Francis Wheler
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Wheler (1656 – 19 February 1694) was an officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the Nine Years' War.
Wheler spent the early part of his career in the Mediterranean, eventually being promoted to command his own ships, and being particularly active against the Algerine
and Salé
pirates that infested the region. He went on to serve in British waters, and was knight
ed by King James II. Wheler remained in the navy after the Glorious Revolution
and his continued good service led to the command of a squadron. He fought at Beachy Head
and Barfleur
, and in 1692 was promoted to flag rank. He took a fleet out to attack French possessions in the Caribbean and North America, but his attack on Martinique
ended in failure when large numbers of the troops involved became sick. He floated the idea of an attack on Quebec
, but insufficient troops could be found, and an assault on Newfoundland was similarly considered but rejected after the defences were found to be too great to overcome. Wheler nevertheless received another promotion, and went out to the Mediterranean in command of a large convoy. He made little attempt to engage the French warships he encountered on the voyage, but concentrated on reaching Cadiz
safely. After successfully escorting the convoy Wheler attempted to navigate the strait of Gibraltar
, but encountered fierce winds. His fleet was scattered and a number of ships were wrecked, while his flagship, , foundered with heavy loss of life early in the morning of 19 February 1694. Wheler was among the dead, his body being washed up two days later.
, while serving in the Mediterranean. Wheler continued in Rupert under Sir John Narborough
, who promoted him to first-lieutenant on 5 May 1679, and on 6 April 1680 moved aboard at the same rank, serving under Herbert again. Herbert appointed Wheler to post-captain on 11 September 1680 and gave him command of . On 8 April 1681 he came across a British ship, under Captain Booth, fighting an Algerine
pirate ship named Golden Horse. The Golden Horse had been on the point of surrendering, but mistaking Wheler's ship for one of his allies, fought on until Nonsuch came up and hoisted her colours, at which the pirate vessel surrendered. Serving as Nonsuchs master at the time was John Benbow
, who was later court-martialed for his comments regarding Adventures fighting ability.
Wheler took command of on 9 August 1681 and in October fought an action against a large Salé
pirate vessel, named Admiral of Salé. The pirate ship put up a spirited defence, and sustained so much damage that she sank shortly after surrendering to Wheler. Wheler's next command was , which he was appointed to on 25 August 1683. He commanded her until August 1688, when he was moved to by King James II, and moved again on 16 November by the King to . It was about this time that Wheler received a knight
hood from the King. Wheler remained in the navy after the Glorious Revolution
, and in April 1689 was sent to join his old patron Sir Arthur Herbert, by now Earl of Torrington. Torrington had however been engaged at the indecisive Battle of Bantry Bay
, and returned to port before Wheler could join him. Wheler's voyage was not entirely unsuccessful, for he had captured a large and valuable merchant ship bound for Brest
from St Domingo.
In July Torrington gave Wheler command of a squadron of eleven ships and sent him to blockade Brest. While off the port he captured a French warship and 26 other vessels, many of them carrying stores and ammunition for the Jacobite forces in Ireland
. Wheler took command of the 90-gun and fought at the Battle of Beachy Head
on 10 July 1690, and at the Battle of Barfleur
on 19 May 1692. He was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue in October 1692, and sent out to the West Indies in command of a squadron. He arrived at Madeira
on 26 January, but did not reach Barbados
until 1 March. There a council of war was convened, and the decision taken to attack Martinique
. However no preparations had been made, and the proposed 800 men from the local militia that would be used to supplement the troops had yet to be raised. The Captain-General of the Leeward Islands, Colonel Codrington, had not been approached for assistance either. The expedition therefore did not depart until 30 March, arriving at Martinique on 1 April, but still without Codrington and his reinforcements. The British force consisted of 2,300 soldiers, including 800 men from the Barbados militia, and a further 1,500 sailors detached under Wheler's command. Codrington and his men arrived on 9 April, and a landing was effected on 17 April. After some initial success in securing strategic positions and repulsing a French attack, the expedition suffered heavy losses through sickness, with 1,000 men succumbing, and the British assault petered out. A council was held on 20 April, and the expedition was abandoned, and the men evacuated.
Codrington then proposed an attack on Guadeloupe
, but Wheler had orders to leave the West Indies by May, and was doubtful that the inexperienced and sickly troops would have much chance of success. Wheler sailed to Boston
, arriving there on 12 June, and proposing to the governor there, Sir William Phips
, an attack on Quebec
. Phips demurred, on the grounds that there were no troops available. While anchored at Boston he had invited Reverend Cotton Mather
to come out to his ships to read a sermon to the men. Mather had been rowed out on Phips's barge, but had become seasick and had turned back. Instead Mather gave a sermon in his meeting house on shore, which was attended by a number of the British commanders, including Wheler.
Wheler then took his fleet to Newfoundland, but there he found Placentia heavily defended, and decided against an attack. He returned to Britain in October, with his crews ravaged by disease. Despite the failure of his expedition, the causes were attributed to circumstances beyond his control, and he was promoted to rear-admiral of the red and ordered to the Mediterranean as commander of a fleet.
, and was joined on 29 December by a merchant convoy, which he escorted as far as Cape Finisterre
. With him were Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn
, Rear-Admiral John Nevell and a Dutch squadron under Gerard Callenburgh
. French vessels were sighted on a number of occasions, but managed to outsail the British ships Wheler sent to chase them. Wheler was reluctant to separate his squadron after the disaster that had befallen George Rooke
some months previously, where part of his scattered convoy had been captured by the French.
Wheler reached Cadiz
on 19 January, having safely brought his convoy of 165 merchant ships to port. The homeward bound convoy was placed under Hopsonn, and after staying at Cadiz a month, Wheler left port on 10 February and attempted to pass through the straits
, but was prevented by contrary winds. He tried again on 17 February but was again forced back by the winds, which rose to a hurricane early on the morning of 19 February. The fleet was scattered, several ships mistaking the Bay of Gibraltar for the straits and running into it. There a number foundered or were wrecked, including , and Wheler's flagship, . Sussex foundered at 5 in the morning of 19 February, with the loss of all but two of her crew of 550. Wheler's body was washed up two days later, 'much mangled'. There were reports that it was embalmed and sent back to England for burial, but these were judged doubtful by historian J. K. Laughton.
.
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...
who served during the Nine Years' War.
Wheler spent the early part of his career in the Mediterranean, eventually being promoted to command his own ships, and being particularly active against the 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...
and 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...
pirates that infested the region. He went on to serve in British waters, and was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by King James II. Wheler remained in the navy after 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...
and his continued good service led to the command of a squadron. He fought at 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...
and Barfleur
Battle of Barfleur
This article deals in detail with the action on 19 May 1692. For an overview of the battle, its background and aftermath, see Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue...
, and in 1692 was promoted to flag rank. He took a fleet out to attack French possessions in the Caribbean and North America, but his attack on Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
ended in failure when large numbers of the troops involved became sick. He floated the idea of an attack on Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, but insufficient troops could be found, and an assault on Newfoundland was similarly considered but rejected after the defences were found to be too great to overcome. Wheler nevertheless received another promotion, and went out to the Mediterranean in command of a large convoy. He made little attempt to engage the French warships he encountered on the voyage, but concentrated on reaching 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....
safely. After successfully escorting the convoy Wheler attempted to navigate the strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, but encountered fierce winds. His fleet was scattered and a number of ships were wrecked, while his flagship, , foundered with heavy loss of life early in the morning of 19 February 1694. Wheler was among the dead, his body being washed up two days later.
Family and early life
Francis Wheler was born in 1656, a younger son of Sir Charles Wheler and his wife Dorothy Bindlosse. He entered the navy and on 30 April 1678 was appointed second-lieutenant aboard by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur HerbertArthur 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...
, while serving in the Mediterranean. Wheler continued in Rupert under 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:...
, who promoted him to first-lieutenant on 5 May 1679, and on 6 April 1680 moved aboard at the same rank, serving under Herbert again. Herbert appointed Wheler to post-captain on 11 September 1680 and gave him command of . On 8 April 1681 he came across a British ship, under Captain Booth, fighting 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...
pirate ship named Golden Horse. The Golden Horse had been on the point of surrendering, but mistaking Wheler's ship for one of his allies, fought on until Nonsuch came up and hoisted her colours, at which the pirate vessel surrendered. Serving as Nonsuchs master at the time was John Benbow
John Benbow
John Benbow was an English officer in the Royal Navy. He joined the navy aged 25 years, seeing action against Algerian 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...
, who was later court-martialed for his comments regarding Adventures fighting ability.
Wheler took command of on 9 August 1681 and in October fought an action against a large 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 vessel, named Admiral of Salé. The pirate ship put up a spirited defence, and sustained so much damage that she sank shortly after surrendering to Wheler. Wheler's next command was , which he was appointed to on 25 August 1683. He commanded her until August 1688, when he was moved to by King James II, and moved again on 16 November by the King to . It was about this time that Wheler received a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
hood from the King. Wheler remained in the navy after 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...
, and in April 1689 was sent to join his old patron Sir Arthur Herbert, by now Earl of Torrington. Torrington had however been engaged at the indecisive Battle of Bantry Bay
Battle of Bantry Bay
The Battle of Bantry Bay was a naval engagement fought on 11 May 1689 during the Nine Years' War. The Allied fleet was commanded by Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington; the French fleet by François Louis de Rousselet, Marquis de Châteaurenault...
, and returned to port before Wheler could join him. Wheler's voyage was not entirely unsuccessful, for he had captured a large and valuable merchant ship bound for 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...
from St Domingo.
Command and flag rank
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
. Wheler took command of the 90-gun and fought at 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...
on 10 July 1690, and at the Battle of Barfleur
Battle of Barfleur
This article deals in detail with the action on 19 May 1692. For an overview of the battle, its background and aftermath, see Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue...
on 19 May 1692. He was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue in October 1692, and sent out to the West Indies in command of a squadron. He arrived at 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...
on 26 January, but did not reach 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...
until 1 March. There a council of war was convened, and the decision taken to attack Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. However no preparations had been made, and the proposed 800 men from the local militia that would be used to supplement the troops had yet to be raised. The Captain-General of the Leeward Islands, Colonel Codrington, had not been approached for assistance either. The expedition therefore did not depart until 30 March, arriving at Martinique on 1 April, but still without Codrington and his reinforcements. The British force consisted of 2,300 soldiers, including 800 men from the Barbados militia, and a further 1,500 sailors detached under Wheler's command. Codrington and his men arrived on 9 April, and a landing was effected on 17 April. After some initial success in securing strategic positions and repulsing a French attack, the expedition suffered heavy losses through sickness, with 1,000 men succumbing, and the British assault petered out. A council was held on 20 April, and the expedition was abandoned, and the men evacuated.
Codrington then proposed an attack on Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
, but Wheler had orders to leave the West Indies by May, and was doubtful that the inexperienced and sickly troops would have much chance of success. Wheler sailed to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, arriving there on 12 June, and proposing to the governor there, Sir William Phips
William Phips
Sir William Phips was a shipwright, ship's captain, treasure hunter, military leader, and the first royally-appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay....
, an attack on Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Phips demurred, on the grounds that there were no troops available. While anchored at Boston he had invited Reverend Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather, FRS was a socially and politically influential New England Puritan minister, prolific author and pamphleteer; he is often remembered for his role in the Salem witch trials...
to come out to his ships to read a sermon to the men. Mather had been rowed out on Phips's barge, but had become seasick and had turned back. Instead Mather gave a sermon in his meeting house on shore, which was attended by a number of the British commanders, including Wheler.
Wheler then took his fleet to Newfoundland, but there he found Placentia heavily defended, and decided against an attack. He returned to Britain in October, with his crews ravaged by disease. Despite the failure of his expedition, the causes were attributed to circumstances beyond his control, and he was promoted to rear-admiral of the red and ordered to the Mediterranean as commander of a fleet.
Voyage to the Mediterranean
The fleet, consisting of twenty ships of the line and frigates was ready by November but were detained in port by contrary winds until 27 December. He was finally able to sail from PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, and was joined on 29 December by a merchant convoy, which he escorted as far as Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre
right|thumb|300px|Position of Cape Finisterre on the [[Iberian Peninsula]]Cape Finisterre is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain....
. With him were Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn
Thomas Hopsonn
Sir Thomas Hopsonn was born in Bonchurch, near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, England in 1642.Orphaned at an early age he was fostered and apprenticed as a tailor in nearby Niton....
, Rear-Admiral John Nevell and a Dutch squadron under Gerard Callenburgh
Gerard Callenburgh
Gerard Callenburgh was a Dutch admiral.Gerard was born in Willemstad, the son of a wood-trader, but chose to enter the Dutch navy in 1661 as a cadet, serving the Admiralty of the Maze. He was made second lieutenant in May 1666 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. On 10 February 1671 he was promoted...
. French vessels were sighted on a number of occasions, but managed to outsail the British ships Wheler sent to chase them. Wheler was reluctant to separate his squadron after the disaster that had befallen 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...
some months previously, where part of his scattered convoy had been captured by the French.
Wheler reached 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....
on 19 January, having safely brought his convoy of 165 merchant ships to port. The homeward bound convoy was placed under Hopsonn, and after staying at Cadiz a month, Wheler left port on 10 February and attempted to pass through the straits
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, but was prevented by contrary winds. He tried again on 17 February but was again forced back by the winds, which rose to a hurricane early on the morning of 19 February. The fleet was scattered, several ships mistaking the Bay of Gibraltar for the straits and running into it. There a number foundered or were wrecked, including , and Wheler's flagship, . Sussex foundered at 5 in the morning of 19 February, with the loss of all but two of her crew of 550. Wheler's body was washed up two days later, 'much mangled'. There were reports that it was embalmed and sent back to England for burial, but these were judged doubtful by historian J. K. Laughton.
Family and issue
Wheler had married Arabella Clinton, and together the two had two boys and a girl, the latter named Anna-Sophia, while the eldest boy was named Charles, and were mentioned in Wheler's will of 1692. These presumably died young, as later records mention only two surviving children, the second son, named William, and a third son, named Francis, was probably born in either 1693 or 1694. William's son, Francis, produced a daughter named Jane who married Henry Hood, 2nd Viscount Hood, becoming the mother of Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron BridportSamuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport
Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport succeeded his great-uncle Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport as Baron Bridport....
.