American War of Independence
He was appointed lieutenant on the frigate HMS Maidstone and was assigned to the West Indies. He was quickly promoted to first-lieutenant when Lieutenant Peter Rainier (for whom Mount Rainier was named) was promoted and transferred off the Maidstone. He achieved recognition with his action during the capture of the French ship Lion, when he was given command of the prize and over 200 prisoners, and successfully reached the British naval base at Antigua. As a reward, he was returned to England, promoted to commander, and given command of the 14-gun brig HMS Alert. During 1780-81, Alert served on convoy duty in the North Atlantic and in the Caribbean. During the second tour in the Caribbean for the Alert, Joseph Baker (after whom Mount Baker was named) served as cabin boy for Commander Vashon. Because of distinguished action as commander of the Alert during the battle of the Saintes, Vashon was promoted to captain and given command of the 64-gun ship-of-the-line HMS Prince William. He then served as flag captain aboard HMS Formidable, and then the frigate HMS Sibyl. With the end of the American wars, Vashon again went ashore on half pay in 1783. He and his wife Jane Bethell, who married in 1779, had a son in 1784, but Jane died suddenly in 1786. Vashon then married Sarah Rainier, the sister of his earlier shipmate Peter Rainier.
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