# Royal Naval Biography/Bligh, John

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JOHN BLIGH, Esq Rear-Admiral of the Blue; and a Companion of the most honorable Military Order of the Bath.
This officer, descended from an ancient and respectable family, resident for several generations at Loo in Cornwall, is a son of Captain John Bligh, R.N., who died in 1794, and nephew of the late gallant Admiral Sir Richard Rodney Bligh, G.C.B. His grandfather, Richard Bligh, Esq. was also in the navy, and served as a Lieutenant of the Rainbow frigate, with Captain (afterwards Lord) Rodney, in 1749. Mr. Bligh was born in Aug. 1771; went to sea in 1782, and from that period served as a Midshipman in the West and East Indies till 1791, when he was promoted by Commodore Cornwallis to the rank of Lieutenant, in the Thames frigate. His next appointment was in 1792, to the Lizard, of 28 guns; ​from which ship he removed at the commencement of the French revolutionary war, into the Courageux, 74, commanded hy the present Lord Radstock, with whom he proceeded to the Mediterranean, where he was employed in a variety of service, particularly at the attack made hy Commodore Linzee upon St. Fiorenzo, and in the batteries at Toulon.
We next find Mr. Bligh serving as first Lieutenant of the Barfleur, a second rate, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Waldegrave, in which ship he continued for a period of two years, and bore a part in the memorable battle off Cape St. Vincent; soon after which glorious event he was advanced to the rank of Commander, in the Kingfisher sloop of war, stationed off the coast of Portugal, where he captured le General, a French privateer, of 14 guns, pierced for 18, and 101 men. His post commission bears date April 25, 1797.
From this period, till May 1800, Captain Bligh commanded in succession, the Latona frigate; Romney, of 50 guns; and Agincourt, 64, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Waldegrave, on the Newfoundland station. In May, 1801, he was appointed to the Theseus, 74, forming part of the fleet off Ushant, under Admiral Cornwallis, with whom he served till Feb. 1802, when he sailed for Jamaica with a squadron of observation, commanded by the late Sir George Campbell.
On the 8th Sept. 1803, our officer, who ever since the renewal of hostilities had been actively employed in the blockade of Cape Francois, finding it impossible to prevent small vessels from supplying that place with provisions from the north side of St. Domingo, as long as the enemy remained in possession of Port Dauphin, resolved to make some efforts for the reduction of the latter, and the capture of a ship of war lying there. For this purpose he proceeded to Manchemel Bay, placed the Theseus within musket-shot of Fort Labouque, at the entrance of the harbour, and after cannonading it for ​about half an hour, had the satisfaction of seeing the enemy’s colours hauled down.
Another fort in the harbour, and the ship, being the next objects of Captain Bligh’s attention, the Theseus entered the port with the assistance of the boats; and having fired a few shot at the ship of war, she also struck her colours, and proved to be la Sagesse, of 28 guns.
The Commandant, conceiving the place to be no longer tenable after the loss of the ship, and apprehensive of being exposed to the rage of the Blacks, whom he considered a merciless enemy, claimed British protection, and surrendered the fort and garrison at discretion. Having spiked the guns and destroyed the ammunition, the troops and inhabitants, many of whom were sickly, were embarked, and landed under a flag of truce at Cape François. Being informed by the prisoners that their General, Dumont, and his suite, had fallen into the hands of the Blacks, and that they were in the most imminent danger, Captain Bligh was induced, from motives of humanity, to solicit their pardon from the chief of the people; and he had the gratification of having his request immediately complied with.
On the 18th Nov. following, Cape François surrendered to the Blacks, who agreed to allow the French garrison ten days to complete the evacuation. On the 30th, the colours of the former were displayed at the forts, which induced the senior officer of the British squadron to despatch Captain Bligh to ascertain the sentiments of their leader respecting the garrison. On entering the harbour, Captain Bligh met Commodore Barre, who entreated him to go on board one of the French frigates, and enter into some capitulation, which would have the effect of putting them under the protection of Great Britain, and prevent the Blacks from sinking the ships as they had threatened, and were preparing to do. With this request he immediately complied, and then hastened to inform General Dessalines that all the vessels in the harbour had ​surrendered to the English; adding a request that he would give orders to prevent firing on them, which, after some hesitation, was reluctantly complied with. The prizes thus taken were two 40-gun frigates, a brig of war, an armed schooner, and twenty-two sail of merchantmen, partly laden. General Rochambeau who commanded the French garrison, appears on this occasion to have pursued a very extraordinary line of conduct, having proposed to surrender the place to the British at the moment when he had concluded a capitulation with his black opponent, Dessalines.
In the following month, Captain Bligh assumed the command of a squadron, consisting of the Theseus, Hercule, and Vanguard, 74’s, Blanche and Pique frigates, and Gipsey schooner, with which he proceeded to attack Curaçoa. Having landed a body of 700 men, he took possession of the height of Amsterdam, where he remained twenty-eight days, erected batteries, and fired away every eighteen-pound shot in the squadron. Although this expedition was not attended with the desired success, every thing was done by himself and the officers and men under his orders, which bravery and human foresight could suggest. The party was re-embarked on the 25th Feb. 1804, with the loss of 18 killed and 43 wounded.
In the ensuing month of July, Captain Bligh was appointed by Sir John T. Duckworth to the Surveillante, one of the frigates taken at Cape François, in which he cruised with considerable success, capturing several privateers, and upwards of forty sail of merchant vessels. Previous to his departure from the West Indies, he landed with his crew, under cover of the night, on the Spanish island of St. Andreas, of which he obtained complete possession, and made the Governor and garrison prisoners of war. He returned to England with two hundred sail under his convoy, the whole of which arrived in safety in the Downs. The Surveillante was paid off at Deptford, Sept. 30, 1806.
Captain Bligh’s next appointment was, in March, 1807, to the Alfred, 74; and in that ship we find him serving under Admiral Gambier at Copenhagen, where he superintended the landing of the army, ordnance, stores, &c. On his return from thence, he was placed under the orders of Sir Charles Cotton, with whom he served upwards of a year, on the coast of Portugal.
​Early in July, 1808, the Commander-in-Chief received a despatch from the patriotic inhabitants of Figueiras, containing a request for assistance; in consequence of which he immediately sent the Alfred, with a detachment of marines from the squadron, to secure that post, and confer with the constituted authorities upon the best means of carrying into effect the virtuous, manly, and energetic efforts at that time generally manifested throughout the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, for the purpose of restoring the lawful governments, and emancipating those countries from French oppression. On the 9th of that month, Captain Bligh landed at the head of 500 marines, and by his zeal and ability rendered the place tenable till the arrival of the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley in Mondego Bay, where he assisted at its debarkation, with great advantages of local knowledge. He also superintended the landing of the different brigades which afterwards arrived under the Brigadier-Generals Anstruther and Acland; the former near Peniche, the latter at Maceira; and was in the glorious battle fought at Vimeira Aug. 21, on which occasion the enemy lost nearly 4,000 men, besides 21 pieces of cannon; while the British had only 720 men killed, wounded, and missing. This event, as is well known, led to the evacuation of Portugal by the French troops, and the surrender of the Russian squadron, which had been so long blocked up in the Tagus, and with which Captain Bligh soon after returned to England.
On the 14th Jan. 1809, Captain Bligh was appointed pro tempore to the Revenge, 74; in which ship, being on his way to join the squadron stationed off l’Orient, he fell in with and was chased by eight French line-of-battle ships, two frigates, and a brig. He, however, succeeded in forming a junction with Sir John P. Beresford, whose spirited conduct in daring them to battle, has already been noticed at p. 667. On the 28th Feb., Captain Bligh removed into the Valiant, another third-rate, employed under Rear-Admiral Stopford in the blockade of Basque Roads, to which anchorage the enemy had retired; and from whence a successful attack was made upon them by a division of Lord Gambier’s fleet, preceded by fire vessels, in the ensuing month of April.
​The following is a copy of his Lordship’s official letter, relative to the memorable affair in Aix Roads:–
“Caledonia, at anchor in Basque Roads, April 14
“Sir,– The Almighty’s favor to his Majesty and the nation has heen strongly marked in the success lie has been pleased to give to the operations of his Majesty’s fleet under my command; and I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the four ships of the enemy named in the margin, have been destroyed at their anchorage; and several others, from getting on shore, if not rendered altogether unserviceable, are at least disabled for a considerable time. The arrangements of the fire-vessels, placed under the direction of Captain the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, was made as fully as the state of the weather would admit, according to his lordship’s plan, on the evening of the 11th inst.; and at eight o’clock the same night, they proceeded to the attack, under a favorable strong wind from the northward and flood tide (preceded by some vessels filled with powder and shells, as proposed by his lordship, with a view to explosion), and led on in the most undaunted and determined manner by Captain Wooldridge in the Mediator fire-ship, the others following in succession; but owing to the darkness of the night, several mistook their course, and failed.
“On their approach to the enemy’s ships, it was discovered that a boom was placed in front of their line for a defence; this, however, the weight of the Mediator soon broke, and the usual intrepidity and bravery of British seamen overcame all difficulties; advancing under a heavy fire from the forts in the Isle of Aix, as well as from the enemy’s ships, most of which cut or slipped their cables, and from the confined anchorage got on shore, thus avoided taking fire.
“At day-light the following morning, Lord Cochrane communicated to me, by telegraph, that seven of the enemy’s ships were on shore, and might be destroyed. I immediately made the signal for the fleet to unmoor and weigh, intending to proceed with it to effect their destruction. The wind, however, being fresh from the northward, and the flood tide running, rendered it too hazardous to run into Aix Roads, from its shallow water; I therefore anchored again at the distance of about three miles from the forts on the island.
“As the tide suited, the enemy evinced great activity in endeavouring to warp their ships (which had grounded) into deep water, and succeeded in getting all but five of the line towards the entrance of the Charente, before it became practicable to attack them.
“I gave orders to Captain Bligh of the Valiant to proceed with that ship, the Revenge, frigates, bomb, and small vessels named in the margin, to ​anchor near the Boyart shoal, in readiness for the attack. At twenty minutes past two P.M. Lord Cochrane advanced in the Imperieuse, with his accustomed gallantry and spirit, and opened a well-directed fire upon the Calcutta, which struck her colours to the Imperieuse; the ships and vessels above-mentioned soon after joined in the attack upon the Ville de Varsovie and Aquilon, and obliged them, before five o’clock, after sustaining a heavy cannonade, to strike their colours, when they were taken possession of by the boats of the advanced squadron. As soon as the prisoners were removed, they were set on fire, as was also the Tonnerre a short time after by the enemy.
“I afterwards detached Rear-Admiral the Hon. Robert Stopford in the Caesar, with the Theseus, three additional fire-ships (which were hastily prepared in the course of the day), and all the boats of the fleet, with Mr. Congreve’s rockets, to conduct the further operations of the night against any of the ships which lay exposed to an attack. On the morning of the 13th, the Rear-Admiral reported to me, that as the Caesar and other line-of-battle ships had grounded, and were in a dangerous situation, he thought it advisable to ordor them all out, particularly as the remaining part of the service could be performed by frigates and small vessels only; and I was happy to find that they were extricated from their perilous situation. Captain Bligh has since informed me, that it was found impracticable to destroy the three-decked ship, and the others which were lying near the entrance of the Charente, as the former, being the outer one, was protected by three lines of boats placed in advance from her. This ship, and all the others, except four of the line and a frigate, have now moved up the river Charente. If any further attempt to destroy them is practicable, I shall not fail to use every means in my power to accomplish it.
“I have great satisfaction in stating to their Lordships, how much I feel obliged to the zealous co-operation of Rear-Admiral Stopford, under whose arrangement the boats of the fleet were placed; and I must also express to their Lordships, the high sense I have of the assistance I received from the abilities and unremitted attention of Sir Harry Neale, Bart, the Captain of the fleet, as well as of the animated exertions of the Captains, officers, seamen, and marines under my command, and their forwardness to volunteer upon any service that might be allotted to them, particularly the zeal and activity shewn by the Captains of line-of-battle ships in preparing the fire-vessels. I cannot speak in sufficient terras of admiration and applause of the vigorous and gallant attack made by Lord Cochrane upon the French line-of-battle ships which were on shore, as well as of his judicious manner of approaching them, and placing his ship in the position most advantageous to annoy the enemy, and preserve his own ship, which could not be exceeded by any feat of valour hitherto achieved by the British navy.
“It is due to Rear-Admiral Stopford and Sir Harry Neale, that I should here take the opportunity of acquainting their Lordships of the handsome and earnest manner in which both these meritorious officers had volunteered their services, before the arrival of Lord Cochrane, to undertake an ​attack upon the enemy with fire-ships; and that, had not their Lordships fixed upon him to conduct the enterprise, I have full confidence that the result of their efforts would have been highly creditable to them.
“I should feel that I did not do justice to the services of Captain Godfrey of the AEtna, in bombarding the enemy’s ships on the 12th, and nearly all the day of the 13th, if I did not recommend him to their Lordships’ notice; and I cannot omit bearing due testimony to the anxious desire expressed by Mr. Congreve, to be employed wherever I might conceive his services, in the management of his rockets, would be useful; some of them were placed in the fire-ships with effect; and I have every reason to be satisfied with the artillerymen and others who had the management of them, under Mr. Congreve’s direction.
“The number of the killed, wounded, and missing of the fleet, I am happy to observe, is comparatively small. I have not yet received the returns of the number of prisoners taken, but conceive they amount to between four and five hundred.
“I have charged Sir Harry Neale with this despatch (by the Imperieuse), and I beg leave to refer their Lordships to him, as also to Lord Cochrane, for any further particulars of which they may wish to be informed.
(Signed)“Gambier.”
A list of the French ships in Aix Roads, previous to the attack on the 11th April, shewing the manner in which they were disposed of.
L’Ocean, 120 guns, Foudroyant, 80, and Cassard, 74, on shore under Fouras. Tourville, 74, aground in the river. Regulus and Jemappe, 74’s, and a frigate, on shore under Madame. Tonnerre, 74, and Indienne frigate, burnt by the enemy. Ville de Varsovie, 80, Aquilon, 74, and Calcutta, 56, (the latter laden with flour and military stores) burnt by the British. Patriote, 74, and two frigates, lying in the Charente.
On the 3d Feb. 1810, Captain Bligh had the good fortune to capture the French frigate Cannoniere (formerly la Minerve, in the British service), laden with the spoil of the principal prizes which the enemy had taken in the East Indies during the three preceding years. She had been lent to the merchants of the Mauritius, for the purpose of transporting this valuable cargo to France, and was within a few hours sail of Belleisle when met by the Valiant.
In 1815, the insignia of a C.B. was conferred on Captain Bligh, as a reward for his active and unremitted services. He became a Rear-Admiral July 19, 1821.
Our officer married, first, 1798, Sarah, youngest daughter of Henry Sebastian Leeke, of Yaxley Hall, co. Suffolk, Esq.; and secondly, in 1809, Cecilia, youngest daughter of the late Governor Moultrie.
Residence.– Fareham, Hants.
* ↑ An account of the memorable defence made by Sir R. R. Bligh, when Captain of the Alexander, 74, against a French squadron, consisting of five ships of the line, three frigates, and one brig, will be given under the head of Commander James Godench, in our third volume.
* ↑ See p. 250.
* ↑ In our memoir of Lord Radstock, at p. 62, we have given the copy of a letter which that officer received from Sir John Jervis, thanking him for his conduct in the battle with the Spanish fleet; we should have added, that he also received a note from the heroic Nelson, accompanied by the sword of the second Captain of the St. Nicholas, as a proof of his esteem for the noble manner in which he conducted himself.
* ↑ Captain John Loring, of the Bellerophon, who commanded the squadron employed in the blockade of St. Domingo, died at Fareham, in Hampshire, Nov. 9, 1808. He was a most zealous, brave, and humane officer. At the time of his demise he commanded the district of Sea Fencibles from Emsworth to Calshot.
* ↑ See p. 432.
* ↑ Ville de Varsovie, of 80 guns; Tonnerre, of 74 guns; Aquilon, of 74 guns; and Calcutta, of 56 guns.
* ↑ Indefatigable, Aigle, Emerald, Pallas, Beagle, AEtna bomb, Insolent, Conflict, Encounter, Fervent, and Growler gun-brigs