Andrew Mitchell (Royal Navy officer)

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Sir Andrew Mitchell, K.B. (Dunfermline, 1757 - Bermuda, February 26, 1806) was an Admiral of the Blue in the Royal Navy. Married to Mary Uniacke in Halifax, N.S. on May 3, 1805.

Andrew Mitchell
1757 – February 26, 1806
Portrait of Admiral Andrew Mitchell by Lemuel Francis Abbott, c. 1800
Place of birth Dunfermline, Scotland
Place of death Bermuda
Allegiance Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1771 – 1806
Rank Admiral
Battles/wars French Revolutionary Wars, Vlieter Incident

[edit] Career

Mitchell entered service in 1771 as a midshipman on HMS Deal Castle. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1776, while serving in the West Indies and again promoted to Post-captain, skipping the rank of commander, after distinguishing himself in action in 1778.

He distinguished himself again while serving with the 1782 expedition of Sir Edward Hughes in India. When Hughes returned to England, he left Mitchell in charge of the India station with the rank of commodore. He returned to England in 1786.

In February, 1795 he received command of a ship in the Channel fleet of Admiral Howe. In June, 1795 he was promoted Rear-Admiral of the Blue, and in 1799 Vice-Admiral and given the command of Sheerness[1].

In August, 1799 he conducted the naval part of the Anglo-Russian Expedition to North Holland. Here he obtained the surrender of a squadron of the navy of the Batavian Republic in the Vlieter Incident[2].

For his service in this expedition he was made a Knight Companion in the Order of the Bath, with his own ribbon (no stall being vacant at this time) by king George III in 1800. He was voted the thanks of Parliament, and the City of London presented him with a sword of honor at a value of 100 guineas[3].

He was commander-in-chief of the North American and West Indian stations from 1802 to his death in 1806.

In 1805 he was raised to the rank of Admiral of the Blue. He died in Bermuda after a severe illness on February 26, 1806[4].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chalmers, p. 306
  2. ^ Otridge, passim
  3. ^ Chalmers, pp. 306-307
  4. ^ Chalmers, p. 307

[edit] Sources

  • Chalmers, P. (1844) Historical and statistical account of Dunfermline, Edinburgh and London, William Blackwood & Sons, pp. 306-307
  • Otridge, W. et al (1801) "London Gazette Extraordinary. Admiralty-office, September 3[, 1799]. Dispatches from vice-admiral Mitchell to Evan Nepean, esq., secretary of the Admiralty" in: The Annual Register, Or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year 1799, pp. 86-90