John Perkins (died 27 January 1812), nicknamed Jack Punch, was a British Royal Navy officer.

Later in his career, Perkins acted for the navy as a spy and undertook missions to Cuba and Saint-Domingue (modern day Haiti).

[2] In 1775, Perkins first appears in the records of the Royal Navy when he was appointed to the 50-gun HMS Antelope, the flagship of the commander-in-chief of the Jamaica station as an extra pilot.

"[3] In 1778, he was placed in command of the schooner Punch, a ship probably armed with ten 2- or 4-pounder guns, though no detailed records survive.

[7] Governor Archibald Campbell stated in a letter of recommendation that "By the gallant exertions of this officer some hundred vessels were taken, burnt, or destroyed, and above three thousand men added to the list of prisoners of war in favour of Britain; in short, the character and conduct of Captain Perkins were not less admired by his superior officers in Jamaica, than respected by those of the enemy.

"I must therefore desire you will please represent to their Lordships, that on my arrival at Jamaica, I found Mr. Perkins lieutenant and commander of the Endeavour schooner – that he bore an excellent character, and had done great service.

[12][13] In 1790, fifteen years after he had first joined the navy, Perkins made an application to the Jamaican House of Assembly for their assistance in achieving his promotion.

For several years there is no record that he held an official command but in 1792, Captain Thomas McNamara Russell of the 32-gun frigate HMS Diana, on a relief mission to the authorities on Saint-Domingue, was informed that a British officer was under arrest and due to be executed in Jérémie for supplying arms to the rebel slaves.

It was agreed that Nowell's first lieutenant, an officer named Godby, would go ashore and recover Perkins while the two ships remained offshore within cannon shot, ready to land an invasion force if need be.

[15] He accompanied Commodore John Ford's squadron when the British, at the request of French Royalists, mounted a campaign against Saint-Domingue.

[16] On arrival, Ford's squadron captured, amongst other vessels, a schooner belonging to the French Navy named Convention Nationale.

"[18] In 1794, Marie Antoinette made up part of the squadron commanded by the newly promoted Rear Admiral Ford that accompanied Brigadier General John Whyte that briefly captured Port-au-Prince.

[27] In Drake, in company with Solebay, Captain Poyntz, Perkins captured four French corvettes, the 18-gun Egyptienne, the 16-gun Eole, the 12-gun Levrier and the 8-gun Vengeur on 24 November 1799 off Cape Tiburon.

[32] In March 1801, Arab, in company with the 18-gun British privateer Experiment, caught and challenged two Danish vessels, the brig Lougen, under the command of Captain Carl Wilhelm Jessen, and the schooner Den Aarvaagne (The Vigilant).

During the engagement, which lasted for over an hour, one of Lougen's shots struck the Arab's cathead and loosed the bower anchor.

General Rochambeau, the commander of the French forces on Saint-Domingue, was on board La Surveillante at the time of her surrender.

[39] On 25 July 1804, while in company with HMS Vanguard under Captain James Walker, Tartar was involved in the capture of the French 74-gun ship of the line Duquesne, and two 16-gun brigs sailing with her.

In hauling the seine the evening we came to our anchor several bodies got entangled in it, in fact such scenes of cruelty and devastation have been committed as is impossible to imagine or my pen describe.

His obituary in the Naval Chronicle described his actions while in command of the schooner Punch; "he annoyed the enemy more than any other officer, by his repeated feats of gallantry, and the immense number of prizes he took.

In his will, Perkins directs that on his death all his property should be sold and, after payment of funeral expenses and debts, the money used to make provision for two women, Roberta Walker and Judith Lassley, both of Kingston; and for seven boys and four girls he acknowledges as his children.