.gif)
George Walton (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Walton was an officer in the Royal Navy
during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral
.
, Essex
. He entered the navy and was commissioned lieutenant on 22 February 1690. His first assignment was to HMS Anne
, under Captain John Tyrell
. Walton was present aboard the Anne at the allied defeat in the Battle of Beachy Head
in May 1690, when the Anne was dismasted. Despite rigging up a jury jig, the Anne was unable to escape and was deliberately run ashore west of Rye
where her crew abandoned and then burnt her to prevent her capture. Tyrell then received command of HMS Ossory
, taking Walton with him, and the two saw action in the Battle of Barfleur
in 1692.
in 1693 under Captain Henry Haughton. He spent most of this period serving in the English Channel
until 1696, when he joined the main fleet aboard HMS Restoration
under Captain Thomas Fowlis. Acquitting himself well, Walton was promoted to captain on 19 January 1697 and was given command of the 24-gun HMS Seaford. He was not in command long when on 5 May 1697, the Seaford was captured and burnt by the French off the Isles of Scilly
. Walton returned to England and was given command of HMS Seahorse. He commanded her until 1699, in the North Sea
and off the Dutch coast, followed by a period in the Mediterranean in 1699 under Vice-Admiral Matthew Aylmer
.
, and in March 1702 Walton was appointed to command the 48-gun HMS Ruby
. He then participated in the Action of August 1702
under Benbow and against Admiral Jean du Casse
. During the action, most of the captains hung back from the engagement, and only Walton's conduct was considered above reproach. Walton kept the Ruby closely engaged, supporting Benbow aboard HMS Breda
until the Ruby was disabled by French fire. Unable to contribute further, Benbow ordered Walton to return to Port Royal
, Jamaica
.
Walton's next command was HMS Canterbury
in June 1703, under the command of Vice-Admiral John Graydon. Walton returned to England in October 1704, eventually spending six years and nine months aboard the Canterbury. He spent between 1705 and 1706 in the Mediterranean. He accompanied Sir Thomas Hardy in the escorting a convoy to Lisbon
in 1707, and after gave evidence in favour of Hardy at the court-martial
. Hardy had been criticised for not pursuing a French squadron that had been sighted during the voyage. Walton's next command was HMS Montagu
in September 1710. He sailed with the fleet under Sir Hovenden Walker
to attack Quebec City
. During the voyage Walton and the Montagu captured two prizes. After the failure of the expedition, Walton returned to England and was appointed to act as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth
in December 1712.
in early January 1718, followed by a return to his old ship, Canterbury. In the Canterbury he joined the fleet under George Byng
and sailed for the Mediterranean. He had a large part in the Battle of Cape Passaro
on 31 July 1718 and was given command of a detached five-ship squadron and sent to pursue a division of the Spanish fleet. Walton achieved a substantial victory with his small command, capturing six ships and destroying six more in the Strait of Messina
. Modest in victory, he wrote to Byng on 5 August to inform him of his success, a letter described by The Gentleman's Magazine
as ‘remarkable for naval Eloquence’. It read
, then a guard ship
at Sheerness
. He was knight
ed on 15 January 1721 for his victory in 1718 and was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 16 February 1723. He was appointed second in command of the Baltic
fleet under Sir Charles Wager
on 1726, and hoisted his flag in HMS Cumberland
. He then served with Wager off Cadiz
and Gibraltar
in late 1726, returning to the Baltic aboard HMS Captain
in April 1727 under the command of Admiral Sir John Norris. Walton was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red in December 1727, Vice-Admiral of the Blue in January 1727 (Old Style, 1728 New Style)), Vice-Admiral of the White in 1728 and was back with Wager in the Channel, followed by the Mediterranean in 1729, this time aboard HMS Princess Amelia
. He continued his rise through the ranks, being appointed commander-in-chief at Spithead
in 1731, and vice-admiral of the red in January 1732. Admiral of the blue came next on 26 February 1734, and he spent 1734 to 1735 as commander-in-chief at the Nore
, with HMS Revenge
and then HMS Newark
as his flagship
s.
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...
during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
.
Family and early life
Much of the details of his early life are obscure, but it is known that he was born into a family from Little BursteadLittle Burstead
Little Burstead is a village in Essex, England.-External links:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. He entered the navy and was commissioned lieutenant on 22 February 1690. His first assignment was to HMS Anne
HMS Anne (1678)
HMS Anne was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, built by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard and launched in 1678....
, under Captain John Tyrell
John Tyrrell (Oakley)
Captain John Tyrrell of Oakley, Buckinghamshire, son of Sir Timothy Tyrrell and Dame Elizabeth, his wife, was made by Charles II of England the Second Admiral in the East Indies....
. Walton was present aboard the Anne at the allied 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...
in May 1690, when the Anne was dismasted. Despite rigging up a jury jig, the Anne was unable to escape and was deliberately run ashore west of Rye
Rye, East Sussex
Rye is a small town in East Sussex, England, which stands approximately two miles from the open sea and is at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede...
where her crew abandoned and then burnt her to prevent her capture. Tyrell then received command of HMS Ossory
HMS Ossory (1682)
HMS Ossory was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1682 at Portsmouth Dockyard. She was renamed HMS Prince in 1705....
, taking Walton with him, and the two saw action in 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...
in 1692.
Promotion
Walton was appointed first lieutenant of HMS DevonshireHMS Devonshire (1692)
HMS Devonshire was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Bursledon on 5 April 1692.She was rebuilt at Woolwich Dockyard in 1704, but was blown up in action in 1707 during the Battle at The Lizard....
in 1693 under Captain Henry Haughton. He spent most of this period serving in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
until 1696, when he joined the main fleet aboard HMS Restoration
HMS Restoration (1678)
HMS Restoration was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, named after the English Restoration. She was built by Betts of Harwich and launched in 1678.She took part in the Battle of Barfleur on 19 May 1692...
under Captain Thomas Fowlis. Acquitting himself well, Walton was promoted to captain on 19 January 1697 and was given command of the 24-gun HMS Seaford. He was not in command long when on 5 May 1697, the Seaford was captured and burnt by the French off the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
. Walton returned to England and was given command of HMS Seahorse. He commanded her until 1699, in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and off the Dutch coast, followed by a period in the Mediterranean in 1699 under Vice-Admiral Matthew Aylmer
Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer
Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer was an Irish Admiral of the Royal Navy.Lord Aylmer, Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, was the second son of Sir Christopher Aylmer of Balrath, County Meath, and entered the Royal Navy under the protection of the Duke of Buckingham, as a Lieutenant, in 1678...
.
In the West Indies with Benbow
Walton was then appointed to command HMS Carcass for a ten month period between 1701 and 1702, and sailed her to the West Indies. Here he joined a squadron under Vice-Admiral John BenbowJohn 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...
, and in March 1702 Walton was appointed to command the 48-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....
. He then participated in 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...
under Benbow and against 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...
. During the action, most of the captains hung back from the engagement, and only Walton's conduct was considered above reproach. Walton kept the Ruby closely engaged, supporting Benbow aboard 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....
until the Ruby was disabled by French fire. Unable to contribute further, Benbow ordered Walton to return 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...
, 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...
.
Walton's next command was HMS Canterbury
HMS Canterbury (1693)
HMS Canterbury was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 18 December 1693.She was rebuilt at Portsmouth according to the 1719 Establishment, and was relaunched on 15 September 1722...
in June 1703, under the command of Vice-Admiral John Graydon. Walton returned to England in October 1704, eventually spending six years and nine months aboard the Canterbury. He spent between 1705 and 1706 in the Mediterranean. He accompanied Sir Thomas Hardy in the escorting a convoy to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1707, and after gave evidence in favour of Hardy at the 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...
. Hardy had been criticised for not pursuing a French squadron that had been sighted during the voyage. Walton's next command was HMS Montagu
HMS Montague (1654)
Lyme was a 52-gun third rate frigate built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Portsmouth, and launched in 1654.After the Restoration in 1660 she was renamed HMS Montague. She was widened in 1675 and underwent her first rebuild in 1698 at Woolwich Dockyard as a 60-gun fourth rate ship...
in September 1710. He sailed with the fleet under Sir Hovenden Walker
Hovenden Walker
Sir Hovenden Walker was a British naval officer noted for having led an abortive 1711 expedition against Quebec City, then the capital of New France....
to attack Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. During the voyage Walton and the Montagu captured two prizes. After the failure of the expedition, Walton returned to England and was appointed to act as commander-in-chief 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...
in December 1712.
Victory at Cape Passaro
He returned to sea again when he was appointed to command HMS DefianceHMS 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....
in early January 1718, followed by a return to his old ship, Canterbury. In the Canterbury he joined the fleet under George Byng
George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington
Admiral of the Fleet George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC was a British naval officer and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II.-Naval career:Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England...
and sailed for the Mediterranean. He had a large part in the Battle of Cape Passaro
Battle of Cape Passaro
The Battle of Cape Passaro was the defeat of a Spanish fleet under Admirals Antonio de Gaztañeta and Fernando Chacón by a British fleet under Admiral George Byng, near Cape Passero, Sicily, on 11 August 1718, four months before the War of the Quadruple Alliance was formally...
on 31 July 1718 and was given command of a detached five-ship squadron and sent to pursue a division of the Spanish fleet. Walton achieved a substantial victory with his small command, capturing six ships and destroying six more in the Strait of Messina
Strait of Messina
The Strait of Messina is the narrow passage between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria in the south of Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea, within the central Mediterranean...
. Modest in victory, he wrote to Byng on 5 August to inform him of his success, a letter described by The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
as ‘remarkable for naval Eloquence’. It read
‘Sir, we have taken and destroyed all the Spanish ships which were upon the coast: the number as per margin’This resulted in Thomas Corbett pronouncing him fitter to achieve a ‘gallant action’ than to describe one.
Knighthood and further promotions
Walton returned to England and in 1720 was appointed to HMS NassauHMS Nassau (1706)
HMS Nassau was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched on 9 January 1706.Orders were issued on 25 May 1736 directing Nassau to be taken to pieces and rebuilt according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment at Chatham, from where...
, then a guard ship
Guard ship
A guard ship is a warship stationed at some port or harbour to act as a guard, and in former times in the Royal Navy to receive the men impressed for service...
at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
. He 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 on 15 January 1721 for his victory in 1718 and was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 16 February 1723. He was appointed second in command of the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
fleet under Sir Charles Wager
Charles Wager
Sir Charles Wager was a British Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1733 and 1742.Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager's reputation has suffered from a profoundly mistaken idea that the navy was then at a low ebb...
on 1726, and hoisted his flag in HMS Cumberland
HMS Cumberland (1710)
HMS Cumberland was a three-deck 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard and launched on 27 December 1710...
. He then served with Wager off 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....
and Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in late 1726, returning to the Baltic aboard HMS Captain
HMS Captain (1678)
HMS Captain was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Woolwich Dockyard in 1678.She underwent her first rebuild at Portsmouth Dockyard, where she was reconstructed as a 70-gun third rate built to the 1706 Establishment, and relaunched on 6 July 1708...
in April 1727 under the command of Admiral Sir John Norris. Walton was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red in December 1727, Vice-Admiral of the Blue in January 1727 (Old Style, 1728 New Style)), Vice-Admiral of the White in 1728 and was back with Wager in the Channel, followed by the Mediterranean in 1729, this time aboard HMS Princess Amelia
HMS Humber (1693)
HMS Humber was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Hull on 30 March 1693.She was rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Deptford in 1708. Her guns, previously being mounted on two gundecks, where now mounted on three, though she remained classified as a...
. He continued his rise through the ranks, being appointed commander-in-chief at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
in 1731, and vice-admiral of the red in January 1732. Admiral of the blue came next on 26 February 1734, and he spent 1734 to 1735 as commander-in-chief at the Nore
Nore
The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the Thames Estuary, England. It marks the point where the River Thames meets the North Sea, roughly halfway between Havengore Creek in Essex and Warden Point in Kent....
, with HMS Revenge
HMS Swiftsure (1673)
HMS Swiftsure was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Sir Anthony Deane at Harwich, and launched in 1673. By 1685 she had been reduced to a 66-gun ship.In 1692 she saw action at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue....
and then HMS Newark
HMS Newark (1695)
HMS Newark was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Hull on 3 June 1695.She was rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Chatham Dockyard, and relaunched on 29 July 1717. During this rebuild an extra gundeck was added to make her a three-decker, instead of the...
as 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...
s.