John Pilfold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Pilfold
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| Born | before 20 January 1769 |
| Died | 12 July 1834 (aged 65) |
| Resting place | St George's Church, Plymouth, England |
| Nationality |  English |
| Occupation | Naval Captain |
| Employer | Royal Navy |
| Relatives | Percy Bysshe Shelly (nephew), Thomas Medwin (cousin removed) |
Captain John Pilfold was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He lived from 1769 to 1834. He is best known for leading the ship HMS Ajax during the famous Battle of Trafalgar. This important battle was part of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John Pilfold came from a family of farmers in Sussex, England, who owned their land. They were not from a noble family, but they were respected landowners.
When John was ten years old, his mother passed away. Just two years later, he joined the Royal Navy.
John had an older brother named Charles. Charles also joined the Navy and became a Lieutenant, serving under the famous Lord Nelson. Charles made a long voyage to China before he passed away in 1792.
A Career at Sea
John Pilfold began his naval career at a young age, which was common back then. He joined a ship called HMS Crown when he was 13. He learned how to be a sailor as a midshipman under the guidance of Captain William Cornwallis.
In 1788, John was promoted to Midshipman. He then sailed to the East Indies with Sir William Cornwallis, returning home in 1792. He found out his father had died in 1790 and their family estate had been sold.
The next year, France declared war on England. This meant John's naval career would be very busy!
Showing Bravery in Battle
John Pilfold proved his courage in the Glorious First of June battle in 1794. His captain, John Harvey of HMS Brunswick, was badly wounded. Before he died, Captain Harvey praised John for his bravery and skill.
This caught the attention of Admiral Howe, a very important naval leader. Admiral Howe promoted John to Lieutenant and assigned him to HMS Russell. John was again in heavy fighting on June 23, 1795, during the battle of Groix. In this battle, three enemy ships were captured.
As a reward, John was given command of a smaller ship, the 18-gun sloop HMS Kingfisher. He earned money from capturing enemy ships off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. He also helped stop a small rebellion among sailors on his ship, after bigger mutinies happened in England in 1797.
In 1798, John moved to a larger ship, the 74-gun HMS Impetueux. In 1800, he became well-known for leading a daring raid into the Morbihan River in France. His team destroyed many French ships and damaged port facilities.
The Battle of Trafalgar
John Pilfold married Mary Anne Horner during a time of peace called the Peace of Amiens. But by 1803, he was back at sea. He moved from HMS Hindostan to HMS Dragon and then to the Ajax.
The Ajax was involved in the Battle of Cape Finisterre. After this battle, the Ajax's captain, William Brown, had to go home to give evidence at a trial. He left John Pilfold in charge of the Ajax.
The Ajax then joined Nelson's fleet near Cadiz, Spain. On October 21, 1805, the Ajax was the sixth ship in Nelson's line during the famous Battle of Trafalgar. The Ajax fought fiercely against two enemy ships, the French Intrépide and the Spanish Argonauta. Even after such a tough fight, the Ajax only lost two sailors and had nine wounded.
John Pilfold returned home in December 1805 and was greatly praised. He was promoted to Post Captain that Christmas. Over the next ten years, he received more honors, including his own coat of arms and becoming a member of the Order of the Bath in 1815.
Later Years
Even though he was a hero, John Pilfold never commanded a ship at sea again. No ship was given to him, so he eventually retired in 1815.
In 1824, he moved from Sussex and lived in Wales and Devon with his family. He spent his time farming and had some minor jobs with the Navy on shore. He also helped support his nephew, the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelly.
John Pilfold passed away in 1834. He was buried at St George's Church in Plymouth. Sadly, his tombstone was destroyed during World War II bombings in 1941.
