William Domett
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir William Domett, GCB
(1752 – 19 May 1828) was a senior officer of the British Royal Navy
who saw extensive service during the American Revolutionary
, French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
. Throughout his career, Domett was under the patronage of Alexander Hood
, later Lord Bridport. During his service Domett was appointed as flag captain by several admirals, and saw action numerous times in this capacity, including seven years in command of . Later in life, ill-health forced early retirement from the sea and Domett retired to his country estate in Hawkchurch
, Devon
, close to Lord Bridport's estates.
, Devon
region in 1752. The first solid record of him available was in 1769, when he joined the Navy and appears on the muster books of , under the patronage of Captain Alexander Hood
. Domett spent the next five and a half years in the Mediterranean Sea
, leaving Quebec in 1772 and joining . In 1775, Domett was briefly attached to before joining on the Newfoundland Station at the start of the American Revolutionary War
.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Domett was in Surprise when she was at the relief of the Siege of Quebec
. As reward for his service in this operations, Admiral John Montagu promoted Domett to lieutenant
aboard . Less than a year later, Montagu returned to Britain and brought Domett with him, seconding him to Hood's service. Serving aboard Hood's ship , Domett was in action at the First Battle of Ushant in 1778.
Three years later, Domett was still aboard Robust, and in her took part in the Battle of Cape Henry
. A few months later, Domett had moved to and was engaged at the Battle of the Chesapeake
. Following this action, Domett was again taken from his side to be the aide of an admiral, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood
. Domett acted as his signal lieutenant in and in this capacity participated at the Battle of St. Kitts
and the Battle of the Saintes
. For his services in these actions, Domett became first lieutenant and when, a few months later, Barfleur captured four enemy ships in an action, Domett was given command of the small prize brig Ceres, which he safely brought back to Britain. On his return, Domett was made a post captain.
As a captain, Domett was immediately requested by Alexander Hood to be his flag captain in . On board this ship Domett saw out the war, joining Lord Howe's
fleet which relieved the Great Siege of Gibraltar
and later fought at the Battle of Cape Spartel
. The end of the war saw Domett, with many other officers, unemployed and on half-pay.
. Several years later, Domett moved to the and conducted a year long cruise down the coast of West Africa and through the West Indies. On his return, Domett was requested by Admiral Mark Milbanke
for service in Newfoundland on but in 1790 Domett was back in Britain as Hood's captain on during the Spanish armament. When this emergency died down, Domett took command of and then later he took command of HMS Romney, a ship he had served aboard as a lieutenant, before returning to Hood's service as captain of in 1803 at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars
.
Royal George was second flagship of the Channel Fleet
, and Lord Howe its overall commander. In 1794, Lord Howe embarked on the Atlantic campaign of May 1794
, which ended in the Glorious First of June
, at which Domett and Royal George were heavily engaged and the ship badly damaged. Domett remained in command when Hood became Viscount Bridport
and served under him again the following year at the Battle of Groix
. Domett did not leave Royal George until 1800, the seven years he spent in command being a record in the Channel Fleet at the time.
When Lord St Vincent
took command of the Channel Fleet, Domett was initially sceptical of his new commander, but the two soon developed a close working partnership and Domett even retained the flag captaincy over the claims of Sir Thomas Troubridge. When St Vincent stepped down a year later, his replacement Admiral Hyde Parker initially transferred Domett to but later changed his mind and made Domett his flag captain on HMS London for the expedition to Copenhagen
.
At the Battle of Copenhagen
, Domett disagreed with Parker's tactical plan and persuaded him to change it, resulting in the attack by Nelson at which the Danish fleet was destroyed. Parker did not credit Domett in the dispatch to the Admiralty
and Domett was furious, writing an angry letter to Lord Bridport on the matter. When Nelson replaced Parker, he retained Domett again and when he in turn was replaced by Admiral William Cornwallis
, Domett was again flag captain, aboard .
but he resigned fifteen months later due to a recurring foot injury which had rendered him lame.
Domett continued to gain rank in retirement, and in 1825 he reached admiral of the white. He was also made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1815 and was promoted to Knight Grand Cross in 1820. Domett settled on his estate in Hawkchurch
, Devon
near the home of Lord Bridport, who had died in 1814. He never married and had no children, but was highly esteemed in the service as a consummate sailor and brave fighter whose extremely long and dedicated sea service had earned him an excellent reputation in the Navy. He died suddenly in 1828 and was buried in the local church.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1752 – 19 May 1828) was a senior officer of the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who saw extensive service during the American Revolutionary
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, French Revolutionary
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Throughout his career, Domett was under the patronage of Alexander Hood
Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
|-...
, later Lord Bridport. During his service Domett was appointed as flag captain by several admirals, and saw action numerous times in this capacity, including seven years in command of . Later in life, ill-health forced early retirement from the sea and Domett retired to his country estate in Hawkchurch
Hawkchurch
Hawkchurch is village in East Devon England, 3 miles north east of Axminster on the border of Devon and Dorset, and about 6 miles south of Somerset.It is 4 miles north of the tourist and fishing village of Lyme Regis...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, close to Lord Bridport's estates.
Early career
Little is known of Domett's birth or upbring, although it is thought he was born in the HawkchurchHawkchurch
Hawkchurch is village in East Devon England, 3 miles north east of Axminster on the border of Devon and Dorset, and about 6 miles south of Somerset.It is 4 miles north of the tourist and fishing village of Lyme Regis...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
region in 1752. The first solid record of him available was in 1769, when he joined the Navy and appears on the muster books of , under the patronage of Captain Alexander Hood
Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
|-...
. Domett spent the next five and a half years in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, leaving Quebec in 1772 and joining . In 1775, Domett was briefly attached to before joining on the Newfoundland Station at the start of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Domett was in Surprise when she was at the relief of the Siege of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
. As reward for his service in this operations, Admiral John Montagu promoted Domett to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
aboard . Less than a year later, Montagu returned to Britain and brought Domett with him, seconding him to Hood's service. Serving aboard Hood's ship , Domett was in action at the First Battle of Ushant in 1778.
Three years later, Domett was still aboard Robust, and in her took part in the Battle of Cape Henry
Battle of Cape Henry
The Battle of Cape Henry was a naval battle in the American War of Independence which took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 16 March 1781 between a British squadron led by Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot and a French fleet under Admiral Charles René Dominique Sochet, Chevalier Destouches...
. A few months later, Domett had moved to and was engaged at the Battle of the Chesapeake
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...
. Following this action, Domett was again taken from his side to be the aide of an admiral, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
. Domett acted as his signal lieutenant in and in this capacity participated at the Battle of St. Kitts
Battle of St. Kitts
The Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, was a naval battle that took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse.-Background:When Hood...
and the Battle of the Saintes
Battle of the Saintes
The Battle of the Saintes took place over 4 days, 9 April 1782 – 12 April 1782, during the American War of Independence, and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse forcing the French and Spanish to abandon a planned...
. For his services in these actions, Domett became first lieutenant and when, a few months later, Barfleur captured four enemy ships in an action, Domett was given command of the small prize brig Ceres, which he safely brought back to Britain. On his return, Domett was made a post captain.
As a captain, Domett was immediately requested by Alexander Hood to be his flag captain in . On board this ship Domett saw out the war, joining Lord Howe's
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
fleet which relieved the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
and later fought at the Battle of Cape Spartel
Battle of Cape Spartel
The Battle of Cape Spartel was an indecisive naval battle between a Franco-Spanish fleet under Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova and a British fleet under Admiral Richard Howe...
. The end of the war saw Domett, with many other officers, unemployed and on half-pay.
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Domett's close ties with the Hood family meant that he had good connections, and so in 1786, Domett was given the 24-gun at LeithLeith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
. Several years later, Domett moved to the and conducted a year long cruise down the coast of West Africa and through the West Indies. On his return, Domett was requested by Admiral Mark Milbanke
Mark Milbanke
Admiral Mark Milbanke was a British naval officer and colonial governor.-Military career:Born the son of Sir Ralph Milbanke Bt, Mark Milbanke graduated from the Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth in 1740. He was made Lieutenant in 1744 and in 1746 was given command of HMS Serpent.In 1789, Milbanke...
for service in Newfoundland on but in 1790 Domett was back in Britain as Hood's captain on during the Spanish armament. When this emergency died down, Domett took command of and then later he took command of HMS Romney, a ship he had served aboard as a lieutenant, before returning to Hood's service as captain of in 1803 at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Royal George was second flagship of the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
, and Lord Howe its overall commander. In 1794, Lord Howe embarked on the Atlantic campaign of May 1794
Atlantic campaign of May 1794
The Atlantic campaign of May 1794 was a series of operations conducted by the British Royal Navy's Channel Fleet against the French Navy's Atlantic Fleet, with the aim of preventing the passage of a strategically important French grain convoy travelling from the United States to France...
, which ended in the Glorious First of June
Glorious First of June
The Glorious First of June [Note A] of 1794 was the first and largest fleet action of the naval conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars...
, at which Domett and Royal George were heavily engaged and the ship badly damaged. Domett remained in command when Hood became Viscount Bridport
Viscount Bridport
Viscount Bridport is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation became extinct in 1814 while the second creation is still extant. Sir Alexander Hood, younger brother of Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood,...
and served under him again the following year at the Battle of Groix
Battle of Groix
The Second Battle of Groix was a naval engagement that took place on 23 June 1795 during the French Revolutionary War off the west coast of France....
. Domett did not leave Royal George until 1800, the seven years he spent in command being a record in the Channel Fleet at the time.
When Lord St Vincent
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
took command of the Channel Fleet, Domett was initially sceptical of his new commander, but the two soon developed a close working partnership and Domett even retained the flag captaincy over the claims of Sir Thomas Troubridge. When St Vincent stepped down a year later, his replacement Admiral Hyde Parker initially transferred Domett to but later changed his mind and made Domett his flag captain on HMS London for the expedition to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
At the Battle of Copenhagen
Battle of Copenhagen (1801)
The Battle of Copenhagen was an engagement which saw a British fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker fight and strategically defeat a Danish-Norwegian fleet anchored just off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led the main attack. He famously disobeyed Parker's...
, Domett disagreed with Parker's tactical plan and persuaded him to change it, resulting in the attack by Nelson at which the Danish fleet was destroyed. Parker did not credit Domett in the dispatch to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
and Domett was furious, writing an angry letter to Lord Bridport on the matter. When Nelson replaced Parker, he retained Domett again and when he in turn was replaced by Admiral William Cornwallis
William Cornwallis
Admiral the Honourable Sir William Cornwallis GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
, Domett was again flag captain, aboard .
Retirement
The Peace of Amiens saw Domett briefly on the Irish station before rejoining Cornwallis at the outbreak of hostilities. In 1804, Domett was made a rear-admiral but refused a sea-going commission due to a sudden deterioration of his health. Instead, he served as one of the commissioners for revising the civil affairs of the navy. Domett was rapidly promoted during the next eight years but was unable to rejoin the fleet at sea, his health remaining too weak for the strain of such service. Instead, Domett joined the board of the Admiralty and continued to serve in an administrative capacity, his frequent bouts of ill-health making service of any kind difficult. In 1813, Domett became Commander-in-Chief, PlymouthCommander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
but he resigned fifteen months later due to a recurring foot injury which had rendered him lame.
Domett continued to gain rank in retirement, and in 1825 he reached admiral of the white. He was also made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1815 and was promoted to Knight Grand Cross in 1820. Domett settled on his estate in Hawkchurch
Hawkchurch
Hawkchurch is village in East Devon England, 3 miles north east of Axminster on the border of Devon and Dorset, and about 6 miles south of Somerset.It is 4 miles north of the tourist and fishing village of Lyme Regis...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
near the home of Lord Bridport, who had died in 1814. He never married and had no children, but was highly esteemed in the service as a consummate sailor and brave fighter whose extremely long and dedicated sea service had earned him an excellent reputation in the Navy. He died suddenly in 1828 and was buried in the local church.