Brief guide to manuscripts collections| William L. Clements Library The University of Michigan James Douglas Papers |
James Douglas entered the Royal Navy in 1715 and served as captain of the Mermaid at the siege of Louisburg. He sat in Parliament for Orkney and Shetland, 1754-1768, during which time he served as a member of the court martial which tried and convicted Admiral Byng in 1757. He was absent from Parliament on active service during the Seven Years War: in 1756 in the Rochfort expedition, in 1759 at the fall of Quebec, in 1761 as commander of the squadron which captured Dominica, with Rodney in 1762 at Martinique and with Pocock at Havana. Douglas was promoted to rear admiral and served as commander in chief of the West Indies, 1763-1765. He returned as commander in chief at Portsmouth, 1773-1776. Although Douglas was made admiral in 1782, he retired from active service.
Letterbooks, logbooks, account books, and memoranda relating to the career of Sir James Douglas, British admiral.
The collection includes seven letterbooks kept by Douglas, 1745-1777, which contain approximately 1,000 letters. There are logbooks for the following ships: H.M.S. Tilbury, 1741-1742; H.M.S. Vigilant, 1745-1747, 1755; H.M.S. Bedford, 1755-1759; H.M.S. Alcide, 1757; H.M.S. Sterling Castle, 1760-1762; H.M.S. Cruser, 1770; H.M.S. Cerberus, 1770; a captured French ship, 1760-1761. Also included is a printed copy of Sailing and Fighting Instructions, heavily annotated by Douglas.
Purchased, 1962
| Homepage | Manuscripts | Collections | Staff | Hours and policies |
|---|