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John Brown

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years ago

Officer of the Scottish Navy

John Brown

 

Personal Details

Date of BirthUnknown
Place of BirthUnknown
Father's NameUnknown
Mother's NameUnknown
Date of Death1689/07/10

 

Captain

DateShipNotes
1689/04/13JanetCommissioned as captain, to cruise on the western coasts from the point of Cornwall to the Isle of Skye, and to fight and sink all ships belonging to the late King JamesB062
1689/06JanetTook 50 men of the Macdonnels and the McAlisters that were going from Argyllshire over to IrelandB063
1689/07/10JanetKilled in action with three French shipsB062

 

Other Details

 

Actions & Battles

DateShipSource
1689/07/10JanetAction with Pelican against three French vesselB062

 

Notes

Pamphlet published regarding the action of 10th July 1689.

In regard that the bravery and gallantness of the last actions of Captain Hamilton and Captain Brown's lives are so remarkable, and not frequently parallelled, I think it not amiss to give you a particular and distinct account of them as it was delivered to some members of the Privy-Council here, by one of the lieutenants of those frigates, that had the good fortune to come off after he had been taken prisoner, and by other persons now in town, who were present, and witnesses of what past, which was thus. On Wednesday the 10th of July, Captain Hamilton commanding the Pelican carrying 18 guns and 120 men, and Captain Brown of the Janet frigate, carrying 12 guns and 80 men as they were cruising between the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland and Carrickfergus Lough in Ireland, happened to discover at sea to the southward three sail of ships, to whom they immediately ply'd up, and when they came within such a distance as to be able to discern them, they observed them to look like English built ships, carrying the English flag and colours, which led them into the mistake of believing them to be English and friends. This obliged them to make up close to them to salute them; but they did no sooner perceive their error, than they found it impossible to retreat, they being three French men of war, having on aboard a battalion of 400 men of Colonel Porsil's regiment of foot, that was going to join Dundee, the biggest of them carrying 36 guns, the second 30, and the third 24 guns. And so to action they fell immediately, and fought it with all the gallantry and resolution imaginable with their guns above an hour. The two lesser frigates fell to Captain Brown's share to engage with, and when his main mast was shot down they came and lay aboard him, in which action his right arm was shot off with a canon bullet; yet notwithstanding he maintained the fight resolutely, and continued giving directions and orders to his men, until he received seven musket bullets in his body, the last of which killed him dead. One Campbell his lieutenant maintained the fight with the same gallantry until being overpowered by the enemy's men, who after great slaughter coming on board found the lieutenant lying on the deck, shot through the right thigh the right shoulder and left arm, having only fourteen men alive, whereof eight were wounded and disabled.

 

Captain Brown's ship being thus taken, these two frigates join the great one, and all three fall on Captain Hamilton, who made his part good against the French man alone, and when his ship had been much battered and torn, the two biggest ships came and endeavoured to board him; and with them he fought a considerable time, his ship being better provided for a close fight than Captain Brown's was. He had the misfortune to be thrice boarded by the enemy, and the courage to clear his deck as often of them. At last his forecastle and steerage being torn open by the violence and frequency of the enemies shot, and hand granadoes doing much mischief to his men, the enemy boarded him the fourth time in great numbers, so that looking upon himself and his ship for lost, as his last effort gave orders to his gunner to go down to the hold and blow up the ship; and he no sooner gave the word of command for executing what he had purposed to do, but a cannon bullet at random shot from the third ship came and dispatcht him, and hindered his last orders from being obeyed. And so his ship fell into the enemy's hands, and of the 120 men he had on board, only thirty men were found alive, whereof the greatest part were wounded and much disabled. In this action there were killed of our people, the two captains, one hundred and fifty-six men; and of the enemies one French captain, two lieutenants, two hundred and eighteen men, and many wounded.

 

This account we have from some that were taken, and now have made their escape, and from those that have been aboard the French ship since the action, as also from some of those Irish that were taken prisoners since that time, all their relations agreeing as above is mentioned.

 

London, printed for Rich. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church Yard, 1689.

 

 

Sources

B062The Old Scots Navy 1689-1707Navy Records Society

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