{{Short description|Royal Navy officer (1656–1694)}} {{For|the British general|Sir Francis Wheler, 10th Baronet}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = [[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral]] |name = Sir Francis Wheler |birth_date = {{birth date text|1656}} |death_date = {{death date and age|1694|002|19|1656}} |image = |caption = |birth_place = |death_place = {{HMS|Sussex|1693|6}}, off [[Gibraltar]] |nickname = |allegiance = [[Kingdom of England|England]] |service_years = |rank = [[Rear-Admiral of the Red]] |branch = [[Royal Navy]] |commands = {{HMS|Nonsuch|1668|6}}<br>{{HMS|Kingfisher|1675|6}}<br>{{HMS|Tyger|1660|6}}<br>{{HMS|Centurion|1660|6}}<br>{{HMS|Kent|1679|6}}<br>{{HMS|Albemarle|1680|6}}<br>[[Jamaica Station (Royal Navy)|Jamaica Station]] |unit = |battles = [[Nine Years' War]] *[[Battle of Beachy Head (1690)|Battle of Beachy Head]] *[[Battle of Barfleur]] |awards = [[Knight|Knight Bachelor]] |relations = }}
[[Rear-Admiral of the Red]] '''Sir Francis Wheler''' (1656 – 19 February 1694) was an [[Royal Navy]] officer who served in the [[Nine Years' War]]. Wheler spent the early part of his career in the Mediterranean, eventually being promoted to command his own ships, and being particularly active against the [[Barbary corsairs]] and [[Salé Rovers]]. He went on to serve in British waters, and was [[knight]]ed by [[James II of England|King James II]]. Wheler remained in the navy after the [[Glorious Revolution]] and his continued good service led to the command of a squadron.
He fought at [[Battle of Beachy Head (1690)|Beachy Head]] and [[Battle of Barfleur|Barfleur]], and in 1692 was promoted to flag rank. Wheler took a fleet out to attack French possessions in the Caribbean and North America, but his attack on [[Martinique]] ended in failure when large numbers of the troops involved became sick. He floated the idea of an attack on [[Quebec]], but insufficient troops could be found, and an assault on Newfoundland was similarly considered but rejected after the defences were found to be too great to overcome.
Wheler nevertheless received another promotion, and went out to the Mediterranean in command of a large convoy. He made little attempt to engage the French warships he encountered on the voyage, but concentrated on reaching [[Cádiz]] safely. After successfully escorting the convoy Wheler attempted to navigate the [[strait of Gibraltar]], but encountered fierce winds. His fleet was scattered and a number of ships were wrecked, while his flagship, {{HMS|Sussex|1693|6}}, foundered with heavy loss of life early in the morning of 19 February 1694. Wheler was among the dead, his body being washed up two days later.
==Early life==
Francis Wheler was born in 1656, a younger son of [[Sir Charles Wheler, 2nd Baronet|Sir Charles Wheler]] and his wife Dorothy, daughter of Sir [[Francis Bindlosse]].<ref name="DNB444">{{Cite book|chapter=Wheler, Sir Francis (1656–1694)|chapter-url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101029192/|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | year=1893 |volume=60|page=444}}</ref> He entered the navy and on 30 April 1678 was appointed second-lieutenant aboard {{HMS|Rupert|1666|6}} by Vice-Admiral [[Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington|Sir Arthur Herbert]], while serving in the Mediterranean.<ref name="Campbell140">{{Cite book|last=Campbell |title=The naval history of Great Britain|page=140}}</ref> Wheler continued in ''Rupert'' under [[John Narborough|Sir John Narborough]], who promoted him to first-lieutenant on 5 May 1679, and on 6 April 1680 moved aboard {{HMS|Bristol|1660|6}} at the same rank, serving under Herbert again.<ref name="DNB444"/><ref name="Campbell140"/> Herbert appointed Wheler to post-captain on 11 September 1680 and gave him command of {{HMS|Nonsuch|1668|6}}. On 8 April 1681 he came across a British ship, {{HMS|Adventure|1660|6}} under Captain [[William Booth (captain)|William Booth]], fighting an [[Algiers|Algerine]] pirate ship named ''Golden Horse''.<ref name="Campbell140"/> The ''Golden Horse'' had been on the point of surrendering, but mistaking Wheler's ship for one of his allies, fought on until ''Nonsuch'' came up and hoisted her colours, at which the pirate vessel surrendered.<ref name="Campbell140"/> Serving as ''Nonsuch''{{'}}s master at the time was [[John Benbow]], who was later court-martialed for his comments regarding ''Adventure''{{'}}s fighting ability.<ref name="DNB444"/>
Wheler took command of {{HMS|Kingfisher|1675|6}} on 9 August 1681 and in October fought an action against a large [[Salé Rover]] ship, ''Admiral of Salé''. The ship put up a spirited defence, and sustained so much damage that she sank shortly after surrendering to Wheler.<ref name="Campbell141">{{Cite book|last=Campbell |title=The naval history of Great Britain|page=141}}</ref> Wheler's next command was {{HMS|Tyger|1660|6}}, which he was appointed to on 25 August 1683. He commanded her until August 1688, when he was moved to {{HMS|Centurion|1660|6}} by [[James II of Great Britain|King James II]], and moved again on 16 November by the King to {{HMS|Kent|1679|6}}. It was about this time that Wheler received a [[knight]]hood from the King.<ref name="DNB444"/><ref name="Campbell141"/> Wheler remained in the navy after the [[Glorious Revolution]], and in April 1689 was sent to join his old patron Sir Arthur Herbert, by now Earl of Torrington.<ref name="DNB444"/> Torrington had however been engaged at the indecisive [[Battle of Bantry Bay]], and returned to port before Wheler could join him. Wheler's voyage was not entirely unsuccessful, for he had captured a large and valuable merchant ship bound for [[Brest, France|Brest]] from [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo|St Domingo]].<ref name="Campbell141"/>
==Command and flag rank== [[File:Battle of Béveziers, 10 July 1690.jpg|thumb|1928 painting of the [[Battle of Beachy Head (1690)|Battle of Beachy Head]]]]
In July Torrington gave Wheler command of a squadron of eleven ships and sent him to blockade Brest. While off the port he captured a French warship and 26 other vessels, many of them carrying stores and ammunition for the [[Williamite War in Ireland|Jacobite forces in Ireland]].<ref name="Campbell142">{{Cite book|last=Campbell |title=The naval history of Great Britain|page=142}}</ref> Wheler took command of the 90-gun {{HMS|Albemarle|1680|6}} and fought at the [[Battle of Beachy Head (1690)|Battle of Beachy Head]] on 10 July 1690, and at the [[Battle of Barfleur]] on 19 May 1692.<ref name="Campbell142"/> He was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue in October 1692, and sent out to the [[Jamaica Station (Royal Navy)|Jamaica station]] in command of a squadron.<ref name="Campbell142"/><ref>Cundall, p. xx</ref> He arrived at [[Madeira]] on 26 January, but did not reach [[Barbados]] until 1 March.<ref name="Campbell142"/> There a council of war was convened, and the decision taken to attack [[Martinique]]. However no preparations had been made, and the proposed 800 men from the local militia that would be used to supplement the troops had yet to be raised.<ref name="DNB445"/> The Captain-General of the Leeward Islands, Colonel Codrington, had not been approached for assistance either.<ref name="DNB445"/> The expedition therefore did not depart until 30 March, arriving at Martinique on 1 April, but still without Codrington and his reinforcements. The British force consisted of 2,300 soldiers, including 800 men from the Barbados militia, and a further 1,500 sailors detached under Wheler's command.<ref name="DNB445"/> Codrington and his men arrived on 9 April, and a landing was effected on 17 April.<ref name="Campbell142"/><ref name="DNB445"/> After some initial success in securing strategic positions and repulsing a French attack, the expedition suffered heavy losses through sickness, with 1,000 men succumbing, and the British assault petered out.<ref name="Campbell142"/><ref name="DNB445"/> A council was held on 20 April, and the expedition was abandoned, and the men evacuated.<ref name="DNB445"/><ref name="Black119">{{Cite book|last=Black |title=Britain as a military power|page=119}}</ref>
Codrington then proposed an attack on [[Guadeloupe]], but Wheler had orders to leave the West Indies by May, and was doubtful that the inexperienced and sickly troops would have much chance of success.<ref name="DNB445"/> Wheler sailed to [[Boston]], arriving there on 12 June, and proposing to the governor there, [[William Phips|Sir William Phips]], an attack on [[Quebec]].<ref name="DNB445"/> Phips demurred, on the grounds that there were no troops available.<ref name="Black118">{{Cite book|last=Black |title=Britain as a military power|page=118}}</ref> While anchored at Boston he had invited Reverend [[Cotton Mather]] to come out to his ships to read a sermon to the men.<ref name="Roach">{{Cite book|last=Roach|title=The Salem witch trials|page=407}}</ref> Mather had been rowed out on Phips's barge, but had become seasick and had turned back. Instead Mather gave a sermon in his meeting house on shore, which was attended by a number of the British commanders, including Wheler.<ref name="Roach"/>
Wheler then took his fleet to [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], but there he found [[Placentia, Newfoundland|Placentia]] heavily defended, and decided against an attack.<ref name="DNB445"/> He returned to Britain in October, with his crews ravaged by disease.<ref name="DNB445"/> Despite the failure of his expedition, the causes were attributed to circumstances beyond his control, and he was promoted to rear-admiral of the red and ordered to the Mediterranean as commander of a fleet.<ref name="Campbell143">{{Cite book|last=Campbell |title=The naval history of Great Britain|page=143}}</ref>
==Voyage to the Mediterranean== [[File:HMS Sussex (80) model starboard broadside.jpg|thumb|right|Model of Wheler's [[flagship]], {{HMS|Sussex|1693|6}}]] The fleet, consisting of twenty ships of the line and frigates was ready by November but were detained in port by contrary winds until 27 December.<ref name="DNB445">{{Cite book|chapter=Wheler, Sir Francis (1656–1694)|chapter-url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101029192/|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | year=1893 |volume=60|page=445}}</ref> He was finally able to sail from [[Plymouth]], and was joined on 29 December by a merchant convoy, which he escorted as far as [[Cape Finisterre]]. With him were Vice-Admiral [[Thomas Hopsonn|Sir Thomas Hopsonn]], Rear-Admiral [[John Nevell]] and a Dutch squadron under [[Gerard Callenburgh]].<ref name="DNB445"/> French vessels were sighted on a number of occasions, but managed to outsail the British ships Wheler sent to chase them.<ref name="Campbell143"/> Wheler was reluctant to separate his squadron after the disaster that had befallen [[George Rooke]] some months previously, where part of his scattered convoy had been captured by the French.<ref name="DNB445"/>
Wheler reached [[Cádiz]] on 19 January, having safely brought his convoy of 165 merchant ships to port.<ref name="Campbell144">{{Cite book|last=Campbell |title=The naval history of Great Britain|page=144}}</ref> The homeward bound convoy was placed under Hopsonn, and after staying at Cádiz a month, Wheler left port on 10 February and attempted to pass through the [[Strait of Gibraltar|straits]], but was prevented by contrary winds.<ref name="Campbell144"/> He tried again on 17 February but was again forced back by the winds, which rose to a hurricane early on the morning of 19 February.<ref name="DNB445"/> The fleet was scattered, several ships mistaking the Bay of Gibraltar for the straits and running into it.<ref name="DNB445"/> There a number foundered or were wrecked, including {{HMS|Cambridge|1666|6}}, and Wheler's flagship, {{HMS|Sussex|1693|6}}. ''Sussex'' foundered at 5 in the morning of 19 February, with the loss of all but two of her crew of 550.<ref name="DNB445"/> Wheler's body was washed up two days later, 'much mangled'.<ref name="DNB445"/> There were reports that it was embalmed and sent back to England for burial, but these were judged doubtful by historian [[J. K. Laughton]].<ref name="DNB445"/>
==Family and issue== In 1685 Wheler married Arabella, daughter of Sir [[Clifford Clifton]], 3rd Bt. and his wife Frances Finch, and by her he had three boys and a girl, the latter named Anna-Sophia. The eldest boy was named Charles, and with Anna-Sophia was mentioned in Wheler's will of 1692.<ref name="DNB445"/> These presumably died young, as later records mention only two surviving children; the second son, named William, and a third son, named Francis, who was probably born in either 1693 or 1694.<ref name="DNB445"/> William's son, Francis, produced a daughter named Jane who married [[Henry Hood, 2nd Viscount Hood]], becoming the mother of [[Samuel Hood, 2nd Baron Bridport]].<ref name="DNB445"/>
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==References== {{Refbegin}} *{{Cite book|first=Jeremy|last=Black|title=Britain as a military power, 1688-1815|year=1999|publisher=Routledge|location=London|isbn=1-85728-772-X}} *{{Cite book|first=John|last=Campbell |author2=Stockdale, John Joseph |title=The naval history of Great Britain: commencing with the earliest period of history, and continued to the expedition against Algiers, under the command of Lord Exmouth, in 1816. Including the history and lives of British admirals|year=1818|publisher=Baldwyn and co.|location=London|volume=3}} *{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924020417527#page/n27/mode/2up|title=Historic Jamaica|first=Frank|last=Cundall|publisher=West India Committee|year=1915}} *{{Cite book|first=J. K. |last=Laughton|authorlink=J. K. Laughton|chapter=Wheler, Sir Francis (1656–1694)|chapter-url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101029192/|title=[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]] | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1899 |volume=60}} *{{Cite book|first=Marilynne K.|last=Roach|title=The Salem witch trials: a day-by-day chronicle of a community under siege|year=2004|publisher=Taylor Trade Publications|isbn=1-58979-132-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/salemwitchtrials00mari}} {{Refend}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheler, Francis}} [[Category:1656 births]] [[Category:1694 deaths]] [[Category:Royal Navy admirals]] [[Category:Knights Bachelor]] [[Category:Younger sons of baronets]] [[Category:Deaths due to shipwreck at sea]] [[Category:Captains of Deal Castle]] [[Category:People of King William's War]]