Michael Fitton

Michael Fitton (1766-1852) was an English lieutenant in the Royal Navy. During his career he made some 30 to 40 captures of enemy, chiefly French, vessels. Despite his notable victory over the French privateer Superbe in 1806, for which he received various honours, including a medal, and his earlier successes, Fitton never received a promotion beyond the rank of lieutenant. Not only did he lack a powerful patron but there is some suggestion that he may, by injudicious conduct early in his naval career, have made a powerful enemy. He died in 1852.

Fitton was born at Gawsworth in Cheshire, the ancient seat of his family.

He entered the navy in June 1780, on board HMS Vestal, with Captain George Keppel.

On 10 September Vestal gave chase to and captured the Mercury packet, having on board Henry Laurens, previously president of Congress, on his way to the Netherlands as ambassador of the revolted American colonies. During the chase young Fitton, being on the foretop-gallant yard, hailed the deck to say that there was a man overboard from the enemy. When Vestal sent a boat to pick him up, the man turned out to be a bag of papers, which being insufficiently weighted, was recovered. These papers compromised the Dutch government and led Britain to declare war against the Netherlands a few months afterwards. Fitton continued with Captain Keppel during the war in different ships, and as midshipman on HMS Fortitude was present at the relief of Gibraltar in 1782.

In 1793 Fitton was again with Captain Keppel as a master's mate in the 74-gun third rate HMS Defiance. In 1796 he was appointed purser of the sloop HMS Stork in the West Indies, and in 1799 was acting lieutenant of the 54-gun fourth rate HMS Abergavenny on the Jamaica station, from which he was detached in command of one or another of her tenders.

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