Digby, Robert
Digby, Robert
DIGBY, ROBERT. (1732–1814). British naval officer. Digby went to sea in 1744 and became a lieutenant in 1752, a captain in 1755. During the Seven Years' War he served at Rochefort (1757), the capture of Gorée (1758) and Quiberon Bay (1759), and in the Mediterranean. On 27 July 1778 he commanded Ramillies (seventy-four guns) at the battle of Ushant, and on 19 March 1779 he was promoted rear admiral of the Blue. During the critical summer of 1779 he was second in command to Sir Charles Hardy in the Channel Fleet, and he performed the same role under George B. Rodney during his relief of Gibraltar. It was at this time that he became governor of the king's son, Prince William Henry, who first went to sea in Digby's Royal George. Digby continued as second in the Channel Fleet in 1780–1781 and took part in Darby's relief of Gibraltar. In 1781 he relieved Thomas Graves as commander in chief in North America and generously allowed Samuel Hood to take most of his ships of the line to the West Indies. Hereafter the North American station was quiet until the end of the war; Digby returned home in 1783. In 1784 he married Mrs. Jauncy, Andrew Elliot's daughter. In 1787 he rose to vice admiral and in 1794 to admiral. He died on 25 February 1814.
SEE ALSO Graves, Thomas; Hood, Samuel.
revised by John Oliphant