'A damned sullen old Scotchman': The life and career of Admiral George Keith Elphinstone, Viscount Keith, 1746--1823.

摘要

During the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, George Keith Elphinstone, later Viscount Keith, commanded fleets for longer periods than Horatio Nelson. Yet, Keith's story remains obscure. Perhaps, this is the result of his failure to command at a major fleet engagement. However, this shortcoming was not unusual; instead, Keith was more representative of the typical British admiral. He served a lifetime at sea gaining experience as a captain during the American Revolution. Then, between 1795 and 1815, he held four independent commands which encompassed much of the known world. In the Eastern Seas (1795--96), he captured the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch. He commanded the Mediterranean Fleet (1799--1802) while the French occupied Egypt. In the North Sea (1803--1807), Keith's fleet served as the primary defense against the invasion flotilla being organized by Napoleon in the Channel ports. When commanding the Channel Fleet (1812--1814, 1815), cooperation with Wellington in the Iberian Peninsula proved important. His success rested in his ability to administer large naval forces and understand the intricacies of joint operations. Few admirals of the period matched Keith's experience in operating in conjunction with British or allied land forces. While he generally demonstrated success in his commands, he had several notable failures including the British operation at Cadiz in 1800. The diversity and longevity of his naval service meant that he played a major, but under-recognized, role in the implementation and the crafting of British naval policy.;This study does not merely encompass Keith's commands; available source material allows for the examination of his personal life and his motivations. He was a younger son of a Scottish lord with limited connections; however, Keith developed a series of patrons which allowed him to secure important appointments where success brought rewards, including titles and a fortune. In the process, he mixed self-interest and dedication to reflect a composite image of an ambitious, well-connected, and rich but arrogant and sometimes uncompromising officer who played a significant role in Britain's victory over France in the Revolutionary Era.