Edward Boscawen

The War of Jenkins' Ear proved to be Boscawen's first opportunity for action and when Shoreham was declared unfit for service he volunteered to accompany Vernon and the fleet sent to attack Porto Bello.[4]^: 182

The bombardment of Porto Bello, by Samuel Scott

During the siege, Boscawen was ordered with Sir Charles Knowles to destroy the forts.[4]^: 182[6] The task took three weeks and 122 barrels of gunpowder to accomplish but the British levelled the forts surrounding the town. Vernon's achievement was hailed in Britain as an outstanding feat of arms and in the furore that surrounded the announcement the patriotic song "Rule, Britannia" was played for the first time. Streets were named after Porto Bello throughout Britain and its colonies. When the fleet returned to Port Royal, Jamaica Shoreham had been refitted and Boscawen resumed command of her.[4]^: 182

Attack at Cartagena de Indias by the British in 1741, oil on canvas, 18th century

In 1741 Boscawen was part of the fleet sent to attack another Caribbean port, Cartagena de Indias.[4]^: 182 Large reinforcements had been sent from Britain, including 8,000 soldiers who were landed to attack the chain of fortresses surrounding the Spanish colonial city. The Spanish had roughly 6,000 troops made up of regular soldiers, sailors and local loyalist natives. The siege lasted for over two months during which period the British troops suffered over 18,000 casualties, the vast majority from disease. Vernon's fleet suffered from dysentery, scurvy, yellow fever and other illnesses that were widespread throughout the Caribbean during the period. As a result of the battle Prime Minister Robert Walpole's government collapsed and George II removed his promise of support to the Austrians if the Prussians advanced into Silesia. The defeat of Vernon was a contributing factor to the increased hostilities of the War of the Austrian Succession. Boscawen had however distinguished himself once more. The land forces that he commanded had been instrumental in capturing Fort San Luis and Boca Chica Castle, and together with Knowles he destroyed the captured forts when the siege was abandoned.[7] For his services he was promoted in May 1742 to the rank of captain and appointed to command the 70-gun Prince Frederick to replace Lord Aubrey Beauclerk who had died during the siege.[4]^: 185

Battle of Cape Finisterre, 1747, by Samuel Scott

In 1747 Boscawen was ordered to join Admiral Anson and took an active part in the first Battle of Cape Finisterre.[15]^: 290[4]^: 186 The British fleet sighted the French fleet on 3 May. The French fleet under Admiral de la Jonquière was convoying its merchant fleet to France and the British attacked. The French fleet was almost completely annihilated with all but two of the escorts taken and six merchantmen. Boscawen was injured in the shoulder during the battle by a musket ball.[15]^: 291 Once more the French captain, M. de Hocquart became Boscawen's prisoner and was taken to England.[16]

Boscawen was promoted rear-admiral of the blue on 15 July 1747[17] and was appointed to command a joint operation being sent to the East Indies.[4]^: 186 With his flag in Namur, and with five other line of battle ships, a few smaller men of war, and a number of transports Boscawen sailed from England on 4 November 1747. On the outward voyage Boscawen made an abortive attempt to capture Mauritius by surprise but was driven off by French forces.[4]^{: 188–189} Boscawen continued on arriving at Fort St. David near the town of Cuddalore on 29 July 1748[4]^: 190 and took over command from Admiral Griffin. Boscawen had been ordered to capture and destroy the main French settlement in India at Pondichéry. Factors such as Boscawen's lack of knowledge and experience of land offensives, the failings of the engineers and artillery officers under his command, a lack of secrecy surrounding the operation and the skill of the French governor Joseph François Dupleix combined to thwart the attack. The British forces amounting to some 5,000 men captured and destroyed the outlying fort of Aranciopang.[4]^: 191 This capture was the only success of the operation and after failing to breach the walls of the city the British forces withdrew.[4]^{: 192–199} Amongst the combatants were a young ensign Robert Clive, later known as Clive of India and Major Stringer Lawrence, later Commander-in-Chief, India. Lawrence was captured by the French during the retreat and exchanged after the news of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle had reached India.[4]^{: 192–199} Over the monsoon season Boscawen remained at Fort St David. Fortunately, for the Admiral and his staff, when a storm hit the British outpost Boscawen was ashore but his flagship Namur went down with over 600 men aboard.[4]^: 200

Boscawen returned to England in 1750.[4]^{: 199–200} In 1751 Anson became First Lord of the Admiralty and asked Boscawen to serve on the Admiralty Board.[18] Boscawen remained one of the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty until his death.[19]

The Siege of Louisburg, 1758

In October 1757 Boscawen was second in command under Admiral Edward Hawke. On 7 February 1758 Boscawen was promoted to Admiral of the blue squadron.[24] and ordered to take a fleet to North America. Once there, he took naval command at the siege of Louisburg during June and July 1758.[4]^{: 202–204} On this occasion rather than entrust the land assault to a naval commander, the army was placed under the command of General Jeffrey Amherst and Brigadier James Wolfe. The siege of Louisburg was one of the key contributors to the capture of French possessions in Canada.[4]^{: 202–204} Wolfe later would use Louisburg as a staging point for the siege of Quebec. The capture of the town took away from the French the only effective naval base that they had in Canada, as well as leading to the destruction of four of their ships of the line and the capture of another.[25] On his return from North America Boscawen was awarded the Thanks of both Houses of Parliament for his service. The King made Boscawen a Privy Counsellor[26] in recognition for his continued service both as a member of the Board of Admiralty and commander-in-chief.[4]^: 205

The Battle of Lagos, 1759, by Francis Swaine

In April 1759 Boscawen took command of a fleet bound for the Mediterranean. His aim was to prevent another planned invasion of Britain by the French. With his flag aboard the newly constructed HMS Namur of 90 guns he blockaded Toulon and kept the fleet of Admiral de le Clue-Sabran in port. In order to tempt the French out of port, Boscawen sent three of his ships to bombard the port. The guns of the batteries surrounding the town drove off the British ships. Having sustained damage in the action and due to the constant weathering of ships on blockade duty Boscawen took his fleet to Gibraltar to refit and resupply. On 17 August a frigate that had been ordered to watch the Straits of Gibraltar signalled that the French fleet were in sight. Boscawen took his available ships to sea to engage de la Clue. During the night the British chased the French fleet and five of de la Clue's ships managed to separate from the fleet and escape. The others were driven in to a bay near Lagos, Portugal.[27] The British overhauled the remaining seven ships of the French fleet and engaged. The French line of battle ship Centaur began a duel with Namur but was outgunned and struck her colours. The damage aboard Namur forced Boscawen to shift his flag to HMS Newark of 80 guns. Whilst transferring between ships, the small boat that Boscawen was in was hit by an enemy cannonball. Boscawen took off his wig and plugged the hole.[15]^: 128 Two more French ships, Souverain and Guerrier escaped during the second night and on the morning of 19 August the British captured Téméraire and Modeste and drove the French flagship Océan and Redoutable ashore where they foundered and were set on fire by their crews to stop the British from taking them off and repairing them.[4]^: 208 The five French ships that avoided the battle made their way to Cadiz where Boscawen ordered Admiral Thomas Broderick to blockade the port.[28]

Frances Evelyn Boscawen née Glanville (9 June 1719 – 25 February 1805)

The town of Boscawen, New Hampshire is named after him.[31] Two ships and a stone frigate of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Boscawen, after Admiral Boscawen, whilst another ship was planned but the plans were shelved before she was commissioned. The stone frigate was a training base for naval cadets and in consequence three ships were renamed HMS Boscawen whilst being used as the home base for the training establishment.[32]

Boscawen was quoted as saying "To be sure I lose the fruits of the earth, but then, I am gathering the flowers of the Sea" (1756)[33] and "Never fire, my lads, till you see the whites of the Frenchmen's eyes."[34]