George Brydges Rodney Biography and Timeline

Birth of George Brydges Rodney

Birth of George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney

Captain

Attains the rank of post-captain, having been appointed to the Plymouth

Battle of Ushant

Commands of the battleship Eagle 60, and in this ship takes part in Hawkes victory off Ushant over the French fleet

Governor

Appointed Governor and Commander-in-chief of Newfoundland, with the rank of Commodore, it being usual at that time to appoint a naval officer, chiefly on account of the fishery interests

Role range: 1716-1760

Commander in Chief

Appointed Governor and Commander-in-chief of Newfoundland, with the rank of Commodore, it being usual at that time to appoint a naval officer, chiefly on account of the fishery interests

Election

Elected Member of Parliament for Saltash

Marriage

Marries his first wife, Jane Compton (1730-1757), sister of Charles Compton, 7th Earl of Northampton

Siege of Rochefort

Shares in the expedition against Rochefort, Commands the battleship Dublin

Battle of Cape Breton Island

Serves under Boscawen in the taking of Louisburg (Cape Breton Island)

Capture of Cape Breton Island

Serves under Boscawen in the taking of Louisburg (Cape Breton Island)

Siege of Cape Breton Island

Serves under Boscawen in the taking of Louisburg (Cape Breton Island)

Invasion of Great Britain

Appointed Rear-Admiral, and was shortly after given command of a small squadron intended to destroy a large number of flat-bottomed boats and stores which were being collected at Havre for an invasion of the English coasts

Rear Admiral

Appointed Rear-Admiral, and was shortly after given command of a small squadron intended to destroy a large number of flat-bottomed boats and stores which were being collected at Havre for an invasion of the English coasts

Battle of Le Harvre

Bombarded Le Harvre for two days and nights, and inflicts great loss of war-material on the enemy

Invasion of Great Britain

Bombarded Le Harvre for two days and nights, and inflicts great loss of war-material on the enemy

Siege of Le Harvre

Bombarded Le Harvre for two days and nights, and inflicts great loss of war-material on the enemy

Blockade of French Coast

Takes many more of the enemys flat-bottomed boats and in blockades the French coast as far as Dieppe

French Coast Blockade Extended to Dieppe

Rodney extends British pressure along the French coast as far as Dieppe while capturing enemy flat-bottomed craft.

Invasion of Great Britain

Takes many more of the enemys flat-bottomed boats and in blockades the French coast as far as Dieppe

Commander in Chief

Appointed Commander in Chief of the Leeward Islands station

Election

Elected Member of Parliament for Penryn

Capture of Grenada

Captures Granada

Role range: 1756-1763

Capture of Martinique

Captures the Island of Martinique

Role range: 1756-1763

Capture of St Lucia

Captures St Lucia

Role range: 1756-1763

Vice Admiral

At the peace of 1763, Admiral Rodney returns, home, having been during his absence made Vice Admiral of the Blue and having received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament

Role range: 1756-1763

Marriage

Marries Henrietta, daughter of John Clies of Lisbon

Peerage

Rodney is created a Baronet

Governor

Appointed Governor of Greenwich Hospital

Role range: 1763-1809

Commander in Chief

Appointed Commander in Chief of the Jamaica station

Rear Admiral

Appointed Rear-Admiral of Great Britain

Battle of Cape St Vincent

Gibraltar is relieved by the British, all but four of the Spanish fleet are destroyed

Role range: 1775-1783

Battle of Moonlight

Defeats the Spanish during their siege of Gibraltar

Role range: 1775-1783

Capture of St Eustatius

Captures the Dutch Carribean Island of Eustatius, cripples the US contrabrand trade

Role range: 1775-1783

Capture of St Martin

Captures the Dutch Carribean Island of St Martin, cripples the US contrabrand trade

Role range: 1775-1783

Battle of Saints

Final sea Battle of the War of American Independence fought between the British West Indies fleet commanded by Admiral Rodney

Role range: 1775-1783 – 1779-1792

Battle of Saints

Introduces the tactic of breaking the line, this Rodney did against de Grasse as the two fleets passed on opposing courses and the French line was forced into more open order by a change of wind.

Role range: 1775-1783 – 1779-1792

Battle of Saints

Rodney's flagship, Formidable has 98 guns. Restores control of Caribbean by defeating a French fleet under de Grasse off Dominica.

Role range: 1775-1783 – 1779-1792

Battle of Saints

with 36 ships of the line and his French counterpart Vice Admiral the Comte de Grasse with 30 ships of the line. Captures 7 ships

Role range: 1775-1783 – 1779-1792

Peerage

Created Baron Rodney of Rodney Stoke, Somerset, by patent, and the House of Commons vote him a pension of 2000 pounds a year

Peerage

Raised to the peerage after the Battle of the Saints

Role range: 1775-1783 – 1779-1792