John Jervis (redirected from Jervis, John, Earl St Vincent)

Jervis, John 

Born Jan. 9, 1735, at Meaford, Staffordshire; died Mar. 14, 1823, at Rochetts, Essex. Earl of St. Vincent (1797), British admiral of the fleet (1821).

Jervis enlisted in the navy in 1749 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1755. He participated in the war against the rebellious states of North America in 1775-83, and he commanded the English Navy in action against France and Spain in the West Indies (1793-95) and the Mediterranean Sea (1796-99). In February 1797 he routed the superior forces of the Spanish Navy at Cape St. Vincent. His student and successor was Admiral H. Nelson. He was noted for his cruel manner of suppressing mutinies. In 1800-01 and 1806-07 he commanded the fleet of his home country in the English Channel, and in 1801-03 he was first lord of the admiralty. In 1807, Jervis retired.

REFERENCE

Anson, W. V. The Life of John Jervis. London, 1913.