William Cornwallis

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
Born10 February 1744
Died5 July 1819(1819-07-05) (aged 75)
RelationsCharles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
Nickname(s)"Blue Billy"[1] "Coachee", "Billy go tight" and "Mr Whip"
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Navy
Years of service1755–1806
RankAdmiral
CommandsHMS 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
Newlands Manor, Hampshire, Milford, family seat, c. 1900

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]

  1. ^ The Naval Chronicle Vol. 16, p. 114
  2. ^ Famous Fighters of the Fleet: Billy Blue, A Ballad of the Fleet , by Edward Fraser 1905