Sir Samuel Cornish, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Samuel Cornish
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|---|---|
| Born | ca. 1715 |
| Died | 30 October 1770 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank |  Vice admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Namur HMS Guernsey HMS Stirling Castle HMS Union East Indies Station |
| Battles/wars | War of Jenkins' Ear Seven Years' War |
Sir Samuel Cornish (born around 1715, died October 30, 1770) was a brave British naval leader. He is best known for his role in the Seven Years' War, especially for leading the capture of Manila in 1762. His actions helped Great Britain win important victories during this big global conflict.
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Samuel Cornish joined the British Navy in 1728 when he was just a teenager. He quickly moved up the ranks. By 1739, he became a lieutenant, which is an officer rank.
He served in important battles, like the one at Cartagena in 1741. The next year, he became a captain of the ship HMS Namur. He worked closely with Vice-Admiral Thomas Mathews in the Mediterranean Sea.
Later, he commanded other ships, including HMS Guernsey and HMS Stirling Castle. In 1758, he took command of HMS Union. His skills as a naval officer were recognized, and he was even made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1749.
Fighting in the Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a huge global conflict that lasted from 1756 to 1763. Great Britain fought against France and Spain, among others. In 1759, Samuel Cornish took part in several battles against the French navy.
When Spain joined the war in early 1762, Cornish was given a very important job. He was put in charge of a special group of ships called the East Indies Squadron. His mission was to work with soldiers led by William Draper to attack the Spanish in the Philippines.
Capturing Manila
The main target in the Philippines was the city of Manila. In the Battle of Manila, Cornish and Draper's forces attacked the city. After a siege that lasted 10 days, they successfully captured Manila. This was a huge victory for the British.
This success made Samuel Cornish a very wealthy man. He earned a lot of money from the spoils of war. After this big battle, he did not serve in any more military campaigns.
In October 1762, he was promoted to vice-admiral. He also became a Member of Parliament (MP) for New Shoreham from 1765 to 1770. In 1766, he was given the special title of baronet, becoming Sir Samuel Cornish, 1st Baronet. This title ended when he passed away.
In 1765, Sir Samuel Cornish bought a large property called Tofte Manor in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire. He left his large fortune to his nephew, Captain Samuel Pitchford. His nephew had also been part of the capture of Manila, commanding HMS America.
His Legacy Today
Sir Samuel Cornish's name lives on in different ways. The town of Cornish in the United States, specifically in New Hampshire, was named after him.
There is also a famous painting of Cornish from 1768. It shows him with two other sailors, Richard Kempenfelt and Thomas Parry. This painting, created by the artist Tilly Kettle, is now on permanent display at Queen's House in Greenwich. The National Maritime Museum bought it with help from the Society for Nautical Research.
