About Samuel Reeve
Lived 1735 – 1803 (aged 67–68). Samuel Reeve was a naval officer.
Vice-Admiral Samuel Reeve (c. 1732 – 5 May 1803) was an officer of the British Royal Navy who saw service in the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.
Samuel Reeve was captain of HMS Surprise in 1779, seizing American privateers Monmouth, Wild Cat and Jason off the coast of Newfoundland. On 20 January 1780 Surprize captured French privateer Duguay Trouin, and in January 1781 captured Les Sept Freres.
In the French Revolutionary Wars, Reeve was captain of with the Mediterranean Fleet under Lord Hood. In October 1793 he was ordered, along with and , to attack a French frigate anchored in the harbour at Genoa. The Raid on Genoa was a success, and six days later Reeve discovered and captured the abandoned French ship Impérieuse at La Spezia.
Reeve was promoted to vice-admiral in 1799, and retired to his home near Ipswich. On 5 May 1803 Reeve was riding in a chaise near his home when the horse bolted. Reeve was flung from the chaise and was killed immediately, suffering a broken neck.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Samuel Reeve's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Samuel Reeve?
British Royal Navy officer
When was Samuel Reeve born?
Samuel Reeve was born in 1735.
When did Samuel Reeve die?
Samuel Reeve died on 5 May 1803 in Ipswich.
What was Samuel Reeve's occupation?
Samuel Reeve was a naval officer.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Samuel Reeve. https://biography.guide/samuel-reeve/
MLA: "Samuel Reeve." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/samuel-reeve/.
Chicago: "Samuel Reeve." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/samuel-reeve/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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