Sir Charles Saxton, 1st Baronet | |
|---|---|
 Saxton as commissioner at Portsmouth, c. 1794 | |
| Born | 1732 |
| Died | November 1808 (aged 75–76) |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1745–1806 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | HMS Magnanime HMS Pearl HMS Phoenix HMS Invincible |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Baronetcy |
| Relations | Charles Saxton (son) |
Sir Charles Saxton, 1st Baronet (1732 – November 1808) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of captain.
Born the son of a merchant, Charles Saxton entered the navy and served on a number of ships. He went out to the East Indies during the Seven Years' War, and shortly after his return to England was promoted to his first commands. He commissioned several frigates during the brief interlude of peace prior to the outbreak of the American War of Independence, before taking command of the ship of the line HMS Invincible. After a brief period in the English Channel, he sailed to North America, where he would a number of actions. A bout of illness after his arrival in the West Indies forced him to relinquish command for a time, but he went on to recover and to see action with Sir Samuel Hood's squadron at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781. He returned with Hood to the West Indies, and was again in action at the Battle of Saint Kitts in early 1782, before taking the Invincible into refit. The remainder of the war was spent cruising with squadrons off the North American coast.
A period of unemployment followed the end of hostilities, but in 1787 tensions with France brought Saxton a place on a commission into the impress service, and he spent the rest of his career as an administrator. He became commissioner at Portsmouth, the navy's principal dockyard, in 1789 and held the position until his retirement nearly twenty years later. During these years he oversaw operations during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, his career being rewarded with a baronetcy in 1794. Retiring finally with a pension in 1806, Sir Charles died in 1808, being succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Charles.