John Moutray
Encyclopedia
John Moutray was an officer of the Royal Navy
. He reached the rank of post-captain
and served as the Royal Commissioner for English Harbour
in Antigua
. He was court-martial
ed in 1781 over his role in the Action of 9 August 1780
.
He was promoted to post-captain
on 28 December 1758. On 29 July 1780 a convoy of sixty-three ships were bound for the East Indies
and West Indies. They left Great Britain
under the care of Captain John Moutray in the 74-gun , and accompanied by the 36-gun frigate
s and . On 8 August 1780 unusual sails were seen, and Moutray signalled his ships to alter course and follow him close to the wind. They paid no attention to his orders, and by daylight on 8 August 1780 the bulk of the convoy
were raided by a combined Franco-Spanish fleet.
The warships escaped with eight of the convoy; the other fifty-five merchantmen
were captured, with the loss of their cargoes worth a million and a half, and 2,805 prisoners. It was a blow to British commerce
, and especially to the forces in the West Indies, which lost a vast quantity of military stores.
He was tried by court-martial
and lost his commission. He went on to become the Commissioner of the naval dockyard in the Leeward Islands
from April 1784 until 1785. He died on 22 November 1785 in Bath, Somerset at the age of 62. He was buried at Bath Abbey
four days later. He left his estate to his wife and children. His will also refers to two illegitimate children he had by a woman named Elspeth London. His epitaph reads:
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...
. He reached the rank of post-captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
and served as the Royal Commissioner for 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...
in 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...
. He was 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...
ed in 1781 over his role in the Action of 9 August 1780
Action of 9 August 1780
The Action of 9 August 1780 was a naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War in which the main Spanish fleet led by Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova, together with a squadron of French ships, captured a heavy British convoy of sixty-three vessels causing a severe blow to the commerce of...
.
Biography
He was born c. 1722. He was married to Mary Moutray on 2 September 1771.He was promoted to post-captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
on 28 December 1758. On 29 July 1780 a convoy of sixty-three ships were bound for the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
and West Indies. They left Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
under the care of Captain John Moutray in the 74-gun , and accompanied by the 36-gun 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"...
s and . On 8 August 1780 unusual sails were seen, and Moutray signalled his ships to alter course and follow him close to the wind. They paid no attention to his orders, and by daylight on 8 August 1780 the bulk of the convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
were raided by a combined Franco-Spanish fleet.
The warships escaped with eight of the convoy; the other fifty-five merchantmen
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
were captured, with the loss of their cargoes worth a million and a half, and 2,805 prisoners. It was a blow to British commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
, and especially to the forces in the West Indies, which lost a vast quantity of military stores.
He was tried by 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...
and lost his commission. He went on to become the Commissioner of the naval dockyard in 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...
from April 1784 until 1785. He died on 22 November 1785 in Bath, Somerset at the age of 62. He was buried at Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England...
four days later. He left his estate to his wife and children. His will also refers to two illegitimate children he had by a woman named Elspeth London. His epitaph reads:
Under this place are deposited the remains of John Moutray Esq of Roscobie in Fifeshire in the Kingdom of Scotland twenty eight years a post captain and late a Commissioner of His Majesty's Navy in Antigua. In his public character he was valuable to his country for his long and faithful services and universally beloved for the integrity of his principles and the distinguished sincerity of his heart. He died Nov 22nd 1785 in the 63rd year of his age".