John Ferrier

Admiral of the Blue John Ferrier (c. 1759 – 27 January 1836) was a Royal Navy officer who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Ferrier was serving as a lieutenant during the American War of Independence, and was promoted to his first command after the conflict, a small cutter. He was advanced to post-captain shortly before the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars, but did not receive a ship for several years. Finally given the 64-gun in 1796, he was sent to the West Indies, where he spent five years before returning with a convoy of merchants and the thanks of the West Indian merchants. He then served under Horatio Nelson in the Channel during the blockade and raids on Boulogne, and then in the North Sea, receiving Nelson's praise for his service.

With the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars Ferrier was active in the Channel in command of a 74-gun ship, before being sent to the East Indies. He helped to escort a valuable convoy of East Indiamen, which had narrowly escaped from a French squadron, and spent four years on the station, frustrating French ambitions in the Persian Gulf and surviving an arduous voyage back to England through gales and aboard a leaky ship. Promoted to flag-rank in 1810 he was given an assignment with the fleet in the North Sea, flying his flag on a number of ships, before retiring ashore after the wars. He settled at Deal, Kent, and was a frequent visitor to the Duke of Wellington's residence, Walmer Castle, having made friends of the Duke and naval officers like Admiral Lord Exmouth during his career. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Blue, and died in London in 1836, two days after an operation to relieve an internal complaint.

Early life Horatio Nelson, 1800, by Lemuel Francis Abbott. Ferrier served under Nelson, who approvingly noted that Ferrier was "as steady as old Time himself." Details of Ferrier's early life are obscure, but he is thought to have been baptised John Lellesden Ferrier at St Peter's Church, Sandwich, Kent on 11 February 1759, son of Samuel and Jane Ferrier. He was buried at St Peter's Sandwich on 3 February 1836. The burial register records that he had been living at Deal in Kent and that he had been Admiral of the Blue. He is known to have received his commission as lieutenant in 1777, during the American War of Independence, and to have served aboard the 32-gun under Captain Henry Harvey. He is recorded as having commissioned the cutter in August 1786 for service in the North Sea, and was promoted to post-captain on 22 November 1790. The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1792 did not immediately lead to further service for Ferrier, and it was not until 1796 that he received a ship, being appointed to command the 64-gun in April that year. He commanded her for five years on the West Indies Station, before sailing back to Britain as a convoy escort for 155 merchants, all of which reached their destination safely. For his service he was rewarded with the thanks of the West Indian merchants, and a piece of plate.

Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Pulo Aura, the brief engagement Commodore Nathaniel Dance's convoy had just fought when Ferrier's ship arrived.

York was paid off and in February 1802 Ferrier received an appointment to command the 74-gun . The squadron patrolled the Channel against French raiders, and on 28 May 1803 she captured the 40-gun French frigate Franchise while in company with the 74-gun ships and . He reported that She has lost her mizzen mast and topmast; nineteen of her main deck guns are thrown overboard also; and the ship so leaky and opening so much that she required to be frapped together in three places. Captain Ferrier's verbal information was that if the gale continued a few hours longer, Albion must have foundered.

While refitting at the Cape, Ferrier, as the senior officer on the station, presided over the court-martial of several mutineers aboard the recently arrived , commanded by Captain Robert Corbet. The day after the trial, Corbet himself was court-martialled on various charges brought by his crew, but was acquitted of most of them and allowed to retain command of his ship. He moved from Defiance to the 74-gun , and finally to the 74-gun in 1813, serving under Admiral William Young off Flushing. Nine were recommended for mercy.