THE KING SAID, “WE MUST SPARE OUR BEAUX, AND SEND HONEST BENBOW.”
John Benbow is represented to have been born at Shrewsbury about the
middle of the seventeenth century, and to have been apprenticed to a
butcher, but to have broken his indentures and joined the _Rupert_,
under Captain Herbert, in 1678. His first active service was in
connection with a small squadron sent to redress the wrongs that had
been sustained by English merchants and the mercantile marine, and to
suppress the perpetrators--the pirates of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli,
that infested the Mediterranean.
Benbow so conducted himself in action as to secure the goodwill of his
superior officer, Captain Herbert (afterwards Earl of Torrington), and
speedy promotion. He was, in 1679, appointed master of the _Nonsuch_.
In 1681, Benbow had an experience that was not pleasant. In conflict
with an Algerine corsair, the British ship _Adventure_ got the worst,
and had to sheer off. The Algerine was taken in hand by the _Nonsuch_,
and captured. Some crowing and chaffing on the part of the men of the
_Nonsuch_ at the expense of the crew of the _Adventure_, led to Benbow
being tried by court-martial on the complaint of Captain Booth of the
_Adventure_. Benbow was sentenced to forfeit three months’ pay (£12,
15s.), which was to be used for the benefit of the wounded men of
the _Adventure_. He was also required to apologise to Captain Booth,
which he did, declaring that he had only repeated the words of others,
without any malicious intention.
The _Nonsuch_ was, shortly after the _Adventure_ affair, paid off,
and Benbow next comes into view in connection with a ship named
after, and owned and commanded by himself--the _Benbow_ frigate. The
merchants on Change, among whom Benbow was well known and highly
esteemed, may have assisted him in the acquisition of such a valuable
property,--but, however this may be, we find him in 1686 acting as
sole owner and responsible commander. In that year, in a passage to
Cadiz, a Salee rover, greatly an overmatch in number of fighting men,
attacked the _Benbow_, whose crew made a valiant defence. The Moors
boarded the _Benbow_, but were beaten off, with the loss of thirteen
of their number. Captain Benbow ordered their heads to be cut off,
and thrown into a tub of salt pickle. On arriving at Cadiz, he went
ashore, followed by a negro servant carrying the pickled heads in a
sack. The tide waiters, spying the sack, asked if he had “anything
to declare,” that is, anything subject to import duty. He answered,
only salt provisions for his own use, and affected indignation that,
well known as he was, he should be suspected of running goods. The
officers replied that they could not grant him a dispensation from
search, but the magistrates, who were sitting close by, might do so if
they would. The party proceeded in formal order to the custom-house,
Captain Benbow leading,--the negro, with the suspected contraband
goods, following,--and the revenue officers bringing up the rear. The
magistrates received Benbow with great civility, and assured him that
the custom-house officers had not exceeded their duty in requiring him
to show the contents of the sack, and in conducting him hither. They
politely asked him to satisfy them, as he could do so easily. Benbow
answered, with real or assumed sternness, “I told you they were salt
provisions for my own use. Pompey, show the gentlemen what you have
got.” Whereupon the negro, nothing loth, tumbled out the baker’s dozen
of Moors’ heads, to the astonishment of the Alcalde and his colleagues,
who were assured by Benbow that the heads were quite at their service.
An account of Benbow’s valiant exploit in defeating, with his small
force, a number much larger of the fierce and ruthless barbarians who
were the scourge and terror of the seas, was forwarded to the court of
Madrid. Charles II., then King of Spain, expressed a desire to see the
bold Benbow, whom he received with honour, presented with a handsome
testimonial of his respect, and entrusted with a letter to King James
of England, warmly recommending Benbow, as worthy of the king’s
confidence and favour.
The _Benbow_ frigate was, it may be supposed, paid off, or otherwise
disposed of, and its late owner rejoined the King’s Navy in 1689, as
lieutenant in the _Elizabeth_, of seventy guns. He was soon after
appointed in succession, as captain, to the _York_, the _Bonaventure_,
and the _Britannia_. His rapid promotion was probably, in part at
least, attributable to the influence exercised on his behalf by his
former commander, Herbert, now admiral, and a high authority in
naval affairs. It has been conjectured that during the time of the
Revolution, Benbow was attached to the fleet under Admiral Herbert’s
command, and was its pilot, in landing William at Torbay.
From the _Britannia_ Captain Benbow was appointed Master Attendant
of Chatham Dockyard, and afterwards to a like office in Deptford
Royal Dockyard, which he held for about six years. During this
period, on several occasions, he was told off for special service.
In the unfortunate action between the united English and Dutch
and the French fleets off Beachy Head, in June 1690, Captain
Benbow, of the _Sovereign_, served under the Earl of Torrington,
commander-in-chief, as Master of the fleet. Benbow’s evidence in
the trial of Lord Torrington by court-martial had great weight in
leading to his acquittal. Continuing master of the _Sovereign_, Benbow
again discharged the important duties of Master of the fleet at the
battles of La Hogue and Barfleur in 1692, under Admiral Russell. In
acknowledgment of the value of his special services as Master of the
fleet, his pay as Master while afloat was added to his pay for his
dockyard office.
Benbow was next employed, 1693 to 1695, in the command of flotillas
of bomb vessels and fire-ships in attacks upon St. Malo, Dunkirk, and
other localities on the French coast. At Dunkirk he saved the Virginia
and West Indian fleets from falling into the hands of the French
privateers, and for this service received the thanks of the merchants.
He was by this time so well known as to be sometimes referred to as
“the famous Captain Benbow.” So well satisfied were the Admiralty
authorities with his services, as to order that he should be paid
as rear-admiral during the time he had been employed on the French
coast, as a reward for his good service. In 1696 he was promoted to
the substantial rank of rear-admiral. After cruising service, directed
to the protection of English and Dutch traders, he was appointed,
in 1697, commander-in-chief of the king’s ships in the West Indies,
with special orders to suppress the pirates. By a threat to blockade
Carthagena, he obtained the restoration of two English merchant ships,
which the governor had detained to form part of a projected expedition
against the ill-fated Scottish colony at Darien. Benbow’s action
stopped the intended raid.
[Illustration: ADMIRAL BENBOW.]
In 1700 the admiral returned to England, and was for a time in command
in the Downs, and served for some months as vice-admiral of the blue in
the grand fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke. In 1701 it was again
thought necessary to send a strong squadron to promote and protect
the national interests in the West Indies. Benbow was proposed by the
ministry, but the king claimed for him that he had only just returned,
and had been subjected to great difficulties in his West Indian
command, and that it was but fair that some other officer should have
a turn. Several officers were named and consulted, but they all with
one consent made excuse--“health,” “family affairs,” etc. “Well, then,”
said the king, in conference with his ministers, “we must spare our
_beaux_, and send honest Benbow.” Asked if he was willing to go, Benbow
answered bluntly that he did not understand such compliments as were
paid to him; it was not for him to choose his station. If His Majesty
thought fit to send him to the East or West Indies, or anywhere else,
it was for him to cheerfully obey orders. He sailed with his new
command in September 1701, with ten ships,--Sir George Rooke, admiral
of the fleet, convoying him as far as Scilly with a strong squadron.
For action in the West Indies, the French were also making extensive
preparations. A squadron, consisting of five ships of the line and
several large vessels, laden with arms and ammunition, sailed from
Brest in April 1701, under the command of the Marquis de Coetlogon.
Count de Chateau Renaud also sailed with fourteen ships of the line
and sixteen frigates, and in addition to these, M. du Casse, Governor
of St. Domingo, sailed also with a squadron, Admiral Benbow the while
having received no fresh supplies or reinforcements, and being in
danger apparently of being utterly crushed by the superior power of
his enemies. He had made on arrival wise and skilful dispositions and
arrangements for securing our own trade and crippling the enemy. The
French saw with amazement the defeat of the schemes they had been able
to mature from the possession of earlier intelligence of intended
war. Even after the arrival of Marquis Coetlogon, the French had to
confine themselves to acting on the defensive, and found all their
grand projects for attacking Jamaica and the Leeward Islands entirely
frustrated. The Dutch accounts of the state of affairs at the time
state that, notwithstanding all the bluster of the French, Admiral
Benbow, with a small squadron, remained master of the seas, taking many
prizes, giving all possible support to the private trade carried on by
the English on the Spanish coasts.
The situation changed for the worse for Benbow and his small fleet.
Renaud, he learned, had arrived at Martinique with a squadron much
stronger than his own. This had been joined by the squadron of
Coetlogon from Havannah. The inhabitants of Barbadoes and Jamaica were
excessively alarmed by the approach of a hostile fleet, which the
English had no force capable of resisting.
Notwithstanding most of his ships being short of their complements
of men, Admiral Benbow concluded it to be his best course under the
circumstances to put to sea and cruise between Jamaica and Hispaniola.
He sailed with this intention on the 8th May 1702, and was joined
about this time by Rear-Admiral Whetstone. In cruising on the coast
of St. Domingo, he received news of the French fleet having gone to
Carthagena and Porto Bello. On the 19th August he sighted it near Santa
Marta. It consisted of four ships of from sixty to seventy guns, one of
thirty guns, and four frigates, all under the command of M. du Casse.
The English force consisted of seven ships of from fifty to seventy
guns, but the ships were much scattered, and their commanders showed
no disposition to close up for action. Late in the afternoon there
was a scrambling action that was closed by nightfall. Admiral Benbow,
in the _Breda_, of seventy guns, closely followed by Captain Walton
in the _Ruby_, of fifty guns, kept company with the enemy through the
night, and was well up with them at daybreak, but the other English
ships kept aloof during the whole day. The 21st and three following
days brought no more worthy resolution to the captains of the English
squadron. Walton of the _Ruby_, only, and Vincent of the _Falmouth_,
supported the admiral in his persistent and resolute attempts to bring
Du Casse to action, and for some time these three sustained the fire
of the whole French squadron, while the other ships held aloof. The
_Ruby_ was disabled on the 23rd, and ordered to make the best of her
way to Port Royal. For five days, against such overpowering odds, brave
Benbow maintained the desperate conflict, sustained by the devoted
loyalty and unflinching courage of his officers and men. On the 24th
the brave commander had his right leg shattered by a chain shot. After
the surgical operation below, the lion-hearted hero had himself carried
up again to the quarter-deck to direct the continued action. Captain
Kirby, of the _Defence_, came on board, and urged the hopelessness of
the conflict and chase. All the other captains being summoned, eagerly
expressed their concurrence with Captain Kirby, and reduced their
finding to writing. The morally and physically depressed, shattered,
and exhausted commander could contend no longer or further, and was
thus compelled to return to Jamaica. A noble letter from his late
enemy, Du Casse, would have been enough as a suggestion for inquiry
into the conduct of the captains of his squadron. It was as follows:--
“SIR,--I had little hopes on Monday last but to have supped in your
cabin; but it pleased God to order it otherwise. I am thankful for
it. As for those cowardly captains who deserted you, hang them up,
for, by ----, they deserve it.--Yours,
DU CASSE.”[6]
[6] Campbell’s _Lives of the Admirals_, vol. iii. p. 524.
At Jamaica a court-martial was assembled by order of Admiral Benbow.
Captains Kirby of the _Defence_, and Wade of the _Greenwich_, were
condemned to be shot; and Captain Constable of the _Windsor_ to be
cashiered. Captain Vincent of the _Falmouth_, and Captain Fogg of the
flag-ship, who had signed the protest, were sentenced to suspension
during the sovereign’s pleasure. Kirby and Wade were shot on board the
_Bristol_ in Plymouth Sound, 16th April 1703.
Benbow was careful to secure such promotion and advantage as was in
his power to the officers who had supported him in the engagement, as
well as to bring the deserters to justice. He had a leg amputated after
the action; fever supervened, and he died in Jamaica, after about a
month’s painful illness, sustained with much fortitude, on the 4th
November 1702, and was buried in St. Andrew’s Church, Kingston. His
portrait, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, is in the Painted Hall, Greenwich.
Benbow’s bravery has not, we believe, been questioned, but his tact and
temper were not, some of his critics have alleged, of as good quality
as his courage, and the disaffection of his subordinates in the action
with Du Casse has been attributed to defects in this direction.
SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL.