George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney

Royal Navy admiral

Date of Birth: 13-Feb-1719

Place of Birth: Walton-on-Thames, England, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 24-May-1792

Profession: politician

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius


Show Famous Birthdays Today, World

👉 Worldwide Celebrity Birthdays Today

About George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney

  • George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB (bap.
  • 13 February 1718 – 24 May 1792), was a British naval officer.
  • He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782.
  • It is often claimed that he was the commander to have pioneered the tactic of "breaking the line". Rodney came from a distinguished but poor background, and went to sea at the age of fourteen.
  • His first major action was the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1747.
  • He made a large amount of prize money during the 1740s, allowing him to purchase a large country estate and a seat in the House of Commons of Great Britain.
  • During the Seven Years' War, Rodney was involved in a number of amphibious operations such as the raids on Rochefort and Le Havre and the Siege of Louisbourg.
  • He became well known for his role in the capture of Martinique in 1762.
  • Following the Peace of Paris, Rodney's financial situation stagnated.
  • He spent large sums of money pursuing his political ambitions.
  • By 1774 he had run up large debts and was forced to flee Britain to avoid his creditors.
  • He was in a French jail when war was declared in 1778.
  • Thanks to a benefactor, Rodney was able to secure his release and return to Britain where he was appointed to a new command. Rodney successfully relieved Gibraltar during the Great Siege and defeated a Spanish fleet during the 1780 Battle of Cape St.
  • Vincent, known as the "Moonlight Battle" because it took place at night.
  • He then was posted to the Jamaica Station, where he became involved in the controversial 1781 capture of Sint Eustatius.
  • Later that year he briefly returned home suffering from ill health.
  • During his absence the British lost the crucial Battle of the Chesapeake leading to the surrender at Yorktown. To some Rodney was a controversial figure, accused of an obsession with prize money and nepotism.
  • This was brought to a head in the wake of his taking of Saint Eustatius for which he was heavily criticised in Britain.
  • Orders for his recall had been sent when Rodney won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782, ending the French threat to Jamaica.
  • On his return to Britain, Rodney was made a peer and was awarded an annual pension of £2,000.
  • He lived in retirement until his death in 1792.

Read more at Wikipedia

See Also