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John BayronGrandfather of the famous poet, discoverer of new lands and naval commander
Date of Birth: 08.11.1723
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of John Byron
- The Circumnavigation Expedition
- Return and Later Career
- Battle of Grenada
- Later Life and Legacy
Biography of John Byron
Early Life and Naval CareerJohn Byron was born on November 8, 1723 in Nottinghamshire. He was the grandson of the famous poet, discoverer of new lands, and naval commander, also named John Byron. From a young age, John developed a love for the sea and at the age of seventeen, he became a midshipman on the ship "Weedger" in Anson's expedition. The ship was wrecked in 1741 as it exited the Strait of Magellan. Captured by the Spanish, the crew was taken to Chile and imprisoned. After three years of captivity, John managed to escape. He traveled to Europe on a ship from Saint-Malo and returned to the navy, where he distinguished himself in battles against France. Eventually, he became the commander of a circumnavigation expedition.
The Circumnavigation Expedition
On July 3, 1764, John Byron's expedition, consisting of the corvette "Dolphin" and the sloop "Tamar," set sail after thorough preparation. The instructions from the Admiralty were to search for unknown lands between the Strait of Magellan and the Cape of Good Hope, explore the island of Pepys, and the Falkland Islands. On their way, they made stops at Madeira and Cape Verde before being forced to stop in Rio de Janeiro to nurse the sick crew back to health. It was only after leaving the Brazilian port that the expedition's true objective, previously kept secret, was revealed. The crew was delighted to learn about the promised rewards and privileges. However, their journey south was plagued by severe storms and cold weather. They were unable to find the island of Pepys, so Byron decided to head to the Falkland Islands. However, before reaching their destination, they stopped in the Strait of Magellan to replenish their supplies of water and wood. Here, they peacefully encountered the tall Patagonian inhabitants. After the crew recovered from illnesses, Byron resumed the voyage on January 5, 1765, and soon discovered the Falkland Islands. He claimed them on behalf of the King and conducted explorations. Interestingly, during the same time, Bougainville was preparing to establish a French colony in the Falkland Islands.
Return and Later Career
After returning to the Strait of Magellan, which became his base, Byron unloaded supplies from the ship "Florida" sent to him with provisions from the Falkland Islands. Unlike other sailors, Byron believed that an entire fleet could easily pass through the strait in three weeks; the crucial factor was starting the journey in December rather than during storms. The admiral chose to sail out of the strait and circumnavigate Cape Horn. The ships stopped at Juan Fernández Island. After a week of unsuccessful searching for Davis Land, the expedition headed towards the Solomon Islands. On July 8, the crew, suffering from scurvy, spotted two green islands from the Tuamotu archipelago, but did not find an anchorage and had to move on. Byron named these islands the Islands of Disappointment. It wasn't until June 9 that they managed to land on a third island and fend off hostile intentions of the natives. The fresh greens and fruits quickly healed the sailors. Byron named the island King George and the next one Prince of Wales Island. On June 21, they discovered the reef-ringed Danger Islands, followed by Duke of York Island six days later, and later, the separate Byron Island. Only on July 28 did the exhausted sailors, suffering from dysentery and scurvy, see Saipan and Tinian, part of the Mariana Islands.
Their stop on Tinian allowed them to rid themselves of scurvy but brought on bouts of fever, which caused the deaths of two sailors. The local fish turned out to be poisonous. Byron himself wrote about the local climate, which was rainy and hot: "I have been on the coast of Guinea, in the West Indies, and on the island of São Tomé, lying right on the equator, but nowhere have I experienced such heat." It was only on October 1 that the ships continued their journey towards the Philippines and made a stop at the Babuyan Islands to restock provisions. On November 7, Byron resumed the voyage and arrived in the port of Batavia on Sumatra on November 28. After loading up all the necessary supplies, the sailor, eager to leave the unhealthy place, continued the expedition after twelve days. However, fever still incapacitated half the crew. On February 13, the expedition reached Cape Town, where Byron replenished their supplies. On May 9, 1766, the "Dolphin" returned to London, completing the 23-month voyage. It was one of the most successful circumnavigation journeys by English sailors. The expedition discovered several islands from the Tuamotu, Tokelau, and Gilbert groups. The voyage could have been more fruitful if it had included scientists and had more specific instructions from the Admiralty. Byron documented his scientific discoveries and observations in a book published in 1768, which also described the shipwreck in South America. This account was later used by his grandson, the poet Lord Byron, in "Don Juan." In 1769, Byron was appointed the governor of Newfoundland. He explored the island, improving maritime maps and navigation. In 1775, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral, and in 1778, he became a vice admiral. From 1775 to 1779, Byron patrolled the coasts of France and Spain with his squadron.
Battle of Grenada
In 1779, Byron was sent with his fleet to support British forces in America but encountered one of the worst storms in the Atlantic on his way. After enduring the storm, he arrived in the West Indies and took command. His opponent was d'Estaing, who had superior forces and a base in Martinique. In mid-June 1779, Byron sailed with his fleet from the islands, escorting a large convoy of trading ships. Taking advantage of Byron's absence, d'Estaing seized St. Vincent Island on June 16, and on June 30, he set sail with his entire fleet to Grenada, which he captured on July 4. Upon learning about the loss of St. Vincent and the attack on Grenada, Byron sailed with 21 ships of the line and a convoy of troops to assist. He headed for Grenada, where the French fleet consisted of 25 ships of the line, and on the morning of July 6, he spotted the French squadron weighing anchor but failed to notice their numerical superiority. He decided to pursue them, taking a weatherly position. He left the flagship with the convoy of troops on the island. Before the battle, the French did not have time to complete their line formation, and Byron headed towards the still unoccupied rearguard. Three of the fastest ships, approaching the enemy, engaged in battle, came under fire from the center and rearguard, and suffered significant damage without receiving support from the main forces, as Byron saw the French flag on the island and ordered the pursuit to stop. Three damaged ships had already been engaged with the enemy, but three others, who had approached the enemy independently, came to their aid. As a result of the uneven battle, seven out of eight ships sustained serious damage from the concentrated enemy fire, and four of them were essentially disabled. Byron had to match the speed of the damaged ships and act while keeping in mind the transports with troops. The advantage was on the side of the French. John Byron was known in the English fleet as "Foul-Weather Jack" because the legend had it that he always encountered storms on his voyages. However, history remembers him more for his geographical discoveries and the Battle of Grenada.
Later Life and Legacy
Byron passed away on April 10, 1786, in London. A strait between New Ireland and Lavongai Island and one of the islands in the Gilbert group (Byron Island or Nikunau) were named in his honor as a tribute to his achievements as an explorer.
