George Johnstone (Royal Navy Officer) - War of The Austrian Succession and Seven Years War

War of The Austrian Succession and Seven Years War

He began his career at sea in the Merchant Navy, then entered the Royal Navy in 1746. He served in the War of the Austrian Succession, spending some time aboard HMS Canterbury, where he gained a reputation for bravery for an instance when he boarded an enemy fireship so that it could be towed away from a British squadron off Port Louis, Hispaniola. He spent some time as a midshipman aboard HMS Lark under Captain John Crookshanks. For reasons unknown Crookshanks refused to grant Johnstone his certificate, upon which Johnstone challenged him to a duel. The challenge being accepted, the two duelled and Crookshanks was wounded in the neck. The end of the war in 1748 left him without active employment, though he passed his lieutenant's examination in 1749. He spent some time in the merchant service during the years of peace, captaining at least one merchant vessel to the Caribbean. He was recalled to the navy at his new rank on the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, serving aboard HMS Bideford. He was however soon court-martialed for "insubordination and disobedience", and though he was found guilty his record of gallantry in combat was taken into account, and he was given a reprimand in 1757 and ordered to resume his duties. Johnstone went on to serve aboard HMS Dreadnought, seeing action at the Battle of Cap-Français on 21 October 1757 and receiving praise for his bravery from the squadron's commander, Commodore Arthur Forrest. Johnstone however made an enemy of Rear-Admiral Thomas Cotes as a result of a dispute over prize money. Despite this he was briefly acting captain of the 70-gun HMS Essex in June 1759.

By 1759 Johnstone, by now in poor health, found himself without a ship. After a period of delays, the first lord of the Admiralty George Anson, 1st Baron Anson gave him his first command, the 14-gun sloop HMS Hornet. She was initially assigned to carry out escort duties in the North Sea, during one of which Johnstone was faced with a mutiny, which he skilfully put down with minimal loss of life. Hornet was then ordered to Lisbon. On the voyage, Johnstone captured several prizes, and took several more after his arrival. Among them was the 8-gun privateer Chevalier D’Artesay off Granville on 8 January 1761, followed by the 6-gun privateer Société on 15 January. He was then sent to inform Admiral George Rodney in January 1762 of the British declaration of war against Spain. Rodney was able to use this early notice to capture a number of valuable prizes, before the Spanish in the region became aware that they were at war. Johnstone was promoted to post-captain in May 1762, shortly before the end of the Seven Years' War. On 11 August 1762 he received command of the 24-gun HMS Hind. He was appointed to the 24-gun HMS Wager before the end of the year, but received a new commission before he could take it up.