Edward Vernon

Edward Vernon 1684-1757, British admiral. He entered the navy in 1700 and rose steadily in rank. A member of Parliament from 1722, he opposed the government of Sir Robert Walpole and urged war with Spain. When war was finally declared (see Jenkins's Ear, War of ), Vernon won great popularity by his capture (1739) of Portobelo. However, the failure of his joint expedition (1741) with the incompetent General Wentworth against Cartagena and Santiago de Cuba led to his recall. Vernon's nickname, "Grog," was given to the drink—rum diluted with water—that he ordered served to his sailors to curb their drunkenness. George Washington's half brother Lawrence named the Washington estate, Mt. Vernon, for the admiral, under whom he had served.

Vernon, Edward (1684–1757). Admiral. Second son of James Vernon, secretary of state to William III, Vernon entered the navy at the age of 15. In 1722 he came into Parliament as MP for Penryn but moved into opposition and lost his seat in 1734. At the outbreak of the war with Spain in 1739, Vernon offered his services and was sent to the West Indies with the rank of vice‐admiral. On 21 November 1739 his forces stormed the fortress of Portobello in Panama. Vernon became a national hero. London made him a freeman, taverns were named after him, and the tiny resort outside Edinburgh commemorated his great victory. But attempts to repeat the success at Cartagena, Santiago, or Panama failed. Returned to Parliament for Ipswich he became a noisy critic of government and was dismissed from the service in 1746.

Vernon, Edward (1684–1757) English admiral. In 1739 he was sent to fight against the Spanish in the Caribbean. He captured Porto Bello (now in Panama) in the opening phase of the War of JENKINS'S EAR in 1739, but failed disastrously at Cartagena (now in Colombia) in 1741. His boat-cloak of grogram (a mixture of silk, mohair, and wool) gave him the nickname “Old Grog”. “Grog” became the name of the naval rum ration when diluted with three parts of water, as Vernon was in the habit of issuing to his own sailors. He was removed from the active list in 1746 because he was thought to be the author of anonymous pamphlets attacking the Admiralty.