George Carnegie, 6th Earl of Northesk

Admiral of the White George Carnegie, 6th Earl of Northesk (2 August 1716 – 22 January 1792) was a Royal Navy officer. He was the son of David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk and Lady Margaret Wemyss and was born on 2 August 1716. A career naval officer, he fought in the War of the Austrian Succession and the First Carnatic War, where in the East Indies he participated in the action of 6 July 1746. His service was curtailed by a series of debilitating illnesses and he never served at sea again after being promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue in 1756. He died on 20 January 1792 at age 75.

Early life George Carnegie was born on 2 August 1716 as the second son of David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk and his wife Margaret, the daughter of James Wemyss, Lord Burntisland and Margaret Wemyss, 3rd Countess of Wemyss.

Naval career

Carnegie became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy on 15 March 1737. Carnegie transferred to the ship of the line HMS Windsor on 29 April but in August 1738 was taken from Windsor with a debilitating illness while off Minorca, at one point coming so close to death that his funeral arrangements were made. In January 1742 Carnegie left Bideford and was appointed to the command of the fifth rate HMS Looe in March. (Looe also spelt Loo.) Carnegie then put to sea again and on 7 July joined with the frigate HMS Deal Castle upon learning that a number of enemy ships were taking shelter in Vigo. The two warships anchored outside the town and sent their boats in to the harbour where they captured four ships, of which they burned two, while under considerable fire from the enemy ships and shore. In April 1744 he was still serving as such and helping to protect convoys sailing from Lisbon. After sailing to and then leaving Madagascar the squadron split in two with Carnegie and Preston going with Commodore Barnett and the ship of the line HMS Deptford. The two ships disguised themselves as Dutch vessels and sailed through the Sunda Strait to Banca where on 25 January 1745 they found three French ships at anchor. Here they were very successful, capturing three heavily laden merchant ships. Carnegie arrived at Bath on 28 November to recuperate from his illness.

In March 1755 he was given command of the ship of the line HMS Orford to serve in Vice-Admiral of the White Sir Edward Hawke's Western Squadron as the Seven Years' War approached, but by May he had resigned his command due to ill health once again. He would spend considerable portions of the rest of his life in Bath for the sake of his health. Carnegie was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 4 June 1756. He never again accepted a command at sea but by seniority was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the White on 13 July 1758, Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 14 February 1759, Vice-Admiral of the White on 21 October 1762, Admiral of the Blue on 18 October 1770 and Admiral of the White on 29 January 1772.

Family

He married his maternal first cousin once removed, Lady Anne Leslie (1730-1779), daughter of the 5th Earl of Leven and Elizabeth Monypenny, on 30 April 1748 and had six children: David Carnegie, Lord Rosehill (5 April 1749 – 19 February 1788) Lady Elizabeth Carnegie (1751 – 19 August 1793) married James Hope-Johnstone, 3rd Earl of Hopetoun. Their daughter Lady Elizabeth (b. 16 Oct 1768, d. 17 Sept 1801) married Rev John Kemp of Edinburgh 29 Aug 1799 Admiral William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk (10 April 1756 – 28 May 1831) Lieutenant Colonel George Carnegie (21 August 1773 – 1839) Margaret Carnegie (1779 – 15 March 1793)

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