The Life of John Jervis – Admiral Lord St Vincent

Amongst the heroic figures of the Royal Navy of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars; Admiral Nelson stands out from a number of great men. Without Lord St. Vincent, it is difficult to imagine how Horatio Nelson would have been afforded the latitude he needed for his victories. Before Nelson flew his pennant in the Victory, Sir John Jervis would lead that ship and his squadron, of which Nelson was a conspicuous part, to huge success at the battle of Cape St. Vincent that would earn Jervis his earldom. John Jervis ran away to join the Navy at the tender age of 13. After much time spent on board ships in the Caribbean, he worked his way up the ladder of promotion - from seaman to first lieutenant - before he was assigned to the expedition under General Wolfe to Canada, during which he impressed all with his conduct.
At the outbreak of the wars with France, Sir John Jervis was a vice-admiral of long service and huge experience, his various postings around the fleet - along with his crowning achievement at the battle of St. Vincent - all captured in this biography. Although greatly outnumbered, his determination to bring the enemy to battle was the foundation of the aggressive self-confidence carried by the Royal Navy for many years to come. Stern disciplinarian when confronted by mutiny in the fleet, he nevertheless had a softer side which was indulged when he saw a deserving case of a man in dire straits. On his elevation to the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, his determination to improve the efficiency of the Navy and the lot of the common sailor gained him a great reputation among the Navy of the day.
A first-rate biography.
Illustrations – 10 portraits and 4 battle plans.