Herbert Sawyer (1730–1798)
| Herbert Sawyer | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1730 |
| Died | 4 June 1798 Bath, Somerset |
| Allegiance |
 Great Britain
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Years of service | 1747–1798 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Happy HMS Swallow HMS Chesterfield HMS Active HMS Boyne HMS Namur HMS Bombay Castle North American Station |
| Battles/wars | |
| Relations | Herbert Sawyer (Son) |
Herbert Sawyer (c. 1730 – 4 June 1798) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars. He eventually rose to the rank of admiral.
Little is known about Sawyer's early life, but he entered the navy in 1747, spending his first six years mostly on the Jamaica Station aboard George Townshend's HMS Gloucester. He passed his lieutenant's examination on 30 August 1753, when his age was given as 'more than 22', suggesting he was born in or before 1730. He was promoted to lieutenant on 4 March 1756, and the following year was serving aboard HMS Grafton, which at the time was part of Vice-Admiral Francis Holburne's fleet off Louisbourg.
He received his first command, that of the sloop HMS Happy on 19 October 1758, but was soon moved to HMS Swallow off the coast of France under the orders of Lord Howe. He took command of HMS Chesterfield on 26 December, followed with a transfer to HMS Active in February 1759. He spent the rest of the war aboard her. On 21 May 1762 he and the sloop HMS Favourite, the latter commanded by Philemon Pownoll, captured the Spanish treasure ship Hermione off Cadiz. A cargo of over £500,000 in cash and bullion was secured, of which Sawyer received £65,053 13s. 9d. Now extremely wealthy, he married the daughter of a Lisbon merchant.
...
Wikipedia