Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family
although Buckingham remained in reserve. As a result of this he was a
witness at the courts-martial of Admiral Mathews and Vice Admiral
Lestock.
After this Montagu was transferred to the flagship Namur and then, in
1744, was given command of Hinchinbroke. Three years later he was in
command of the 40 gunner Ambuscade. They were in Anson's fleet at
the Battle of Cape Finisterre in the same year 268 . He had various other
commands; as commander of Monarque John was in charge of the
execution of Admiral Byng in 1757, by firing-squad, on the Monarque’s
quarter deck 269 . Capt Montagu and Monargue were at the destruction
of De la Clue's squadron off Cartagena in 1758 and, in a different ship,
with Hawke at the Battle of the Bay of Biscay in 1760. John Montagu
was elevated to Rear-admiral in 1770.
John was appointed as commander-in-chief of the North America
station, 1771-1774 “defined as `from the River St. Lawrence to Cape
Mathews and several of the lieutenants were cashiered but Lestock, the other
captains and all the lieutenants were honourably acquitted. It would appear that
“Mathews blundered but his intentions were good, Lestock clung tightly to the letter
of his duty but his intentions were contemptible”
268 Bruce G (1971) ibid p63
Battle fought on May 3 rd 1747 between a British fleet of 16 sail under Admiral Anson
and a French fleet of 38 sail under Admiral de la Jonquiere. The French were
completely defeated, losing 10 ships and nearly 3000 prisoners.
269 Williams, B The Oxford History of England : 1714-1760 The Whig Supremecy
OUP pp 352 ff
Byng had been put in charge of relieving the island of Minorca, setting out in April
1757, with 10 ships. He took a month to reach Gibraltor where he heard that
Richlieu’s French army (escorted by la Galioniere’s fleet) had besieged Minorca two
weeks earlier. It still took him 6 more days to leave port to attack the French fleet.
After an indecisive engagement Byng returned to Gibraltar and took no further
action. The garrison on Minorca surrendered two months later after a siege of 70
days. There was intense public indignation, and at the insistence of Parliament, a
court martial was convened. The Articles of War had recently been changed and the
court had no alternative but to sentence Byng to death, although they strongly
recommended mercy. The King, however, was adamant and Byng was executed “pour
encourager les autres”
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