Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

(1719–92) The son of a captain of marines, Rodney won rapid promotion. He first fought in the War of the Austrian Succession, being prominent at Hawke's action of 14 October 1747. He became Governor of Newfoundland in 1748 (a post always held by a naval officer). During the Seven Years' War, he took part in the unsuccessful Rochefort expedition (1757), and then, having reached flag rank in 1759, commanded the force which bombarded Le Havre in 1759 and another fleet which occupied Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenada in 1760–1. He became a full admiral in 1771, but, having got into debt, he was obliged to seek refuge in France until 1779. Returning to Britain, he was appointed to command the Leeward Islands fleet. On the way out he won an outstanding success against the Spanish squadron of Don Juan de Langara off Cape St Vincent (10 January 1780), and relieved Gibraltar. In the West Indies, he fought three indecisive battles against de Guichen. His reputation was assured by victory at the Battle of the Saints (12 April 1782), where he defeated de Grasse. Apart from the good gunnery and intensive use of the carronade by the English, the victory was due to the tactics employed by Rodney, who seized an opportunity to break through the French line, thus cutting off and concentrating on a part of the French fleet, and avoiding the actions in line which had proved so indecisive. ... log in or subscribe to read full text