Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harvey, Henry (1737-1810)
HARVEY, Sir HENRY (1737–1810), admiral, second son of Richard Harvey of Eastry in Kent, representative of a family long settled in that neighbourhood, and connected by marriage with Sir Peircy Brett [q. v.], was born in July 1737, and having received his early education in l'École Royale de la Marine at Calais, entered the navy in May 1751 with Captain Cosby on board the Centaur. In her, and afterwards in the Nightingale, the greater part of his junior time was served on the North American station. In 1757 he was promoted to be lieutenant of the Hampshire, also on the North American and West Indian stations; and from her was moved to the Hussar, which was wrecked off Cape François 23 May 1762 [see Carkett, Robert]. Being released on parole he returned to England in the Dragon, on board which he made the acquaintance of the Hon. Constantine Phipps, afterwards lord Mulgrave [q. v.], and a lord of the admiralty, at that time one of the Dragon's lieutenants. In 1763 Harvey was first lieutenant of the Mermaid, again on the coast of North America; and in 1764–5 commanded the Magdalen schooner, employed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the prevention of illicit trade. From 1768 to 1771 he commanded the Swift revenue cutter in the Channel and North Sea; and after two years on half-pay he was, in March 1773, invited by Captain Phipps to go with him as first lieutenant of the Racehorse on his voyage of discovery towards the North Pole. On the return of the expedition he was promoted to be commander, 15 Oct. 1773. In January 1776 Harvey was appointed to the Martin sloop, in which he served under Captain (afterwards Sir Charles) Douglas (d. 1789) [q. v.] at the relief of Quebec. He then joined the squadron under Admiral Montagu at Newfoundland, and in May 1777 was promoted to the command of the Squirrel frigate, employed for the next eighteen months on convoy duty. He was then appointed to the Convert of 32 guns; assisted under Captain Gideon at the relief of Jersey in May 1779; commanded a small squadron sent off the Isle of Man to look for Paul Jones; convoyed the trade to Quebec and home; and was, in December 1779, sent out to join the flag of Sir George Rodney in the West Indies, where the Convert was chiefly employed in active cruising and scouting, but was with the fleet in the action off Dominica on 12 April 1782. In the following August she was sent home with convoy. In March 1786 Harvey was appointed to the Rose frigate; but was shortly afterwards ordered to take temporary command of the Pegasus, fitting for Newfoundland and the West Indies. At this time Prince William Henry was first lieutenant of the Pegasus, and it was understood that when she was ready for sea he was to take the command. It was a delicate duty which Harvey discharged with considerable tact. He afterwards rejoined the Rose, and in August the two ships sailed together for Newfoundland. The Rose returned to England in 1788, and was paid off in the following year. During the armament in 1790 Harvey for a few months commanded in succession the Alfred and the Colossus; and in 1793 was appointed to the Ramillies, which joined the Channel fleet under Lord Howe, and took a distinguished part in the battle of 1 June 1794 [for the Ramillies' relief of the Brunswick, commanded by Harvey's brother, see Harvey, John, 1740–1794]. On 4 July 1794 Harvey was promoted to be rear-admiral, and was immediately ordered to take command of a small squadron in the North Sea. In January 1795 he hoisted his flag on board the Prince of Wales, attached to the Channel fleet, and took part in the action off Lorient on 23 June, remaining through the winter to cover the landing in Quiberon Bay, under Sir John Borlase Warren [q. v.] In April 1796 he was appointed commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands, and in the following February, jointly with Sir Ralph Abercromby, took possession of Trinidad, after destroying three of the enemy's ships of the line. An attempt on Porto Rico in April failed, owing to the unexpected strength of the defences. In July 1799 Harvey resigned the command to Lord Hugh Seymour, and returned to England in the Concorde frigate. He had been already nominated a K.B., and was invested with the insignia of the order in January 1800. In the summer he hoisted his flag in the Royal Sovereign as second in command of the Channel fleet, under Lord St. Vincent, and in this post he remained till the peace of Amiens, with which his active service terminated. He attained the rank of admiral on 23 April 1804; and died at Walmer 28 Dec. 1810. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain William Boys, for many years lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital, and had issue, among others, Vice-admiral Sir Thomas Harvey, K.C.B. (1775–1841) [q. v.]
[Ralfe's Naval Biography, ii. 98; Beatson's Nav. and Mil. Memoirs; James's Naval History.]