Boscawen, Edward

Boscawen, Edward

▪ British admiral
byname  Old Dreadnought  
born Aug. 19, 1711
died Jan. 10, 1761, Hatchlands Park, Surrey, Eng.

      British admiral who played a distinguished part in the Seven Years' War.

      The third son of Hugh, 1st Viscount Falmouth, Boscawen entered the navy at an early age, serving under Vice Admiral Francis Hosier in the West Indies in 1726 and under Admiral Edward Vernon at Portobelo (1739) and at Cartagena (1741). On his return he married Fanny Glanville, a noted “bluestocking” (an intellectual woman of the 18th century), whose conversation, said Samuel Johnson, was the best of any woman whom he had met.

      Boscawen became member of Parliament for Truro in 1742 but continued to serve at sea, notably at the battle off Cape Finisterre in May 1747 when the French squadron suffered an overwhelming defeat. He was then sent out in command of a fleet in India. His premature capture of the French ships Alcide and Lys off Newfoundland in April 1755 helped to precipitate the outbreak of the Seven Years' War. In 1758 he was promoted admiral and in cooperation with Jeffrey Amherst and James Wolfe captured Louisburg, Cape Breton.

      The next year, when in command of the Mediterranean fleet, he chased a French fleet off Lagos, took three ships and burned two, thus defeating the proposed concentration of the French fleet at Brest for an invasion of Great Britain. As a reward, in December 1760 he was given the lucrative post of general of marines, but his death the following month cut short a brilliant career.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • BOSCAWEN, EDWARD —    a British admiral, known from his fearlessness as Old Dreadnought ; distinguished himself in engagements at Puerto Bello, Cathagena, Cape Finisterre, and the Bay of Lagos, where, after a sea hunt of 24 hours, he wrecked and ruined a fine… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Boscawen, Edward — (1711 1761)    Born in England. Served at Porto Bello, 1739 1740; at Cartagena, 1741; and in the West Indies, 1747. Commanded on the North American station between 1755 and 1757, and in 1758 commander in chief of the fleet at the siege of… …   The makers of Canada

  • Edward Boscawen — (* 19. August 1711 in Tregothnan bei Falmouth, Cornwall; † 10. Januar 1761 in Hatchlands Park, Surrey), war ein britischer Admiral. Leben …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Edward Boscawen — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Edward Boscawen El Almirante Edward Boscawen (19 de agosto de 1711 10 de enero de 1761) fue un marino y político británico. Fue el tercer hijo de Hugh …   Wikipedia Español

  • Boscawen — may refer to: * A stone circle, Boscawen Un, in Cornwall, United Kingdom, near Penzance; the name meaning Dwelling by the elder tree on the downs . * Edward Boscawen, British admiral, third son of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth. * Hugh… …   Wikipedia

  • Edward Pellew, 1. Viscount Exmouth — Edward Pellew, 1. Viscount Exmouth, GCB, (* 19. April 1757 in Dover; † 23. Januar 1833 in Teignmouth, Devon) war ein britischer Marineoffizier und Admir …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Edward Boscawen — Edward Boscawen, Joshua Reynolds, circa 1755 Edward Boscawen (né le 19 août 1711, décédé le 10 janvier 1761 à Hatchland’s Park, Surrey) était un amiral anglais. En …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Boscawen — bezeichnet Edward Boscawen (1711–1761), britischer Admiral Boscawen (New Hampshire), Ort in den USA HMS Boscawen, ein Schiff der Royal Navy Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichnete …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke — Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke, KB (February 21 1705 ndash; October 16 1781) was a naval officer of the Royal Navy.BiographyBorn in London, he joined the navy in 1720, but did not see fighting until the Battle of Toulon in 1744. During the War of… …   Wikipedia

  • Edward Boscawen — Admiral Edward Boscawen, PC, RN (August 19, 1711 ndash; January 10, 1761) was a British admiral and member of Parliament.Boscawen was the third son of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth. He entered the Royal Navy early, and, in 1730,… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”