John Ferrier

John Ferrier (c. 1759 – 27 January 1836) was a British officer in the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Ferrier was serving as a lieutenant during the American War of Independence, and was promoted to his first command after the conflict, a small cutter. He was advanced to post-captain shortly before the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars, but did not receive a ship for several years. Finally given the 64-gun in 1796, he was sent to the West Indies, where he spent five years before returning with a convoy of merchants and the thanks of the West Indian merchants. He then served under Horatio Nelson in the Channel during the blockade and raids on Boulogne, and then in the North Sea, receiving Nelson's praise for his service.

With the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars Ferrier was active in the Channel in command of a 74-gun ship, before being sent to the East Indies. He helped to escort a valuable convoy of East Indiamen, which had narrowly escaped from a French squadron, and spent four years on the station, frustrating French ambitions in the Persian Gulf and surviving an arduous voyage back to England through gales and aboard a leaky ship. Promoted to flag-rank in 1810 he was given an assignment with the fleet in the North Sea, flying his flag on a number of ships, before retiring ashore after the wars. He settled at Deal, Kent, and was a frequent visitor to the Duke of Wellington's residence, Walmer Castle, having made friends of the Duke and naval officers like Admiral Lord Exmouth during his career. He was promoted to the rank of admiral of the blue, and died in London in 1836, two days after an operation to relieve an internal complaint. Provided by Wikipedia