English Captain: Richard Carter (Updated)

Richard Carter served in the navy from about 1672 until 1692. He was appointed as lieutenant on the Cambridge in 1672. In 1673, he was appointed to command the 5th Rate Success. Later in 1673, Prince Rupert appointed him as captain of the Crown. He fought in the Battle of the Texel as captain of the 4th Rate Crown. He was among 13 or 14 ships that were hotly engaged with the Dutch, late in the day, including those commanded by Prince Rupert, Sir John Harman, and others, including Richard Carter. The King appointed him to command the Swan on 12 April 1675. On 7 January 1678 (they called it 1677, in the old style), the King appointed him as captain of the 4th Rate Centurion. On 30 August 1688, he was appointed to the 3rd Rate Plymouth. In the War of the English Succession, Richard Carter fought at the Battle of Bantry Bay, on 1 May 1689 (old style), still in the Plymouth (60 guns). In 1690, he fought in the Battle of Beachy Head, where he was assigned to Lord Torrington's Red Squadron. By 1692, he had been promoted to Rear-Admiral, and before Barfleur, commanded an independent squadron ordered to cruise in the Channel. When he fought at the Battle of Barfleur, he flew his flag on the 2nd Rate Duke (90 guns). He was killed late in the battle. Rumours had said Richard Carter was sympathetic to the Jacobite cause, but William Laird Clowes thought that he proved his loyalty to William and Mary by his conduct at Barfleur. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, Journals and Narratives of the Third Dutch War, 1946.
2. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898.
J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.