View source for John Bligh (Royal Navy officer)

{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name          =John Bligh
|image         =Admiral John Bligh.jpg
|caption       =
|birth_date    =August 1770
|death_date    ={{Death date|1831|01|19|df=yes}} (aged 60)
|birth_place   =[[Guildford]], Surrey
|death_place   =[[Hambledon, Hampshire|Hambledon]], Hampshire
|placeofburial =
|placeofburial_label =
|placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
|nickname      =
|birth_name    =
|allegiance    =[[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom of<br/>Great Britain and Ireland]]
|branch        =[[File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|23px]] [[Royal Navy]]
|serviceyears  =1780&nbsp;– 1831
|rank          =[[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral]]
|servicenumber =
|unit          =
|commands      = {{Plainlist|
*{{HMS|Kingfisher|1782|6}}
*{{HMS|Latona|1781|6}}
*{{HMS|Romney|1762|6}}
*{{HMS|Agincourt|1796|6}}
*{{HMS|Theseus|1786|6}}
*{{HMS|Surveillante|1803|6}}
*{{HMS|Alfred|1778|6}}
*{{HMS|Valiant|1807|6}}
*{{HMS|Revenge|1805|6}}
}}
|battles       =
{{tree list}}
* [[American Revolutionary War]]
* [[French Revolutionary Wars]]
** [[Siege of Toulon]]
** [[Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)|Battle of Cape St Vincent]]
* [[Napoleonic Wars]]
** [[Blockade of Saint-Domingue]]
** [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|Battle of Copenhagen]]
** [[Battle of the Basque Roads]]
{{tree list/end}}
|battles_label =
|awards        = [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]]
|relations     =  [[Richard Rodney Bligh]] (uncle)
|laterwork     =
|signature     =
}}

[[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral]] '''John Bligh''' [[Order of the Bath|CB]] (August 1770&nbsp;– 19 January 1831) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]] who served during the [[American War of Independence]] and the [[French Revolutionary Wars|French Revolutionary]] and [[Napoleonic Wars]].

Bligh was born into a naval family and served on a variety of ships from a young age, moving up through the ranks to lieutenant prior to the outbreak of the wars with France. He was in the East Indies when war broke out, but returning to Britain he saw action in the Mediterranean during the early attacks on [[Corsica]], the [[Siege of Toulon]] and the [[Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)|Battle of Cape St Vincent]]. Promoted to his own commands in 1797, he was the victim of a mutiny on his ship, when his crew joined the [[Spithead and Nore mutinies|larger mutinies at Spithead]], and was sent ashore. He returned after it had ended and went on to serve at [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], before beginning a long period of distinguished service in the Caribbean. He was active in the [[Blockade of Saint-Domingue]] after the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars, and arranged the surrender and evacuation of several French-held positions. He then took charge of an expedition to [[Curaçao]], but withdrew his forces in the face of heavy opposition. His final actions there involved several successes against enemy privateers and merchant shipping.

Returning to Britain in 1806, Bligh went out with the fleet to the Baltic and was present at the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|Battle of Copenhagen]]. He then sailed to the Portuguese coast, where he was active landing troops and supporting the army's operations there. He was involved in the [[Battle of the Basque Roads]] in 1809, directing efforts to destroy several grounded French ships. While cruising off Belle Île in 1810 he had the good fortune to intercept a French vessel carrying the wealth of the merchants of [[Mauritius|Île de France]] back to France. Suddenly wealthy from the [[prize money]] and in weakening health after his long service in the tropics, Bligh retired ashore. He settled on the south coast, receiving an appointment as a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Bath]], and a promotion to [[rear admiral (Royal Navy)|rear-admiral]] before his death in 1831.

==Family and early life==
Bligh was born in [[Guildford]] in August 1770, the son of the naval officer Commander John Bligh, and his wife Elizabeth, née Titcher.<ref name="Tracy42">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's Who in Nelson's Navy|page=42}}</ref>{{Ref_label|A|a|none}} He attended the [[Royal Grammar School, Guildford]] until joining the Navy on 22 January 1780, becoming a captain's servant aboard the 28-gun {{HMS|Nemesis|1780|6}}.{{Ref_label|B|b|none}} ''Nemesis'' was at this time commanded by John's uncle, [[Richard Rodney Bligh]].<ref name="Winfield229">{{cite book |last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792|page=229}}</ref> After service here he was rated [[midshipman]] and moved to the 74-gun {{HMS|Warspite|1758|6}} on 28 August 1782.<ref name="Tracy42"/> Bligh then served on a succession of ships, moving in turn to the [[brig-sloop]] {{HMS|Trimmer|1782|6}}, the 74-gun {{HMS|Pegase|1782|6}} and the sloop {{HMS|Bulldog|1782|6}}, the last of which he was rated as an [[able seaman]]. He was then aboard the 50-gun {{HMS|Europa|1783|6}} and afterwards the 20-gun {{HMS|Camilla|1776|6}}. He was rated as [[master's mate]] aboard the ''Camilla'' on 13 September 1786, and served on her in the [[West Indies]].<ref name="Tracy42"/>{{Ref_label|C|c|none}} He passed his lieutenant's examination on 6 February 1788 but did not receive a commission immediately, instead serving aboard the 74-gun {{HMS|Colossus|1787|6}}, then moving to the 64-gun {{HMS|Crown|1782|6}} in October that year.<ref name="Ralfe261"/>

''Crown'' was chosen by Commodore [[William Cornwallis]] to fly his [[broad pennant]] in his new post in the [[East Indies]], and Bligh sailed with her to this post. He spent several years on this station, being finally commissioned lieutenant on 25 June 1791 and appointed to the 32-gun {{HMS|Thames|1758|6}} under Captain [[Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet|Thomas Troubridge]]. He returned to Britain aboard her in December 1791. He then joined the 28-gun {{HMS|Lizard|1757|6}} in 1792, under the command of Captain [[Thomas Williams (Royal Navy officer)|Sir Thomas Williams]].<ref name="Ralfe261"/>

==French Revolutionary Wars==
[[Image:Cleveley, Cape St Vincent.jpg|thumb|''The Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797'', by [[Robert Cleveley]]. Bligh served as first-lieutenant of the 90-gun {{HMS|Barfleur|1768|6}} during the battle.]]
With the outbreak of war with [[Revolutionary France]] in February 1793, Bligh joined the 74-gun {{HMS|Courageux|1761|6}} under Captain [[William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock|William Waldegrave]].<ref name="Marshall814">{{cite book |last=Marshall |title=Royal Navy Biography|page=814}}</ref> Waldegrave took her out to the Mediterranean and Bligh served aboard her during operations there under Commodore [[Robert Linzee]] against the Corsican town of [[Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse|St Fiorenzo]].<ref name="Tracy42"/><ref name="Marshall814"/> From there ''Courageux'' returned to [[Toulon]] and underwent repairs, during which time Bligh served ashore in the batteries defending the town during [[Siege of Toulon|its siege by Republican forces]].<ref name="Ralfe261"/> He continued to serve under Waldegrave after his promotion to rear-admiral, and joined his new [[flagship]], the 90-gun {{HMS|Barfleur|1768|6}} as her first-lieutenant.<ref name="Ralfe262">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=262}}</ref> Bligh was present in this post at the [[Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)|Battle of Cape St Vincent]] on 14 February 1797, and having acquitted himself well in action, was promoted to commander on 8 March 1797 and given the sloop {{HMS|Kingfisher|1782|6}} for service on the Portuguese coast.<ref name="Tracy42"/> He was only briefly in command, but while cruising off [[Oporto]] was able to capture the 14-gun French [[privateer]] ''Général'' on 29 March.<ref name="Marshall814"/><ref name="Ralfe262"/>

Bligh was ordered to leave his ship shortly after his arrival at [[Lisbon]], and took passage with Vice-Admiral Waldegrave back to Britain aboard the frigate {{HMS|Flora|1780|6}}.<ref name="Ralfe262"/> He was promptly advanced to [[post-captain]] on his arrival on 25 April and appointed to the 38-gun {{HMS|Latona|1781|6}}. ''Latona'' was at [[Spithead]] when [[Spithead and Nore mutinies|mutinies broke out there]] aboard the ships anchored in the roads, and Bligh's was one of the ships affected. He was sent ashore by his crew on 12 May, but was able to return when the mutiny had ended.<ref name="Tracy42"/> His distant relation, [[William Bligh]], who had already suffered [[Mutiny on the Bounty|a mutiny on his ship]] when he commanded {{HMS|Bounty}}, was also involved in the widespread unrest, the crew of his ship {{HMS|Director|1784|6}} mutinied at the Nore shortly afterwards.<ref name="Tracy45">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's Who in Nelson's Navy|page=45}}</ref> ''Latona'' then went out to [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] as Waldegrave's flagship after his appointment as [[List of lieutenant governors of Newfoundland and Labrador|Commodore Governor there]].<ref name="Ralfe262"/> Waldegrave shifted his flag to the 50-gun {{HMS|Romney|1762|6}} after his arrival at Newfoundland in July, retaining Bligh as his [[flag captain]] for the new command.<ref name="Winfield106">{{cite book |last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814|page=106}}</ref> Bligh then took command of Waldegrave's new flagship, the 64-gun {{HMS|Agincourt|1796|6}}, in January 1798 and commanded her until the expiration of Waldegrave's tenure at Newfoundland, in 1800.<ref name="Marshall814"/><ref name="Ralfe262"/>

He commissioned the 74-gun {{HMS|Theseus|1786|6}} in May 1801, and in December Vice-Admiral Waldegrave hoisted his flag aboard her with orders to go out the East Indies. Waldegrave struck his flag on 28 December however, and was promoted to full admiral and created [[Baron Radstock]]. Bligh instead received orders to go out to the West Indies in February 1802 and join the fleet at [[Jamaica]] under Admiral [[George Campbell (Royal Navy officer)|Sir George Campbell]].<ref name="Marshall814"/><ref name="Ralfe262"/> He remained in the West Indies during the [[Peace of Amiens]], and on the resumption of the wars with France in 1803, was assigned to support the [[blockade of Saint-Domingue]].<ref name="USM343">{{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine|page=343}}</ref>

==Napoleonic Wars==

===Blockade of Cap-François===
{{Further|Blockade of Saint-Domingue}}
[[File:Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur de Rochambeau.jpg|thumb|upright|An eighteenth-century depiction of General [[Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau|Rochambeau]], commander of the French garrison at [[Cap-François]] in [[Haiti]]. Bligh evacuated him and his men from the port.]]
Bligh initially blockaded [[Cap-François]] but had difficulty in preventing the port being resupplied by small vessels operating from the island's northern ports. He decided to launch an attack on [[Fort-Liberté|Port Dauphin]], hoping to capture it and deny it to the French, and at the same time capture or destroy the French 28-gun ship ''Sagesse'' that lay in the harbour.<ref name="Tracy42"/><ref name="Ralfe262"/> Bligh anchored off the port on 8 September 1803 and bombarded [[Fort la Bouque]]. The bombardment was so well directed that the French were unable to make an effective reply, and eventually hauled down the colours. Bligh then had ''Theseus'' towed into the harbour with the ship's boats, and fired several shots at ''Sagesse'', which promptly surrendered as well.<ref name="Tracy42"/> Faced with the loss of the ship, the garrison's commander decided that he could no longer defend against a force of native Haitians who were attempting to expel the French from the island. He approached Bligh and requested to be allowed to surrender his forces to him and have them evacuated, fearing that they would be massacred if they fell into Haitian hands.<ref name="Ralfe263">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=263}}</ref><ref name="Marshall815">{{cite book |last=Marshall |title=Royal Navy Biography|page=815}}</ref> Bligh agreed to take their surrender and having spiked the fort's guns and destroyed its ammunition, evacuated the garrison and transported them to Cap-François.<ref name="Tracy42"/><ref name="Ralfe263"/>

On their arrival there they found that the French garrison's situation was desperate. General Dumont and his suite had been captured by the Haitians, and Cap-François was in imminent danger of falling to an army led by [[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]]. The French begged Bligh to intercede on behalf of Dumont, and he was able to secure the General and his staff's release.<ref name="Tracy42"/> Unable to defend Cap-François any longer, the commander there, [[Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau|Rochambeau]], agreed to surrender it to the Haitians and evacuate by 30 November. Rochambeau then approached the commander of the British blockade, Commodore [[John Loring (d. 1808)|John Loring]], and attempted to negotiate passage for his squadron from the port. The negotiations did not result in an acceptable agreement for either side, though Rochambeau was hopeful that his squadron would be able to escape the blockade under cover of bad weather. By 30 November the blockade was still in force, and the Haitians had begun to take possession of the forts surrounding the harbour, threatening to use their guns to destroy the French ships with heated shot.<ref name="Ralfe263"/><ref name="Marshall815"/> Loring sent Bligh into the harbour, where he met with Captain Henry Barré of the French squadron, who urged Bligh to arrange a capitulation to save the garrison and squadron from being destroyed by the Haitians. Bligh agreed and obtained the formal surrender of the port to the British, and arranged with Dessalines to allow their evacuation.{{Ref_label|D|d|none}} The squadron then sailed out and surrendered to the British force.<ref name="Marshall815"/><ref name="Tracy43">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's Who in Nelson's Navy|page=43}}</ref><ref name="Ralfe264">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=264}}</ref>

===Attack on Curaçao===
Having performed these duties Bligh sailed to Jamaica and was given command of a squadron of three ships of the line and two frigates by [[Sir John Duckworth, 1st Baronet|Sir John Duckworth]] with orders to attack the Dutch-held island of [[Curaçao]]. Duckworth had received intelligence that the Dutch had not been able to reinforce the island and consequently it was only lightly defended. Bligh sailed to the island with his squadron, expecting to face only 160 men and a frigate, and with the garrison apparently having been further reduced by disease.<ref name="Ralfe264"/> He had permission to land troops if the Dutch refused to surrender, but Duckworth cautioned him from risking too much, partly because the plan to capture the island was Duckworth's own initiative. Bligh arrived off the island on 31 January 1804 with the 74-gun HMS ''Theseus'' and {{HMS|Hercule|1798|6}}, the frigates {{HMS|Blanche|1800|6}} and [[HMS Aeolus (1800)|HMS ''Pique'']], and the schooner {{HMS|Gipsy|1799|6}}. The 74-gun {{HMS|Vanguard|1787|6}} had not arrived in time to join the expedition.<ref name="Ralfe264"/><ref name="Marshall816">{{cite book |last=Marshall |title=Royal Navy Biography|page=816}}</ref> After arriving off the island, Bligh sent an officer to negotiate with the island's governor. The Dutch refused to surrender and Bligh began to blockade the island and begin preparations to force a landing.<ref name="Ralfe264"/>

Using his frigates to blockade the harbour, Bligh moved his ships of the line to a small cove, and exchanged fire with a shore battery. He landed a party of sailors and marines, carrying the battery without loss and then storming the heights around the cove, driving the Dutch away with four or five casualties among the British party.<ref name="Ralfe265">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=265}}</ref> Having secured a landing site, Bligh sent 600 men ashore and landed some cannon, which he placed so as to be able to bombard Fort Republique and the town of St Anne. Contrary to reports, the Dutch had received significant reinforcements and though Bligh was able to set part of the town on fire, he was forced to constantly skirmish with Dutch forces, which numbered around 500 men. Though the Dutch were continually repulsed, British losses mounted, exacerbated by outbreaks of [[dysentery]].<ref name="Ralfe265"/> With no quick end to the conflict in sight, and mindful that he had been warned not to overextend himself, Bligh called off the attack on 4 March, having exhausted his ammunition of 18-pounder shot. He re-embarked his men and returned to Jamaica, having sustained losses of 18 killed and 43 wounded.<ref name="Marshall816"/><ref name="Ralfe266">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=266}}</ref> Though the British force had failed to capture the island, Duckworth was sympathetic, and felt that Bligh could have succeeded had the men and guns of HMS ''Vanguard'' been at his disposal.<ref name="Ralfe266"/>{{Ref_label|E|e|none}}

===Return to Britain===
Bligh remained in the Caribbean until July 1805, when ''Theseus'' became the flagship of the station's new commander, Vice-Admiral [[James Richard Dacres (1749–1810)|James Richard Dacres]]. Bligh asked Duckworth for permission to take command of the frigate {{HMS|Surveillante|1803|6}}, which was granted.<ref name="Marshall816"/><ref name="Ralfe266"/> He cruised with notable success against enemy shipping, capturing several privateers and over forty merchant vessels.<ref name="Ralfe266"/><ref name="USM344">{{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine|page=344}}</ref> He made a night-time landing on the Spanish island of Saint Andreas, capturing the garrison and the governor, and taking them away as prisoners of war.<ref name="Marshall816"/> In July he was finally ordered to return to Britain, acting as an escort for a convoy 200 merchant ships. On 9 July he came across a convoy of twenty-six Spanish merchants off [[Havana]] and captured them all.<ref name="Ralfe266"/> Unwilling to delay his convoy, he had them all burnt, and then in company with the convoy's other escort frigate, {{HMS|Fortunee|1803|6}}, chased away a Spanish 74-gun ship, forcing her to anchor under the guns of the [[Morro Castle (Havana)|Morro Castle]].<ref name="Ralfe266"/> Bligh arrived in Britain on 30 September 1806 and paid off ''Surveillante''.<ref name="Tracy43"/>

===Battle of Copenhagen and Portugal===
[[File:Engelske flåde ud for København august 1807.jpg|thumb|A Danish painting from 1808 depicting the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|Battle of Copenhagen]], where Bligh had command of {{HMS|Alfred|1778|6}}.]]
Bligh did not go to sea again until March 1807, when he was given command of the 74-gun {{HMS|Alfred|1778|6}} and ordered to join the fleet bound for Copenhagen under Vice-Admiral [[James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier|James Gambier]].<ref name="Tracy43"/> He took part in the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|Battle of Copenhagen]] in August/September that year, resulting in the Danes being forced to surrender their fleet to the British. Bligh had special responsibility for overseeing the landing of the troops and stores during the operation.<ref name="Ralfe266"/> Following the successful conclusion of the campaign Bligh was sent to serve off Portugal under Admiral [[Sir Charles Cotton, 5th Baronet|Sir Charles Cotton]].<ref name="Tracy43"/>

Cotton was asked for assistance from the inhabitants of [[Figueras (Castropol)|Figueras]] in July 1808, threatened by the advance of the French army. Cotton sent Bligh to superintend the defence of the area and he was able to hold it with 500 marines until being reinforced by troops landed at Mondego Bay under [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley]]. Bligh then re-embarked his marines, oversaw the landing of Wellesley's army, and sailed down the coast to Lisbon, supporting it from offshore.<ref name="Tracy43"/><ref name="Ralfe267">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=267}}</ref><ref name="Marshall817">{{cite book |last=Marshall |title=Royal Navy Biography|page=817}}</ref> Bligh also oversaw the landing of various divisions as the army advanced, landing 3,500 men under General [[Robert Anstruther (British Army officer)|Robert Anstruther]] on 18 August and 6,500 men under General [[Wroth Palmer Acland]] on 20 August.<ref name="Ralfe267"/> Bligh also landed [[John Moore (British Army officer)|Sir John Moore's]] force and continued to support the army, being involved at the [[Battle of Vimeiro]] on 21 August 1808.<ref name="Tracy43"/><ref name="Ralfe267"/> Bligh then rejoined Sir Charles Cotton at Lisbon and was assigned to the escort to Britain of the Russian fleet under Admiral [[Dmitry Senyavin]], which had surrendered to the British under the terms of the [[Convention of Cintra]].<ref name="Ralfe267"/><ref name="Marshall817"/>

===Basque Roads===
[[Image:Basques Road-Thomas Whitcombe-217057.JPG|thumb|''Destruction of the French Fleet in Basque Roads'' by Thomas Sutherland after a painting by [[Thomas Whitcombe]], 1817. Bligh commanded {{HMS|Valiant|1807|6}} at the attack.]]
Bligh was given command of the 74-gun {{HMS|Valiant|1807|6}} in January 1809. ''Valiant'' was patrolling off [[Lorient]], and Bligh temporarily took command of the 74-gun {{HMS|Revenge|1805|6}} and sailed her to join the squadron there. While en route he fell in with a French squadron of eight ships of the line, which followed ''Revenge'' until she was able to make contact with the British squadron under the command of Captain [[Sir John Beresford, 1st Baronet|Sir John Beresford]], causing the French to break off.<ref name="Ralfe267"/> Bligh then sailed with Beresford's squadron to join Admiral Lord Gambier off [[Basque Roads]].<ref name="Tracy43"/> Bligh was present during [[Battle of the Basque Roads|the night-attack]] with [[fireship]]s by [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Lord Cochrane]] on the French fleet in the roads. The following morning, 12 April, Gambier sent Bligh into the harbour with HMS ''Valiant'', HMS ''Revenge'', {{HMS|Bellona|1760|6}} and several frigates and [[bomb vessel]]s, and to anchor near the [[Île-d'Aix]].<ref name="Ralfe267"/><ref name="Marshall817"/> Having done so Bligh asked permission to support Cochrane, which was given. He moved into the inner road and joined the attacks on the forts and several beached French warships, and having taken out the prisoners, burnt the 118-gun [[French ship Ville de Varsovie (1808)|''Ville de Varsovie'']] and the 74-gun [[French ship Nestor (1793)|''Aquilon'']].<ref name="Ralfe267"/> In the summer of 1809 he was called as a witness at the [[Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier]] which assessed whether Admiral Gambier had failed to support Cochrane during the battle. Gambier was controversially cleared of all charges.<ref name="Gurney">{{cite book | last = Gurney | first = W.B. | year = 1809 | title = Minutes of a court-martial . . . on the trial of James Lord Gambier | publisher = Mottey, Harrison & Miller | url = https://archive.org/details/minutesacourtma00gurngoog}}</ref>

===Capture of ''Confiance''===
Bligh then resumed his station with the [[Channel Fleet]], patrolling off the French ports. On 3 February 1810 he came across the French ship [[French frigate Minerve (1794)|''Confiance'']], a former frigate that had been purchased by the merchants of the [[Mauritius|Île de France]] to transport their goods back to France.<ref name="Ralfe267"/> At the time Bligh had been sailing in company with the 74-gun {{HMS|Defiance|1783|6}}, and under the orders of her captain, [[Henry Hotham]]. On 1 February Hotham had ordered Bligh to follow him into [[Quiberon Bay]], but ''Valiant'' was unable to weather the point, nor could she make progress in the light winds the following day. She was therefore still off [[Belle Île]] on 3 February, when the ''Confiance'' came in sight. ''Confiance'' had evaded British blockaders and cruisers during the entirety of her voyage, having escaped pursuit fourteen times in her 93-day passage from the Indian Ocean.<ref name="Ralfe267"/> Hampered by light winds, she was unable to escape the ''Valiant'', and finally surrendered to her just a few hours away from reaching safety in a French port.<ref name="Ralfe267"/><ref name="Marshall821">{{cite book |last=Marshall |title=Royal Navy Biography|page=821}}</ref> Her cargo was valued at £800,000, of which Bligh received £14,041.<ref name="Ralfe270">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=270}}</ref>

==Later life and family==
By now extremely wealthy from [[prize money]], Bligh remained captain of ''Valiant'' until May 1810, when ill health forced his resignation.<ref name="Ralfe270"/> He went ashore and did not return to an active command for the remainder of the wars. He was appointed a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Bath]] on 4 June 1815, and was promoted to rear-admiral on 19 July 1821.<ref name="Tracy43"/><ref name="Marshall821"/> He was twice married, having married his first wife, Sarah Leeke, on 31 May 1798. He remarried on 17 August 1809 at [[St Marylebone]], uniting with Cecilia Moultrie, the daughter of the former governor of [[East Florida]] [[John Moultrie (politician)|John Moultrie]].<ref name="Tracy43"/> Bligh made his home at [[Fareham]] in 1823, and, apparently suffering from a long-term illness he had contracted in his service in the West Indies, died at his seat of Whitedale House, [[Hambledon, Hampshire|Hambledon]], Hampshire on 19 January 1831 at the age of sixty.<ref name="USM345">{{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine|page=345}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{refbegin}}
'''a.''' {{Note_label|A|a|none}} Several sources, including John Marshall's ''Royal Naval Biography'' and James Ralfe's ''The Naval Biography of Great Britain'' give a birth month and year of August 1771. Nicholas Tracy's entry in ''Who's Who in Nelson's Navy'' uses August 1770, but goes on to incorrectly state his age of death in 1831 as sixty-nine. Bligh's obituary in ''The United Service Magazine'' notes that he was sixty at his death on 19 January 1831, ruling out his birth in August 1771.

'''b.''' {{Note_label|B|b|none}} While sources agree that Bligh studied at Guildford, they vary on the date of his entry to the navy. ''The United Service Magazine'' and ''Royal Naval Biography'' both use 1782, ''The Naval Biography of Great Britain'' 1783, and ''Who's Who in Nelson's Navy'' 1780. The first two omit details of his ships, while ''The Naval Biography of Great Britain'' makes reference to ''Trimmer'' as being his first ship. Tracy's biography is the more complete, giving details of his earlier ships.

'''c.''' {{Note_label|C|c|none}} ''The Naval Biography of Great Britain'' has a slightly different order of his ships, suggesting he was aboard ''Bulldog'' until March 1786, when the death of her captain caused him to move to ''Camilla''. He returned to England aboard her in 1787 and then joined ''Pegase'' until she was paid off in February 1788.<ref name="Ralfe261">{{cite book |last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain|page=261}}</ref>

'''d.''' {{Note_label|D|d|none}} Ralfe records that Dessalines was extremely reluctant to allow the French to evacuate, and on being presented with the British terms, requested that eight French officers be surrendered to him in exchange for his agreement. When Bligh refused, he had him arrested and threatened to shoot him, before finally having him released and allowing the evacuation to proceed. Bligh's other biographers omit this detail, but agree Dessalines was reluctant, and refused to provide [[maritime pilot|pilots]] to guide the French out of the harbour, resulting in one of the frigates running aground for a time. Ralfe also records that having failed to get his revenge on the French squadron, Dessalines had the French soldiers who had been left in the hospital killed.<ref name="Ralfe264"/>

'''e.''' {{Note_label|E|e|none}} Curaçao remained in Dutch hands for over two years, until being captured by a force led by Captain [[Charles Brisbane]] in January 1807.<ref name="Tracy59">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's Who in Nelson's Navy|page=59}}</ref>
{{refend}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine|publisher=H. Colburn|year=1831|volume=Part 1}}
*{{cite book |first=John|last=Marshall|title=Royal Naval Biography; Or, Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag-officers, Superannuated Rear-admirals, Retired-captains, Post-captains, and Commanders, Whose Names Appeared on the Admiralty List of Sea Officers at the Commencement of the Present Year, Or who Have Since Been Promoted; Illustrated by a Series of Historical and Explanatory Notes ... With Copious Addenda|publisher=Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown|year=1823|volume=1, part 2}}
*{{cite book |first=James|last=Ralfe|title=The Naval Biography of Great Britain: Consisting of Historical Memoirs of Those Officers of the British Navy who Distinguished Themselves During the Reign of His Majesty George III|publisher=Whitmore & Fenn|year=1828|volume=4}}
*{{cite book| last = Tracy| first =Nicholas| year = 2006| title = Who's Who in Nelson's Navy: 200 Naval Heroes| publisher = Chatham Publishing| location =London| isbn = 1-86176-244-5}}
*{{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=[[British Warships in the Age of Sail|British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates]]|publisher=Seaforth|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84415-700-6}}
*{{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=[[British Warships in the Age of Sail|British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates]]|publisher=Seaforth|year=2008|isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}}
{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bligh, John}}
[[Category:1770 births]]
[[Category:1831 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Guildford]]
[[Category:Royal Navy rear admirals]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the American Revolutionary War]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:People educated at Royal Grammar School, Guildford]]