John Marshall (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Marshall
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 26 February 1748 Ramsgate, Great Britain |
| Died | 1819 (aged 71) |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | Scarborough Diana |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War Napoleonic Wars |
John Marshall (Marshallese: Jo̧o̧n M̧ajeļ) (February 26, 1748 – 1819) was a brave British explorer. He sailed across the huge Pacific Ocean. A group of islands in the Pacific, called the Marshall Islands, are named after him!
Contents
John Marshall's Life
Early Years and First Voyages
John Marshall was born in Ramsgate, Kent, England. This was in the year 1748. He started his life at sea very young. At just ten years old, he became an apprentice sailor. This meant he was learning to be a sailor. He spent his whole life working on ships.
In 1788, Captain Marshall commanded a ship named the Scarborough. This ship was part of the First Fleet. The First Fleet was a group of ships that sailed from England. They were taking people who had committed crimes, called convicts, to Botany Bay in Australia. This was to start a new colony there.
Exploring New Islands
After arriving in Australia, Captain Marshall continued his journey. He sailed from Australia all the way to China. During this trip, he discovered and mapped many islands that were not known before. These included islands in what are now the Gilbert Islands and the Marshall Islands.
He also found a new way to sail to Canton (which is now called Guangzhou) in China. This new route was very helpful for trade. Captain Marshall first called the islands he found "Lord Mulgrove's range." But later, another sea captain named Thomas Gilbert officially named them the Marshall Islands, after John Marshall.
Later Voyages and Wars
Captain Marshall sailed the Scarborough again in 1790. This was for a second trip carrying convicts to Australia. However, many of the convicts were very sick. Sadly, many did not survive the long journey. There was also an attempt by the convicts to take over the ship. Because of these difficult experiences, Captain Marshall decided not to transport convicts anymore.
He also served as a captain during two important wars. He fought in the American Revolutionary War (1778-1783). He also took part in the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). During the Napoleonic Wars, he was captain of a ship called the Diana. He was badly hurt while fighting off an attack from a French privateer. A privateer was a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships.
John Marshall passed away in 1819. He was 71 years old.
