John Laforey
Encyclopedia
Sir John Laforey, 1st Baronet was a senior and controversial British naval officer of the 18th century whose extensive career was spent mainly on the North American and West Indian stations. During his career, Laforey was repeatedly involved in contentious naval politics, especially relating to the provision of prize money
and angered several senior officers through much publicised disputes. This resulted in his sidelining for much of his career, only making flag rank and finding success with the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
in 1793.
line which fled to England in the 1690s and became prominent military figures within their adopted country. Nothing is known of the younger John's childhood or education but in 1748 he became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy
. Seven years later, in the early stages of the Seven Years War, Laforey was personally promoted by Commodore Augustus Keppel to commander, taking over HMS Ontario
as his first commission.
Three years later, Laforey commanded HMS Hunter at the Siege of Louisbourg in French Canada under Edward Boscawen
. on 25 July 1758, Laforey earned distinction in command of the small force of sailors and marines who entered the harbour and burnt the French ship of the line
Prudent and captured the Bienfaisant. For this service, Laforey was rewarded by Boscawen with promotion to captain and command of HMS Echo. He continued in service under Boscawen and was present during the capture of Quebec.
By 1762, Laforey had been transferred to the West Indies under Admiral Rodney and participated in his capture of the French island of Martinique
. After the peace in the same year, Laforey remained in the West Indies and married Eleanor Farley, daughter of major Antigua
landowner and politician Francis Farley
. He would later inherit substantial estates from his father-in-law. In 1770, Laforey returned to his naval career, briefly taking over the frigate
HMS Pallas
. For the next six years, Laforey remained in semi-retirement until the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
in 1776 recalled him to service.
as his first captaincy in the war, and with her served for three years, fighting at the First Battle of Ushant
with the squadron of Admiral Keppel. The action was successful, but the aftermath spilled out into a bitter row coloured by party politics. Laforey, as a long time supporter of Keppel, gave evidence for him at his court martial but Keppel left the Navy despite his acquittal and Laforey was dispatched to a shore command at Antigua, commanding the Leeward Islands
station. There he established numerous reforms in the dockyard at English Harbour
, improving cleaning and repair operations at the port. The commission was fraught with difficulty however as many captains and junior admirals refused to respond to Laforey's orders as he was of lower rank than they were. This substantially hindered operations on Antigua until Admiral Rodney promoted him to Commodore in 1780 to compensate.
Less than a year after his promotion however, Laforey and Rodney fell out over the purchase of stores from St Eustatius and Laforey fell from favour. Although Rodney was replaced by Hugh Pigot
the following year, the situation did not improve as Pigot, though also a supporter of Keppel, did not approve of Laforey's provisions for the fitting out and sale of captured enemy ships and the two had a public disagreement which ended with Laforey's dispatch to England, where he was made commissioner of Devonport Dockyard
. He remained in this role for several years, repeatedly passed over for promotion as a consequence of the enemies he had made during his service in the West Indies.
as compensation from friends in the Admiralty. With this promotion secured, Laforey returned to the Leeward Islands as commander in chief, where he was still stationed at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
in 1793. Taking advantage of the confused situation of the French colonies, Laforey raised the Antigua militia and invaded and captured the French colony of Tobago
in a short and highly successful campaign supported by his son Francis Laforey
, a navy commander who was rewarded with a captaincy for his part in the operation. In July Laforey was in England but he returned to the West Indies as a full admiral in 1795.
Arriving in the Leeward Islands once more, Laforey commanded the force which captured the Dutch South American colonies of Demerara
, Essequibo
, and Berbice
and also presided over the forces which put down slave rebellions on St Vincent
, Grenada
and Dominica
. In early 1796, Laforey laid plans for an invasion of St Lucia, but his deteriorating health prompted his replacement in that year by Sir Hugh Christian. Taking passage on HMS Majestic
back to England, Laforey died en route of Yellow Fever
and was buried at Portsmouth
upon arrival. Laforey's son Francis was later an admiral in his own right and fought as captain of the HMS Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar
. He inherited his fathers estates and baronetcy but died without issue in 1835.
Prize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
and angered several senior officers through much publicised disputes. This resulted in his sidelining for much of his career, only making flag rank and finding success with the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
in 1793.
Seven Years War
Laforey was born to Lieutenant-Colonel John Laforey and his wife Mary Clayton in 1729, although the actual date is unknown. The Laforey family was descended from a prominent French HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
line which fled to England in the 1690s and became prominent military figures within their adopted country. Nothing is known of the younger John's childhood or education but in 1748 he became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy
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...
. Seven years later, in the early stages of the Seven Years War, Laforey was personally promoted by Commodore Augustus Keppel to commander, taking over HMS Ontario
HMS Ontario
HMS Ontario can refer to several ships:* HMS Ontario , a Royal Navy brig-sloop that sank in a storm in Lake Ontario during the American Revolutionary War and whose wreck was discovered in June 2008....
as his first commission.
Three years later, Laforey commanded HMS Hunter at the Siege of Louisbourg in French Canada under Edward Boscawen
Edward Boscawen
Admiral Edward Boscawen, PC was an Admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall. He is known principally for his various naval commands throughout the 18th Century and the engagements that he won, including the Siege of Louisburg in 1758 and Battle of Lagos...
. on 25 July 1758, Laforey earned distinction in command of the small force of sailors and marines who entered the harbour and burnt the French ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
Prudent and captured the Bienfaisant. For this service, Laforey was rewarded by Boscawen with promotion to captain and command of HMS Echo. He continued in service under Boscawen and was present during the capture of Quebec.
By 1762, Laforey had been transferred to the West Indies under Admiral Rodney and participated in his capture of the French island of Martinique
British expedition against Martinique
The British expedition against Martinique was a military action from January to February 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War.- Prelude :...
. After the peace in the same year, Laforey remained in the West Indies and married Eleanor Farley, daughter of major Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
landowner and politician Francis Farley
Francis Farley
Francis James McDonald Farley FRS is a British scientist.During WWII he was heavily involved in the development of wartime microwave radar to control the Dover guns. He later took part in innovative experiments in particle physics at CERN and Brookhaven. He has worked on wave energy since 1976 and...
. He would later inherit substantial estates from his father-in-law. In 1770, Laforey returned to his naval career, briefly taking over the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
HMS Pallas
HMS Pallas (1757)
HMS Pallas was one of the three 36-gun Venus-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and served until her loss in 1783.- References :...
. For the next six years, Laforey remained in semi-retirement until the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in 1776 recalled him to service.
American Revolutionary War
Laforey took command of the newly commissioned HMS OceanHMS Ocean (1761)
HMS Ocean was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 21 April 1761 at Chatham.She was sold out of the service in 1793....
as his first captaincy in the war, and with her served for three years, fighting at the First Battle of Ushant
Battle of Ushant (1778)
The Battle of Ushant took place on 27 July 1778, during the American War of Independence, fought between French and British fleets 100 miles west of Ushant, a French island at the mouth of the English Channel off the north-westernmost point of France...
with the squadron of Admiral Keppel. The action was successful, but the aftermath spilled out into a bitter row coloured by party politics. Laforey, as a long time supporter of Keppel, gave evidence for him at his court martial but Keppel left the Navy despite his acquittal and Laforey was dispatched to a shore command at Antigua, commanding the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
station. There he established numerous reforms in the dockyard at English Harbour
English Harbour
English Harbour is a settlement on the island of Antigua, in the extreme south of the island. It takes its name from the nearby harbour in which the Royal Navy established its base of operations for the area during the eighteenth century. Its population is 759 .English Harbour is a centre of...
, improving cleaning and repair operations at the port. The commission was fraught with difficulty however as many captains and junior admirals refused to respond to Laforey's orders as he was of lower rank than they were. This substantially hindered operations on Antigua until Admiral Rodney promoted him to Commodore in 1780 to compensate.
Less than a year after his promotion however, Laforey and Rodney fell out over the purchase of stores from St Eustatius and Laforey fell from favour. Although Rodney was replaced by Hugh Pigot
Hugh Pigot (18th century admiral)
Admiral Hugh Pigot , of Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire, was a British naval leader who rose from the ranks to become an admiral. He also served as a Member of Parliament .Pigot joined the navy in 1734 as an able seaman...
the following year, the situation did not improve as Pigot, though also a supporter of Keppel, did not approve of Laforey's provisions for the fitting out and sale of captured enemy ships and the two had a public disagreement which ended with Laforey's dispatch to England, where he was made commissioner of Devonport Dockyard
Devonport Dockyard
Devonport Dockyard may be:*HMNB Devonport, one of the main bases of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom*Devonport Naval Base, the main base of the Royal New Zealand Navy...
. He remained in this role for several years, repeatedly passed over for promotion as a consequence of the enemies he had made during his service in the West Indies.
French Revolutionary Wars
In 1789, after a legal challenge and a long dispute, Laforey was granted his flag with seniority back to 1787 and was also made a baronetBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
as compensation from friends in the Admiralty. With this promotion secured, Laforey returned to the Leeward Islands as commander in chief, where he was still stationed at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
in 1793. Taking advantage of the confused situation of the French colonies, Laforey raised the Antigua militia and invaded and captured the French colony of Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
in a short and highly successful campaign supported by his son Francis Laforey
Francis Laforey
Admiral Sir Francis Laforey, 2nd Baronet, KCB was an officer of the British Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, whose distinguished service record included numerous frigate commands in Home waters and in the West Indies...
, a navy commander who was rewarded with a captaincy for his part in the operation. In July Laforey was in England but he returned to the West Indies as a full admiral in 1795.
Arriving in the Leeward Islands once more, Laforey commanded the force which captured the Dutch South American colonies of Demerara
Demerara
Demerara was a region in South America in what is now Guyana that was colonised by the Dutch in 1611. The British invaded and captured the area in 1796...
, Essequibo
Essequibo
Essequibo may refer to:* The Essequibo River is one of the larger South American rivers located in the country of Guyana.* The former Dutch colony of Essequibo, in the region of the river...
, and Berbice
Berbice
Berbice is a region along the Berbice River in Guyana, which was between 1627 and 1815 a colony of the Netherlands. After having been ceded to the United Kingdom in the latter year, it was merged with Essequibo and Demerara to form the colony of British Guiana in 1831...
and also presided over the forces which put down slave rebellions on St Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
, Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
and Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
. In early 1796, Laforey laid plans for an invasion of St Lucia, but his deteriorating health prompted his replacement in that year by Sir Hugh Christian. Taking passage on HMS Majestic
HMS Majestic (1785)
HMS Majestic was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line launched on 11 December 1785 at Deptford. She fought at the Battle of the Nile, where she engaged the French ships Tonnant and Heureux, helping to force their surrenders...
back to England, Laforey died en route of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
and was buried 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...
upon arrival. Laforey's son Francis was later an admiral in his own right and fought as captain of the HMS Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. He inherited his fathers estates and baronetcy but died without issue in 1835.