Samuel Graves
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Samuel Graves RN
(17 April 1713 – 8 March 1787) was a British
Admiral
who is probably best known for his role early in the American War of Independence.
in 1732. Made lieutenant in 1739, he participated in the 1741 expedition against Cartagena
, serving on the frigate Norfolk, under his uncle and future admiral, Captain Thomas Graves. Samuel Graves’s cousin Thomas, Captain Graves’s son and also future admiral, served alongside him on the third-rate ship-of-the-line Norfolk (80). Promoted to command of the sloop Bonetta in 1743, Graves served in the West Indies until 1747, commanding Ripon’s Prize, and, later, Enterprise.
on 20 November 1759. He continued in command of the Duke until his promotion to rear admiral in October 1762.
. With only twenty-six ships and over one-thousand miles of coastline from Nova Scotia
to Florida
to patrol, Graves’s task was Sisyphean.
Manning problems made the Royal Navy’s problems even more acute, thus forcing it to resort to press gangs in order to supplement the ships’ slender crews. Compounding the problem was the attitude and behavior of navy officers who did not recognize local authority and were more often contemptuous of local officials and sensitivities.
Headquartered in Boston, Graves was at the center of the Revolutionary turmoil in New England
. His sailors manned the boats that ferried British soldiers across the Charles River en route to Concord
on the night of 18 April 1775. Two months later, on 17 June 1775, his sailors again helped ferry troops, this time to the Charlestown Peninsula, while several of his ships provided fire support for the pyrrhic victory at Bunker Hill
. During the Siege of Boston
, Admiral Graves, on 6 October 1775, ordered Lt. Henry Mowatt, commanding the armed vessel Canceaux, to destroy seaports that were supporting the rebellion. Mowatt burned Falmouth
(today’s Portland, Maine
) on 18 October.
On 27 January 1776, Vice Admiral Richard Howe
succeeded Graves as commander-in-chief of the North American station. Graves returned to England without a command. In September 1777 he declined command of Plymouth, but indicated a desire to return to active duty. Graves advanced to admiral of the blue on 29 January 1778, admiral of the white on 8 April 1782, and died at his estate at Hembury Fort, Honiton
, Devon
on 8 March 1787.
(County Durham
). After Elizabeth's death in 1767 he married again in 1769, his second wife being Margaret Spinkes, daughter of Elmer Spinkes of Aldwinkle in Northamptonshire
, and an elder sister of Elizabeth Simcoe
. He had no children, just a ward (daughter of his late sister-in-law) who married his godson John Graves Simcoe
, who later became first Governor General of Upper Canada
. He was the uncle of Admiral Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
, who was a first cousin of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Graves.
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"...
Samuel Graves RN
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...
(17 April 1713 – 8 March 1787) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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"...
who is probably best known for his role early in the American War of Independence.
Military career
Graves joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1732. Made lieutenant in 1739, he participated in the 1741 expedition against Cartagena
Battle of Cartagena de Indias
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias was an amphibious military engagement between the forces of Britain under Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon and those of Spain under Admiral Blas de Lezo. It took place at the city of Cartagena de Indias in March 1741, in present-day Colombia...
, serving on the frigate Norfolk, under his uncle and future admiral, Captain Thomas Graves. Samuel Graves’s cousin Thomas, Captain Graves’s son and also future admiral, served alongside him on the third-rate ship-of-the-line Norfolk (80). Promoted to command of the sloop Bonetta in 1743, Graves served in the West Indies until 1747, commanding Ripon’s Prize, and, later, Enterprise.
Seven Years War
In 1756 Graves rose to command the Duke. Two years later, Graves returned to command of the Duke, serving again under Hawke in the Battle of Quiberon BayBattle of Quiberon Bay
The naval Battle of Quiberon Bay took place on 20 November 1759 during the Seven Years' War in Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France near St. Nazaire...
on 20 November 1759. He continued in command of the Duke until his promotion to rear admiral in October 1762.
American War of Independence
In October 1770 Graves rose to vice admiral, and in July 1774 assumed command of the North American Station. Graves’s orders were vague, his resources overstretched, and his task, in the words of the Dictionary of National Biography, “perhaps the most ungracious duty that has ever fallen to the lot of a naval officer.” According to his instructions, Graves was charged with supporting customs officials enforcing the various revenue and trade acts governing North American colonial trade within the empire, especially the Boston Port ActBoston Port Act
The Boston Port Act is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which became law on March 30, 1774, and is one of the measures that were designed to secure Great Britain's jurisdictions over her American dominions.A response to the Boston Tea Party, it outlawed the use...
. With only twenty-six ships and over one-thousand miles of coastline from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to patrol, Graves’s task was Sisyphean.
Manning problems made the Royal Navy’s problems even more acute, thus forcing it to resort to press gangs in order to supplement the ships’ slender crews. Compounding the problem was the attitude and behavior of navy officers who did not recognize local authority and were more often contemptuous of local officials and sensitivities.
Headquartered in Boston, Graves was at the center of the Revolutionary turmoil in New England
Boston campaign
The Boston campaign was the opening campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The campaign was primarily concerned with the formation of American colonial irregular militia units, and their transformation into a unified Continental Army...
. His sailors manned the boats that ferried British soldiers across the Charles River en route to Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...
on the night of 18 April 1775. Two months later, on 17 June 1775, his sailors again helped ferry troops, this time to the Charlestown Peninsula, while several of his ships provided fire support for the pyrrhic victory at Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
. During the Siege of Boston
Siege of Boston
The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamen—who later became part of the Continental Army—surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within...
, Admiral Graves, on 6 October 1775, ordered Lt. Henry Mowatt, commanding the armed vessel Canceaux, to destroy seaports that were supporting the rebellion. Mowatt burned Falmouth
Burning of Falmouth
The Burning of Falmouth was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts . The fleet was commanded by Captain Henry Mowat...
(today’s Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
) on 18 October.
On 27 January 1776, Vice Admiral Richard Howe
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
succeeded Graves as commander-in-chief of the North American station. Graves returned to England without a command. In September 1777 he declined command of Plymouth, but indicated a desire to return to active duty. Graves advanced to admiral of the blue on 29 January 1778, admiral of the white on 8 April 1782, and died at his estate at Hembury Fort, Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
on 8 March 1787.
Family
He married Elizabeth Sedgwick, daughter of John Sedgwick of StaindropStaindrop
Staindrop is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the east of Barnard Castle. Lord Barnard of Raby Castle also resides on the border.The village has one of the long greens typical of County Durham...
(County Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
). After Elizabeth's death in 1767 he married again in 1769, his second wife being Margaret Spinkes, daughter of Elmer Spinkes of Aldwinkle in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, and an elder sister of Elizabeth Simcoe
Elizabeth Simcoe
Elizabeth Simcoe was an artist and diarist in colonial Canada. She was the wife of John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.-Biography:...
. He had no children, just a ward (daughter of his late sister-in-law) who married his godson John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
, who later became first Governor General of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
. He was the uncle of Admiral Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
|-|-...
, who was a first cousin of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Graves.