Nesbit Willoughby

Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby (29 August 1777 – 9 May 1849) was an officer in the British Royal Navy who was knighted in 1827 and made rear-admiral in 1847.

In 1801, however, he was dismissed from the service by the sentence of a court-martial for his insolent conduct towards a superior officer, a previous offence of this kind having been punished less severely.

In 1803, on the renewal of war, as a volunteer he joined an English squadron bound for the West Indies and was soon admitted again to the navy; his courage and promptness at Cape Francais during the Blockade of Saint-Domingue were responsible for saving 900 lives, and he distinguished himself on other occasions, being soon restored to his former rank in the service.

[1] After further services in the West Indies, during which he displayed marked gallantry on several occasions, Willoughby was tried by court-martial at Cape Town in 1808 on charges of cruelty; he seems to have taken a great delight in inflicting punishment, but he was acquitted with the advice to be more moderate in his language in the future.

The Annual Register of his death noted: "He was eleven times wounded with balls, three times with splinters, and cut in every part of his body with sabres and tomahawkes: his face was disfigured by explosions of gunpowder, and he lost an eye and had part of his neck and jaw shot away... and at Leipzig had his right arm shattered by cannon shot.