamaica. On their arrival he ordered the captains to be imprisoned, awaiting a trial by court-martial.
Benbow received a letter from du Casse after the engagement:
died. The remaining captains appeared at the court-martial convened on the Breda and held between 19 and 23 October. Due to his injuries, Benbow passed the role of presiding over the court to Whetstone, but was present at the trial. The court found Richard Kirkby of the Defiance and Cooper Wade of the Greenwich
guilty of breach of orders, neglect of duty, and for the "ill signed paper and consultation ... which obliged the Admiral ... to give over the chase and fight", and condemned them to be shot to death.
John Constable, of HMS Windsor
was found guilty of breach of orders and drunkenness and was cashiered. Samuel Vincent of the Falmouth and Christopher Fogg of the Breda were initially sentenced to be cashiered for signing the six captains' resolution, but Benbow personally declared that they had fought bravely and their sentences were remitted by the Lord High Admiral
. The sentences were deferred so that Queen Anne
could have a chance to examine the proceedings. After her consideration in January 1703, she allowed the sentences to proceed and Constable, Kirkby, and Wade were returned to England as prisoners. Constable was imprisoned until 1704, when the Queen pardoned him. Kirkby and Wade were shot aboard HMS Bristol
on 16 April 1703 whilst she was anchored in Plymouth Sound
under Captain Edward Acton. Controversy slowly began to develop over the events of August 1702. Supporters of the disgraced Kirkby and Wade sought to discredit Benbow by publishing their own account of the action.
on 4 November 1702. Whetstone reported that the cause of death was "the wound of his leg which he received in battle with Monsieur Du Casse, it never being set to perfection, which malady being aggravated by the discontent of his mind, threw him into a sort of melancholy which ended his life as before." He was buried on 16 November in the chancel of St Andrew's Church, Kingston. A marble slab was later laid over the grave, emblazoned with a coat of arms and inscribed:
Before news of his death had reached London, the secretary of state, Lord Nottingham
, wrote to Benbow in January 1703 to inform him that the queen was "extremely well pleased with your conduct and much offended with the baseness of those officers who deserted and betrayed you." Meanwhile the cabinet was preparing to promote him to Vice-Admiral of the white, and to dispatch him to transport troops to Newfoundland.
, and had another son Solomon, who was baptised in 1686 but died in infancy. There are also records of two more sons named Richard who were born in Kent
, and another daughter, Katherine. In 1709 Katherine married Paul Calton of Milton, Berkshire, where Benbow is said to have stayed in the 1690s.
, Sayes Court
, in June 1696. Six months later Evelyn wrote to a friend complaining "I have let my house to Captain Benbow, and have the mortification of seeing everyday much of my former labours and expenses there impairing for want of a more polite tenant." In January 1698, Tsar Peter of Russia
arrived in London to study British shipbuilding and seamanship. He and his entourage were provided with Sayes Court to reside in during their stay by William III. The Russians spent three months in London before leaving to tour the country. Benbow promptly asked for reparations from the Treasury
, in order to be able to reimburse Evelyn and recover his own losses. He complained that the Russians had caused considerable damage to his house, with "much of the furniture broke, lost or destroyed". Christopher Wren
was instructed to survey the property and declared it "entirely ruined". Benbow lost "twenty fine paintings" and "several fine draughts and other designs relating to the Sea" from his personal property. The Treasury eventually allowed payment of £350 9s. 6d. in compensation.
Benbow's fame led to his name entering popular culture. A monument by the sculptor John Evan Thomas
was erected in 1843 by public subscription in St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury
, commemorating Benbow as "a skillful and daring seaman whose heroic exploits long rendered him the boast of the British Navy and still point him out as the Nelson of his times." A 74-gun ship of the line
and two battleships were named HMS Benbow
.
Robert Louis Stevenson
named the tavern where Jim Hawkins and his mother live in his romantic adventure novel Treasure Island
the "Admiral Benbow", and titled the first chapter "The Old Sea Dog at the Admiral Benbow". There are a number of real life Admiral Benbow public house
s around the world, and other institutions have also borne his name.
The incident of August 1702 also took hold on the popular imagination, and was celebrated in an alehouse song:
, the 1981 album by Australian rock group Men at Work
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
officer in the Royal Navy
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...
. He joined the navy aged 25 years, seeing action against Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n pirates before leaving and joining the merchant navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
where he traded until the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
of 1688, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.
Benbow fought against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the Nine Years War, serving on and later commanding several English vessels and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
, Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during campaigns against Salé
Salé
Salé is a city in north-western Morocco, on the right bank of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the national capital Rabat, for which it serves as a commuter town...
and Moor
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
pirates; laying siege to Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
; and fighting in the West Indies against France during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
.
Benbow's fame and success earned him both public notoriety and a promotion to Admiral. He was then involved in an incident during the Action of August 1702
Action of August 1702
The Action of August 1702 took place from 19–25 August 1702 O.S. between an English squadron under Vice-Admiral John Benbow and a French under Admiral Jean du Casse, during the War of the Spanish Succession. Benbow vigorously attacked the French squadron, but the refusal of most of his captains to...
, where a number of his captains refused to support him while commanding a squadron of ships. Benbow instigated the trial and later imprisonment or execution of a number of the captains involved, though he did not live to see these results. These events contributed to his notoriety, and led to several references to him in subsequent popular culture.
Family and early years
Benbow was born the son of William and Martha Benbow. The astrologerAstrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
John Partridge
John Partridge (astrologer)
John Partridge was an English astrologer. He was also the author and publisher of a number of astrological almanacs and books.-Partridge's life:...
recorded the exact time and date of his birth as being at noon on 10 March 1653, and this is the date used by the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and the local historical accounts of Joseph Nightingale
Joseph Nightingale
Joseph Nightingale was a prolific English writer and preacher. He was particularly noted for his topographic writing and his interest in shorthand.-Life:...
published in 1818. A biography within an 1819 publication of The Gentleman's Magazine, however, records in a short biography entitled Life and Exploits of Admiral Benbow by D. Parkes that he was born in 1650, as does the 1861 Sea kings and naval heroes by John George Edgar. Edgar records that Benbow's father died when Benbow was very young, while Parkes' account describes his father as being in the service of the Army under Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and not dying until Benbow was in his teens. Encyclopedia Britannica writes that Benbow's father was in fact a tanner
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. Meanwhile, his uncle, Thomas, was executed by Charles I. Both Parkes and the National Museum of the Royal Navy concur that Benbow was born in Coton Hill in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and Nightingale asserts that the death of both uncle and father, and the family's association with Charles I in the years following
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
his execution, ensured that the "family were brought very low." Benbow's lack of possessions, Nightingale writes, turned him to a career at sea.
Early years
Benbow entered the Royal Navy on 30 April 1678, aged 25 years. He became master's mateMaster's mate
Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master...
aboard the 64-gun HMS Rupert
HMS Rupert (1666)
HMS Rupert was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, ordered on 26 October 1664 as part of the ship construction programme of that year...
under the command of Captain Arthur Herbert
Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington
Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington was a British admiral and politician of the late 17th and early 18th century. Cashiered as a rear-admiral by James II of England in 1688 for refusing to vote to repeal the Test Act, which prevented Catholics from holding offices, he brought the Invitation to...
, whilst she was fitting out at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. He sailed with her to the Mediterranean, where Herbert was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral whilst serving under the commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, Admiral Sir John Narborough
John Narborough
Rear-Admiral Sir John Narborough or Narbrough was an English naval commander of the 17th century. He served with distinction during the Anglo-Dutch Wars and against the Barbary Coast pirates.-Early life:...
. During this period the English fleet was often in action against the Barbary pirates of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
that were actively preying upon European shipping. The Rupert herself captured an Algerine
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
warship in 1678, which was later commissioned in the Royal Navy as the HMS Tiger Prize. Benbow distinguished himself well in a number of actions against the Algerine vessels, and won Herbert's approval. On Narborough's return to England, Herbert was appointed acting commander-in-chief, and made Benbow master aboard HMS Nonsuch
HMS Nonsuch (1668)
HMS Nonsuch was a 36-gun fifth rate of the Royal Navy launched in 1668. She was upgraded to a 42-gun fourth-rate in 1669, and then reverted to 36-gun fifth rate in 1691. She was captured on 4 January 1695 by the French privateer Le Francais...
on 15 June 1679. The Nonsuch would remain at Tangiers and off the African coast and had a number of successive captains who would go on to achieve flag rank, including George Rooke
George Rooke
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rooke was an English naval commander. He is known for his service in the wars against France and particularly remembered today for his victory at Vigo Bay and for capturing Gibraltar for the British in 1704.-Early life:Rooke was born at St Lawrence, near Canterbury...
, Cloudesley Shovell
Cloudesley Shovell
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell , was an English naval officer. Rising through the ranks and fighting in many of the important battles of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, he became a popular British hero, whose celebrated career was brought to an end in a disastrous shipwreck in...
and Francis Wheler
Francis Wheler
Sir Francis Wheler was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the Nine Years' War....
. All were impressed by Benbow, and would afterwards help to advance his career.
The Nonsuch was next in action on 8 August 1681, this time against the Algerine warship, the Golden Horse. The Golden Horse had been engaged by HMS Adventure
HMS Adventure (1646)
Adventure was a 34-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, built by Peter Pett II at Woolwich and launched in 1646. The term 'frigate' during the period of this ship referred to a method of construction, rather than a role which did not develop until the following century.By 1677 her...
, under the command of Captain William Booth, and when the Nonsuch arrived on the scene the Golden Horse surrendered. A dispute then arose over the question of the prize money and how it should be shared out, and comments were made amongst the Nonsuchs crew against those of the Adventure. Benbow's repetition of these eventually came to Booth's knowledge, and the captain brought a 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...
against Benbow, however this revealed that Benbow had only been repeating these words rather than being their originator. Benbow was ordered to forfeit three months' pay, amounting to £12 15s., to the Adventures crew, and to "ask Captain Booth's pardon on board His Majesty's ship Bristol
HMS Bristol (1653)
HMS Bristol was a 44-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Portsmouth, and launched in 1653. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns...
, declaring that he had no malicious intent in speaking those words; all the commanders being present, and a boat's crew of each ship's company".
Merchant trading
The Nonsuch then returned to England and was paid off on 9 November 1681. Benbow left the Navy and entered the merchant service, sailing a merchant vessel from LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to ports in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. By 1686 he was a "tough merchant seaman" and the owner and commander of a frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
named the Benbow, trading with the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
. In May 1687 he commanded a merchant vessel, the Malaga Merchant, and was aboard her when she was attacked by a Salé
Salé
Salé is a city in north-western Morocco, on the right bank of the Bou Regreg river, opposite the national capital Rabat, for which it serves as a commuter town...
pirate. He mounted a successful defence and beat off the attack. It was claimed afterwards that he cut off and salted the heads of thirteen Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
who were slain aboard his ship, and then took them into Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
to claim a reward from the magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s. A Moorish skull-cap
Kufi
A kufi or kufi cap is a brimless, short, rounded cap worn by many populations in West Africa of all religions and throughout the African diaspora.-African and African-American Usage:...
, "coated with varnish and set in silver" and bearing the inscription "First adventure of Captain John Benbow, and gift to Richard Ridley, 1687" is referred to in 1844 by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
in Bentley's Miscellany where he speaks of Shrewsbury's history, and the 1885 Dictionary of National Biography also relates the story.
Return to the Navy
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
in 1688. His first recorded commission was to the post of third lieutenant of HMS Elizabeth
HMS Elizabeth (1679)
HMS Elizabeth was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched at Deptford in 1679.Elizabeth was rebuilt as another 70-gun third rate at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1704, but was captured later that year....
on 1 June 1689, under the command of Captain David Mitchell. His first command came on 20 September of that year, when he was appointed captain of HMS York
HMS York (1654)
Marston Moor was a 52-gun third rate frigate built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Blackwall Yard, and launched in 1654....
. He was transferred to HMS Bonaventure
HMS Bonaventure (1650)
President was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in 1650....
on 26 October and then to HMS Britannia
HMS Britannia (1682)
HMS Britannia was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard, and launched in 1682....
on 12 November.
Benbow's next post was as Master Attendant of Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
. He then moved to become Master Attendant at Deptford in early March 1690, a post he intermittently held for the next six years. He was master of HMS Sovereign
HMS Sovereign of the Seas
Sovereign of the Seas was a 17th century warship of the English Navy. She was ordered as a 90-gun first-rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, but at launch was armed with 102 bronze guns, at the insistence of the king...
in summer 1690, under his old commander Arthur Herbert, now Lord Torrington. He was assigned to act as master of the fleet
Master of the Fleet
In the Royal Navy, the rank of Master of the Fleet denoted the sailing master of a fleet flagship, or the senior sailing master in a fleet. Examples include John Bowen , Ian Hogg, and John H. D. Cunningham.By 1814, the title granted the master extra pay...
, and took part in the English defeat in the Battle of Beachy Head
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
. After the defeat, a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
was held into the circumstances that led to it. Benbow was highly regarded as a specialist in both navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
and pilotage
Pilotage
Pilotage is the use of fixed visual references on the ground or sea by means of sight or radar to guide oneself to a destination, sometimes with the help of a map or nautical chart. People use pilotage for activities such as guiding vessels and aircraft, hiking and Scuba diving...
, and his evidence given in July 1690 to the preliminary investigation strongly favoured his old patron, Torrington. He did not however testify during Torrington's court-martial in December that year.
Benbow continued aboard the Sovereign throughout 1691, and by the summer of 1692, was again master of the fleet, this time under Admiral Edward Russell
Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford
Admiral of the Fleet Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, PC was the First Lord of the Admiralty under King William III.-Naval career:...
, then aboard the Britannia. Benbow worked closely with his old colleague David Mitchell, then serving as Russell's first captain, and Josiah Burchett
Josiah Burchett
Josiah Burchett was Secretary of the Admiralty in England, a position he held for almost fifty years . He was first a clerk to Samuel Pepys, the English civil servant famous for his diary...
, Russell's clerk. Benbow may have advised Russell to take the Gull Passage inside the Goodwin Sands
Goodwin Sands
The Goodwin Sands is a 10-mile-long sand bank in the English Channel, lying six miles east off Deal in Kent, England. The Brake Bank lying shorewards is part of the same geological unit. As the shoals lie close to major shipping channels, more than 2,000 ships are believed to have been wrecked...
to the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
, where they linked up with the Dutch forces. Benbow served as master of the fleet during the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue. After the battles, Benbow returned to Deptford to resume his duties as master attendant, spending a brief period at Portsmouth Dockyard helping to oversee repairs to the fleet. He had already had his pay upgraded to that of a master attendant, he was now to be paid as a master, in addition to his master attendant's wage, presumably as an acknowledgement of his special services.
With the bomb flotillas
Benbow returned to active naval service in September 1693, joining Thomas PhillipsThomas Phillips (engineer)
Thomas Phillips was an influential military engineer of the seventeenth century, who worked closely with some of the leading naval figures of his period, and who was involved in several military operations against the French during the Nine Years' War.-Early years:Little is known about Phillips's...
, the second engineer of the ordnance, in jointly commanding a flotilla of bomb vessel
Bomb vessel
A bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannon —although bomb vessels carried a few cannon for self-defence—but rather mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a...
s to attack Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
. Benbow went aboard the 48-gun HMS Norwich
HMS Norwich (1693)
HMS Norwich was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford in 1693.She was rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Chatham Dockyard, relaunching on 20 May 1718. In 1744 she was reduced to a fifth rate and renamed HMS Enterprise...
and began the bombardment on 16 November. It continued intermittently until 19 November when a large fireship was sent into the harbour. An attempt was made to bring her alongside the town walls, but she ran aground, was set fire to and then exploded. Despite the failure of the initial plan, considerable damage was done, and Benbow's forces were able to take the fort on Quince Rock and disabled it, carrying artillery and prisoners away and bringing them to Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
. Benbow was still dissatisfied with the overall result and initiated a court-martial against Captain Henry Tourville, accusing him of cowardice for not bringing his ship in closer. There was no conviction though, as the mortars
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
were proved to be defective.
Benbow's experience led to him being promoted to a similar flotilla, this time to be deployed against Dunkirk under the command of Vice-Admiral Shovell. A number of converted merchant vessels, rigged like fireships but designed to explode rather than burn, were assigned to support the expedition. Benbow had a hand in preparing these vessels for the operation throughout 1694, and worked closely with the principal storekeeper of the ordnance, Willem Meesters. Benbow's attacking fleet was covered by Shovell's fleet on the Downs and the attack was planned for 12 and 13 September. The French were able to block the entrance to the port though, preventing Benbow's squadron from entering, and a storm further disrupted operations. Benbow drew back from Dunkirk, and instead sailed around to Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, where he carried out a further bombardment on 27 September. He returned to the Downs and then resumed his duties at Deptford Dockyard. He spent December organising a convoy for a fleet of merchant vessels due to sail to Cadiz.
Rise to Admiral
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton was an English admiral.- Biography :He was the second son of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, and succeeded to the title on March 6, 1681, by the death of his elder brother Charles, a captain in the navy.On December 14, 1688 he was...
, who had served with Benbow at Saint-Malo, to be promoted to Rear-Admiral at the next opportunity, and in the meantime he was appointed to the command of the 70-gun HMS Northumberland
HMS Northumberland (1679)
HMS Northumberland was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched at Bristol in 1679.-Service:She fought in the War of the Grand Alliance....
. He was soon joined by a volunteer – his then fourteen year old son – also named John Benbow. Benbow then sailed with Berkeley and the Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral Philips van Almonde
Philips van Almonde
Philips van Almonde was a Dutch Lieutenant Admiral, who served in his nation’s maritime conflicts of the 17th and early 18th centuries.Philips was the son of Pieter Jansz van Almonde, a wealthy burgher...
to Saint-Malo, intending to operate against privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing operations being conducted from the area. Benbow moved to command HMS Charles Galley
HMS Charles Galley (1676)
HMS Charles Galley was a 32–gun fifth rate of the Royal Navy built at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1676. She was rebuilt in 1693, and again at Deptford Dockyard in 1710. She was renamed HMS Torrington after a third rebuild in 1729, and was Hulked in 1740. She was finally sold on 12 July...
, to direct the inshore operations of ten English and Dutch warships, nine English bomb vessels, and seventeen small boats and vessels. They began operations on their arrival off Saint-Malo on 4 July, remaining in action until evening the next day when they withdrew, without having achieved any decisive result. Several houses had been destroyed for the damage and loss of a few of the bomb vessels. Benbow was given eight bomb vessels and seven or eight frigates and was dispatched down the coast. He attacked Granville
Granville, Manche
-Sights:The old town preserves all the history of its military and religious past. The lower town was partly built on land reclaimed from the sea. The upper part of the old town is surrounded by ramparts from the fifteenth century...
on 8 July, shelling it with over 900 bombs over several hours, and departed having set the town ablaze.
Public and private reception
The outcome of the operations had left Benbow in a tense relationship with his immediate superiors. Berkeley had been accused of excessive timidity in his actions, which it was believed had led to the failure of the attack on Dunkirk. Benbow on the other hand was widely lauded for his fearless inshore attacks with his bomb vessels. Berkeley wrote on 28 July:As to Captain Benbow, I know of no difference between him and me, nor have we had any. He has no small obligation to me, but being called in some of the foolish printed papers ‘the famous Captain Benbow’, I suppose has put him a little out of himself, and has made him play the fool, as I guess, in some of his letters. I will not farther now particularize this business, but time will show I have not been in the wrong, unless being too kind to an ungrateful man.
However the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
approved of Benbow's conduct and ordered him "to be paid as Rear-Admiral during the time he has been employed this summer on the coast of France ... as a reward for his good service." Benbow was then appointed to the grand committee of sixty men to oversee the plans for Greenwich Hospital in December 1695, but the issue dragged on until 1 May 1696. The Admiralty again stepped in and Benbow was finally promoted and appointed commander-in-chief of the squadron before Dunkirk as "Rear-Admiral of the Blue for the duration of this present expedition" and moved aboard the 70-gun HMS Suffolk
HMS Suffolk (1680)
HMS Suffolk was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by contract of 20 February 1678 by Sir Henry Johnson at his Blackwall Yard and launched in May 1680...
. His orders were to protect English and Dutch shipping, especially from the squadron of the privateer Jean Bart
Jean Bart
Jean Bart was a Flemish sailor who primarily served the French crown as naval commander and privateer.-Early life:...
. Bart was mostly successful in evading pursuit however, usually escaping into Dunkirk when Benbow's force drew near.
Benbow was appointed to command a squadron in the Soundings in December 1696. He carried out a number of cruises between March and August 1697, protecting allied trade and escorting the West Indian and Virginian merchant fleets into port. These activities marked the last English naval expedition of the war. He also carried out reconnaissance activities on the French fleet in port in Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in July, before resuming patrol operations off Dunkirk, this time in concert with a number of Dutch ships under Rear-Admiral Philips van der Goes, until the end of the war in September 1697.
Appointment to the West Indies
Benbow was made commander-in-chief of the King's ships in the West Indies on 9 March 1698 and instructed to tackle the issue of piracyPiracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
. He sailed in November, the first leg taking him from Portsmouth to Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
. Sailing under his protection from the Salé pirates was the Paramore
HMS Paramour (1694)
HMS Paramour was a 6-gun pink of the Royal Navy, briefly commanded by the astronomer Edmond Halley, initially as a civilian and later as a "temporary captain"....
, under Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley FRS was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist who is best known for computing the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, following in the footsteps of John Flamsteed.-Biography and career:Halley...
, then sailing to the North Atlantic to carry out experiments to observe magnetic variations
Magnetic declination
Magnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north. The declination is positive when the magnetic north is east of true north. The term magnetic variation is a synonym, and is more often used in navigation...
. Benbow finally reached Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
in February 1699, and moved to the Spanish Main
Spanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
aboard his flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, the 60-gun HMS Gloucester
HMS Gloucester (1695)
HMS Gloucester was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Bristol on 5 February 1695.She was placed on harbour service in 1706, and was broken up in 1731....
. He threatened the governor of Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
with a blockade, and so compelled him to restore two English merchant ships that he had detained. These ships had been intended to take part in an expedition against the Scottish Darién scheme
Darién scheme
The Darién scheme was an unsuccessful attempt by the Kingdom of Scotland to become a world trading nation by establishing a colony called "New Caledonia" on the Isthmus of Panama in the late 1690s...
. Without the ships, this became impossible and the colonists were saved for the time being. This was counter to the English government's desire to see the end of the Scottish colonising efforts, and in June Benbow and the other West Indies governors received orders "not to assist the Scotch colony in Darien."
Benbow then sailed as far north as Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
in order to drive the pirates away, but they evaded capture. Benbow returned to England in the summer of 1700, and was appointed to the command of a fleet in the Downs. Benbow served there until summer 1701, under the command of Admiral Sir George Rooke
George Rooke
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rooke was an English naval commander. He is known for his service in the wars against France and particularly remembered today for his victory at Vigo Bay and for capturing Gibraltar for the British in 1704.-Early life:Rooke was born at St Lawrence, near Canterbury...
. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red on 14 April, followed by Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 30 June. He then flew his flag in the 70-gun HMS Breda
HMS Breda (1692)
HMS Breda was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Woolwich Dockyard on 23 April 1692. She was named after the Declaration of Breda made in 1660 by Charles II of England....
.
Spanish treasure fleet, West Indies, the Action of 1702
With the peace becoming increasingly uneasy, the English government became concerned over the possible fate of the Spanish silver fleet, due to arrive in European waters from America. They were worried that the French would seek to intercept the ships, and use the treasure for war preparations. Benbow was issued with secret instructions to find the fleet, and then "to seize and bring them to England, taking care that no embezzlementEmbezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
be made". Benbow's squadron was detached on 2 September and sailed for the West Indies, arriving on 14 November, and was at Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in mid-December. He remained here for the several months, being joined on 8 May 1702 by several vessels under Captain William Whetstone
William Whetstone
Sir William Whetstone was an officer of the Royal Navy in the later 17th and early eighteenth century. He eventually rose to the rank of Rear Admiral, having spent his career serving with several distinguished figures.-Family and early life:...
. Whetstone was made Rear-Admiral under Benbow, who had been promoted to Vice-Admiral of the White on 19 January 1702 By now the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
had broken out, and news of its declaration reached Benbow on 7 July. He detached Whetstone and six ships to search off Port St Louis in Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
for a French squadron under Admiral Jean du Casse
Jean du Casse
Jean Baptiste du Casse was a French Buccaneer and Admiral.In his youth, he was not allowed into the French Navy because his parents were Huguenots...
, which it was believed would call at the port on his voyage to Cartagena, from where he might raid English and Dutch shipping. After Whetstone had left, Benbow took his squadron and sailed for Cartagena, anticipating that either he or Whetstone would find Du Casse and bring him to battle.
Action of August 1702
The Action of August 1702 took place from 19–25 August 1702 O.S. between an English squadron under Vice-Admiral John Benbow and a French under Admiral Jean du Casse, during the War of the Spanish Succession. Benbow vigorously attacked the French squadron, but the refusal of most of his captains to...
was fought, lasting about two hours, until nightfall caused the fleets to temporarily break off.
The action quickly revealed a breakdown in discipline amongst Benbow's captains. He had intended that the 64-gun HMS Defiance
HMS Defiance (1675)
HMS Defiance was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard, and launched in 1675.In the summer of 1678, Defiance was under the command of John Ernle....
under Captain Richard Kirkby would lead the line of battle, but Kirkby was not maintaining his station. Benbow decided to take the lead himself, and the Breda pulled ahead, followed by the 50-gun HMS Ruby
HMS Ruby (1652)
HMS Ruby was a 40-gun fourth rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett at Deptford, and was launched on 15 March 1652....
under Captain George Walton. The two maintained contact with the French throughout the night, but the other five ships refused to close. The chase ensued until 24 August, with only Benbow, Walton and Samuel Vincent aboard HMS Falmouth
HMS Falmouth (1693)
HMS Falmouth was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 25 June 1693.The ship took part in the Action of August 1702 and on the 4th and 5th days of the action supported Admiral John Benbow attacks when other members of the squadron failed to do...
making active efforts to bring the French to battle. At times they bore the brunt of the fire of the entire squadron. The Ruby was disabled on 23 August, and Benbow ordered her to retire to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
. The French resumed the action at two in the morning on 24 August, the entire squadron closing on the Breda from astern and pounding her. Benbow himself was hit by a chain-shot
Chain-shot
In artillery, a chain-shot is an obsolete type of naval ammunition formed of two sub-calibre balls, or half-balls, chained together. Bar shot is similar, but joined by a solid bar...
that broke his leg and he was carried below.
Despite his wounds Benbow was determined to continue the pursuit, despite Captain Kirkby's arrival on-board and attempts to persuade Benbow to abandon it. Benbow summoned a council of war, and the other captains agreed, signing a paper drafted by Kirkby that declared that they believed "that after six days of battle the squadron lacked enough men to continue and that there was little chance of a decisive action, since the men were exhausted, there was a general lack of ammunition, the ships' rigging and masts were badly damaged, and the winds were generally variable and undependable." They recommended breaking off the action and following the French to see if the situation improved. By now Benbow, "who having seen the cowardly behaviour of some of them before, had reason to believe that they either had a design against him or to be traitors to their country if an opportunity happened that the French could have destroyed the Admiral", ordered the squadron to return to Jamaica. On their arrival he ordered the captains to be imprisoned, awaiting a trial by court-martial.
Benbow received a letter from du Casse after the engagement:
Sir,
I had little hopes on Monday last but to have supped in your cabin: but it pleased God to order it otherwise. I am thankful for it. As for those cowardly captains who deserted you, hang them up, for by God they deserve it.
Yours,
Du Casse.
Trial of the captains
Acting Rear-Admiral Whetstone soon returned to Port Royal, having spent 62 days cruising off Hispaniola and preparations were made for the trial. Before it could begin, Captain Thomas Hudson, who had commanded HMS PendennisHMS Pendennis (1695)
HMS Pendennis was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, built by Robert and John Castle at Deptford, and launched in 1695.The Pendennis was captured by two French 50-gun ships off the Dogger Bank in October 1705....
died. The remaining captains appeared at the court-martial convened on the Breda and held between 19 and 23 October. Due to his injuries, Benbow passed the role of presiding over the court to Whetstone, but was present at the trial. The court found Richard Kirkby of the Defiance and Cooper Wade of the Greenwich
HMS Greenwich (1666)
HMS Greenwich was a 54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1666....
guilty of breach of orders, neglect of duty, and for the "ill signed paper and consultation ... which obliged the Admiral ... to give over the chase and fight", and condemned them to be shot to death.
John Constable, of HMS Windsor
HMS Windsor (1695)
HMS Windsor was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 31 October 1695.On 18 November 1725 she was ordered to be taken to pieces and rebuilt according to the 1719 Establishment at Deptford, and she was relaunched on 27 October 1729...
was found guilty of breach of orders and drunkenness and was cashiered. Samuel Vincent of the Falmouth and Christopher Fogg of the Breda were initially sentenced to be cashiered for signing the six captains' resolution, but Benbow personally declared that they had fought bravely and their sentences were remitted by the Lord High Admiral
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. The sentences were deferred so that Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
could have a chance to examine the proceedings. After her consideration in January 1703, she allowed the sentences to proceed and Constable, Kirkby, and Wade were returned to England as prisoners. Constable was imprisoned until 1704, when the Queen pardoned him. Kirkby and Wade were shot aboard HMS Bristol
HMS Bristol (1653)
HMS Bristol was a 44-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Portsmouth, and launched in 1653. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns...
on 16 April 1703 whilst she was anchored in Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England.Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point on Devon, a distance of about 3 nautical miles . Its northern limit is Plymouth Hoe giving a north-south distance of nearly 3 nautical miles...
under Captain Edward Acton. Controversy slowly began to develop over the events of August 1702. Supporters of the disgraced Kirkby and Wade sought to discredit Benbow by publishing their own account of the action.
Death and burial
Benbow died at Port Royal, Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
on 4 November 1702. Whetstone reported that the cause of death was "the wound of his leg which he received in battle with Monsieur Du Casse, it never being set to perfection, which malady being aggravated by the discontent of his mind, threw him into a sort of melancholy which ended his life as before." He was buried on 16 November in the chancel of St Andrew's Church, Kingston. A marble slab was later laid over the grave, emblazoned with a coat of arms and inscribed:
Here lyeth the Body of John Benbow, Esq., Admiral of the White, a true pattern of English Courage, who lost his life in Defence of his Queene & Country, November the 4th, 1702, In the 52nd year of his age, by a wound in his Legg. Received in an Engagement with Monsr. Du Casse; being Much Lamented.
Before news of his death had reached London, the secretary of state, Lord Nottingham
Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham
Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC , was an English Tory statesman during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.-Early life:...
, wrote to Benbow in January 1703 to inform him that the queen was "extremely well pleased with your conduct and much offended with the baseness of those officers who deserted and betrayed you." Meanwhile the cabinet was preparing to promote him to Vice-Admiral of the white, and to dispatch him to transport troops to Newfoundland.
Personal life and legacy
Benbow married a woman named Martha (died 1722) after his return to England in 1681. The marriage soon produced children; including a daughter, Martha, following by sons Richard and John. John would go on to also serve in the Royal Navy. The family lived in the parish of St Dunstan and All Saints, StepneyStepney (parish)
Stepney was an ancient civil and ecclesiastical parish in the historic county of Middlesex to the east and north east of the City of London, England.-Origins:...
, and had another son Solomon, who was baptised in 1686 but died in infancy. There are also records of two more sons named Richard who were born in 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...
, and another daughter, Katherine. In 1709 Katherine married Paul Calton of Milton, Berkshire, where Benbow is said to have stayed in the 1690s.
Unruly behaviour
Benbow signed a three-year lease on a house belonging to the diarist John EvelynJohn Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
, Sayes Court
Sayes Court
Located in Deptford, in the London Borough of Lewisham and on the Thames Path, Sayes Court once attracted throngs to visit its celebrated garden created by the seventeenth century diarist John Evelyn...
, in June 1696. Six months later Evelyn wrote to a friend complaining "I have let my house to Captain Benbow, and have the mortification of seeing everyday much of my former labours and expenses there impairing for want of a more polite tenant." In January 1698, Tsar Peter of Russia
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
arrived in London to study British shipbuilding and seamanship. He and his entourage were provided with Sayes Court to reside in during their stay by William III. The Russians spent three months in London before leaving to tour the country. Benbow promptly asked for reparations from the Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
, in order to be able to reimburse Evelyn and recover his own losses. He complained that the Russians had caused considerable damage to his house, with "much of the furniture broke, lost or destroyed". Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
was instructed to survey the property and declared it "entirely ruined". Benbow lost "twenty fine paintings" and "several fine draughts and other designs relating to the Sea" from his personal property. The Treasury eventually allowed payment of £350 9s. 6d. in compensation.
'Brave Benbow'
John Evan Thomas (Welsh sculptor)
John Evan Thomas, FSA was a Welsh sculptor, notable for many sculptures both in Wales and elsewhere in the UK, such as his portrait sculptures in London...
was erected in 1843 by public subscription in St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, commemorating Benbow as "a skillful and daring seaman whose heroic exploits long rendered him the boast of the British Navy and still point him out as the Nelson of his times." A 74-gun ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
and two battleships were named HMS Benbow
HMS Benbow
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Benbow, after Admiral John Benbow:* HMS Benbow was a 74 gun third rate ship of the line, built in 1813...
.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
named the tavern where Jim Hawkins and his mother live in his romantic adventure novel Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
the "Admiral Benbow", and titled the first chapter "The Old Sea Dog at the Admiral Benbow". There are a number of real life Admiral Benbow public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s around the world, and other institutions have also borne his name.
The incident of August 1702 also took hold on the popular imagination, and was celebrated in an alehouse song:
Come all you seamen bold
and draw near, and draw near,
Come all you seamen bold and draw near.
It's of an Admiral's fame,
O brave Benbow was his name,
How he fought all on the main,
you shall hear, you shall hear.
Brave Benbow he set sail
For to fight, for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight.
Brave Benbow he set sail
with a fine and pleasant gale
But his captains they turn'd tail
in a fright, in a fright.
Says Kirby unto Wade:
We will run, we will run
Says Kirby unto Wade, we will run.
For I value no disgrace,
nor the losing of my place,
But the enemy I won't face,
nor his guns, nor his guns.
The Ruby and Benbow
fought the French, fought the french
The Ruby and Benbow fought the French.
They fought them up and down,
till the blood came trickling down,
Till the blood came trickling down
where they lay, where they lay.
Brave Benbow lost his legs
by chain shot, by chain shot
Brave Benbow lost his legs by chain shot.
Brave Benbow lost his legs,
And all on his stumps he begs,
Fight on my English lads,
'Tis our lot, 'tis our lot.
The surgeon dress'd his wounds,
Cries Benbow, cries Benbow
The surgeon dress'd his wounds, cries Benbow.
Let a cradle now in haste,
on the quarterdeck be placed
That the enemy I may face
'Til I die, 'Til I die.
In Popular Culture
Captain Benbow is prominently mentioned in "Down by the Sea", the last song on Business as UsualBusiness as Usual
Both live tracks on the 2003 Remastered edition are from the 1998 live album Brazil.- Personnel :* Russell Deppeler - telephone, calculator.* Nathan D...
, the 1981 album by Australian rock group Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
.