The Honourable Sir William Cornwallis | |
|---|---|
 Admiral William Cornwallis after a Portrait by Daniel Gardner, Published in the Naval Chronicle | |
| Member of Parliament for Eye | |
| In office 1801–1807 | |
| In office 1790–1800 | |
| In office 1782–1784 | |
| In office 1768–1774 | |
| Member of Parliament for Portsmouth | |
| In office 1784–1790 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 February 1744 |
| Died | 5 July 1819 (aged 75) |
| Relations | Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend |
| Nickname(s) | "Blue Billy"[1] "Coachee", "Billy go tight" and "Mr Whip" |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1755–1806 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | HMS Wasp HMS Swift HMS Prince Edward HMS Guadeloupe HMS Lion HMS Canada HMS Ganges HMY Charlotte HMS Robust HMS Crown East Indies Station Channel Fleet |
| Battles/wars | |
Admiral Sir William Cornwallis, GCB (10 February 1744 – 5 July 1819) was a Royal Navy officer. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, British commander at the siege of Yorktown. Cornwallis took part in a number of decisive battles including the siege of Louisbourg in 1758, when he was 14, and the Battle of the Saintes but is best known as a friend of Lord Nelson and as the commander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. He is depicted in the Horatio Hornblower novel, Hornblower and the Hotspur.
His affectionate contemporary nickname from "the ranks" was Billy Blue, and a sea shanty was written during his period of service, reflecting the admiration his men had for him.[2]