Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet ( – 9 December 1777) was a British naval officer, politician and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Jamaica from 1752 to 1756. Serving in the Royal Navy during the War of Jenkins' Ear, War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War, he also briefly served in the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774. Knowles rose to the rank of admiral in a long and varied career, crowned with both success, and at times, controversy.
He was highly educated, and particularly skilled in building and destroying fortifications. His career was mainly centred on the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea, where he commanded ships and squadrons in actions against both Spanish and French ships and settlements. Despite an active naval career in which he reached the rank of Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, Knowles found time to continue his studies. He translated foreign scientific studies, and developed his own inventions. His career at sea was blighted, however, by several failures. This may have been the catalyst for his move to the Russian Empire during the later part of his life to oversee the development of the Russian fleet. He is noted as the catalyst for the Knowles Riot in Boston.
Family and early life Knowles was probably born c. 1704, though some sources date his birth to as early as 1697. He was reputed to be an illegitimate son of Charles Knowles or Knollys, the titular fourth Earl of Banbury. His education was overseen by his half-brother, Lord Wallingford, and Knowles entered the navy in March 1718, having been recommended to Admiral Sir George Byng by Wallingford. Knowles went aboard one of the ships of Byng's fleet, the 70-gun HMS Buckingham, under Captain Charles Strickland, though he moved in April aboard as a captain's servant. He remained aboard the Lenox until December 1720, serving with Byng's fleet in the Mediterranean. He was present at the Battle of Cape Passaro on 11 August 1718, where he may have temporarily been aboard Byng's flagship .
Knowles was assigned to in June 1721, initially serving as a servant to Captain Lord Vere Beauclerk and, after the first eighteen months as an able seaman. Knowles remained on the Lymes books throughout her commission in the Mediterranean, being discharged in June 1726. This appears to have been a titular posting only, and he probably spent most of his time studying ashore. On his return to Britain, Knowles was appointed to serve aboard the guard ship at Portsmouth, and then Sir Charles Wager's flagship at Kinsale, under the command of Vere Beauclerk. He served aboard and until his promotion on 30 May 1730 as lieutenant of the sloop . He returned to serve aboard the Lion in March the following year, when she went to the West Indies as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles Stewart.
West Indies
Having established a reputation as an engineer, after Knowles's return to Britain he was given an advisory and supervisory role in the drawing up of plans for Westminster Bridge. For this project, he travelled to France to study the Pont Neuf in Paris. But the project was assigned for design to another man, and the bridge eventually gave way precisely where Knowles had predicted. The New England Historical and genealogical Register, Vol XXVIII. Boston. 1874, pp. 459
Knowles had been promoted to commander of the 40-gun in 1732, but the position appears to have been for rank only, as he did not become post-captain until 4 February 1737, when he was appointed to command . He was ordered to reinforce Admiral Edward Vernon's West Indies fleet in 1739, as the War of Jenkins' Ear developed. Knowles rendezvoused with the admiral at Port Royal, having captured two Spanish ships en route, one of which was a register ship carrying 120,000 pieces of eight, and clothing for 6,000 men. Knowles was unable to sail with Vernon when he commanded the fleet to Portobelo, but arrived there on 27 November, five days after Vernon's victory in battle. Vernon gave Knowles the task of destroying the Spanish forts. Because of their solid construction, this work took three weeks and 122 barrels of gunpowder. When the task was completed the British withdrew, and Knowles had impressed Vernon with his competent command of land operations.
Vernon next appointed Knowles to cruise off Cartagena, watching the Spanish forces and interdicting any enemy supply ships. Knowles was assigned to the fireship and ordered to examine the approaches to the port of Chagres. Having completed the mission and formulated a plan of attack, Knowles was given command of the bomb vessels, fireships and other small boats, and duly bombarded the fortress of San Lorenzo, at the mouth of the Chagres River. The town and castle surrendered on 24 March 1740, and Knowles was appointed Governor of the castle. Vernon ordered the removal of the goods gathered at the port for shipping to Spain, and the sinking of several privateer vessels. Knowles was given the task of demolishing the castle, which he achieved by detonating several mines under the bastions, and burning the apartments. Having completed the task, Vernon's fleet withdrew at the end of March, returning to Port Royal by way of Portobelo.
Vernon and the Battle of Cartagena de Indias
Knowles spent the next few months cruising, before returning to England in company with HMS Torrington as an escort for a 25 ship strong fleet of merchantmen. Knowles and the Diamond arrived at Spithead on 4 August 1740, shortly after which Knowles took command of the 50-gun . He soon moved to command the 60-gun , and sailed with her from St Helens Roads on 24 October 1740 as part of Sir Chaloner Ogle's fleet to reinforce Vernon in the West Indies. Knowles formed part of Vernon's council of war on 16 February 1741, which resolved to make a naval and land assault on Cartagena. Vernon placed Knowles in command of the operations to reconnoitre the Spanish defences, and subsequently draw up a plan of attack. Having done this Knowles formed a key part of the early stages of the attack, he stormed and captured one of the forts, captured the Spanish flagship and broke the boom across the entrance to the harbour, allowing the British fleet access.
Several British ships entered the harbour the next day, including Knowles aboard the Weymouth. Under Vernon's orders Knowles destroyed several enemy batteries, captured the Castillo Grande and navigated further into the harbour to cut off enemy supplies. Vernon appointed him governor of Castillo Grande, and ordered him to demolish the fort as the British prepared to evacuate. Knowles duly carried the task out, rendering 59 pieces of ordnance unusable, and carrying off a large amount of lime and limestone. The failure of the British to take Cartagena led to considerable bitterness between the army and naval forces, and Knowles appears to have been the author of a pamphlet published in 1743 entitled An Account of the Expedition to Carthegena, with Explanatory Notes and Observations, a work that criticised the actions of the army. The fleet returned to Jamaica, whereupon Knowles returned to his previous command, the Lichfield. He remained based in the West Indies, and was engaged primarily in strengthening the fortifications and improving the facilities for ships at Port Antonio, Port Royal, and subsequently at Antigua. He is recognised as a minor hero for his engineering services and the Father of Britain's Caribbean naval bases Navy Records Society 1977. Naval Administration 1715-1750, pp. 330-331 for his exceptional engineering skills. He became a commodore after this, flying his flag aboard and then . Between 1743 and 1745, he served as the second in command on the Jamaica station under Sir Chaloner Ogle, who had replaced Admiral Edward Vernon.
Battles of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello
Knowles took command of the 70-gun in 1742, and in 1743 received orders from Ogle to attack the Spanish settlements of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello. The Spanish governor of Venezuela Gabriel de Zuluaga, well informed of the Royal Navy plans, recruited extra defenders and obtained gunpowder from the Dutch. Consequently, an attack on La Guaira on 2 March 1743 was beaten off by the defenders. Knowles withdrew his force and refitted at Curacao before attempting an assault on Puerto Cabello on 15 April, and again on 24 April, but both assaults were again beaten back. Knowles called off the expedition and returned to Jamaica.
Governor of Louisbourg
Between 1743 and 1745 he captured a large number of prizes, with his success leading to a letter addressed to him and signed by 63 of the principal figures in Jamaica; Sir, Though we are certain that the public services you have done, and are continually doing, proceed, as they always will, from the noblest principle, and without the least expectation of popular applause; yet, being fully sensible, and having indeed been immediate partakers of them, we should think it an unpardonable neglect at least, if it did not deserve a worse appellation, should we omit to make our joint acknowledgement thereof, &c. During this period he also found time to design the first British Tower in the west Indies, the 1745 River Fort Barbuda, a very early prototype of the later Martello Tower.“Martello Towers Worldwide” by Bill Clements, Pen & Sword Military 2011 pp. 146–148 Knowles was later appointed as captain of the newly built in 1745. He returned to Britain later that year, and in January 1746 he was aboard as commander of a squadron in the Downs, under Vice-Admiral William Martin. He was briefly detached to examine French invasion preparations, and on his return in February he captured two French ships. He shifted his pennant to HMS Edinburgh on 21 March, and escorted a convoy from St Helens into the English Channel, after which he moved aboard the 50-gun .
In spring 1746 he was appointed to take over as governor of Louisbourg from Peter Warren. He sailed for his new post on 31 March 1746, in company with HMS Canterbury and . He spent nearly two years as governor, and having initially complained to the Duke of Newcastle about the "confused, dirty, beastly condition" of the fortress, was largely engaged in repairing and improving the defences. During this time his troops were involved in one battle, the Battle at Port-la-Joye. Following the brave defence of the garrison at Fort at Number 4 by Capt Phinehas Stevens in 1747 against the French militia and Abenaki warriors, Knowles was so impressed that he presented Stevens with “as costly and elegant a sword as could be procured in Boston”. Afterwards, the township was named Charlestown in honour of Charles Knowles.The New England Historical and genealogical Register Vol XXVIII. Boston. 1874 pp.463 He was promoted to rear-admiral of the white on 15 July 1747, and appointed as commander in chief on the Jamaica Station.Cundall, p. xx On taking up his new post he raised his flag aboard HMS Canterbury, but soon shifted it to . He had initially intended to take his squadron and attack Santiago de Cuba, but contrary winds led to him deciding instead to attack Fort Saint Louis de Sud. He arrived on 8 March 1748, and after subjecting the fort to a heavy bombardment forced its surrender. Knowles was promoted to rear-admiral of the red on 12 May 1748. He returned to Santiago de Cuba on 5 April and carried out another attack, but was unable to capture the port, and duly returned to Jamaica.
Battle of Havana