William Brayne
William Brayne | |
|---|---|
| Commander of Jamaica | |
| In office December 1656 – 2 September 1657 | |
| Preceded by | Edward D'Oyley |
| Succeeded by | Edward D'Oyley |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 2 September 1657 |
William Brayne (died 2 September 1657) was an English soldier who served as Commander of Jamaica from 1656 to his death. He fought for the New Model Army in Scotland during Glencairn's rising.
Career
[edit]The earliest record of William Brayne is mentioning him as a lieutenant colonel in Scotland in 1653.[1]
Matthew Alured was initially in command of 1,000 soldiers in the New Model Army, but was removed after being suspected of disloyalty and was replaced by Brayne.[2] During Glencairn's rising soldiers were brought from northern Ireland to the isles of Lewis and Mull under the command of Brayne.[3] Small garrisons were placed across Scotland in the 1650s and Brayne was made governor of Inverlochy, Highland.[4]
Oliver Cromwell sent Brayne to Jamaica.[5] Brayne selected 1,200 soldiers to come with him to Jamaica, but 200 of these men drowned off the coast of Ulster due to a winter storm. His ships were hit by more storms in the Bay of Biscay. He recruited men after stopping in Barbados.[6] Brayne replaced Edward D'Oyley as Commander of Jamaica in December 1656.[7][8] At Cagway he constructed a house for himself, warehouses for the military, and a naval base.[9]
Robert Sedgwick, who was the commander in chief of the army, died in 1656 and his position was filled by Brayne.[10] Brayne initially only commanded the army while William Goodsonn commanded the navy, but Goodsonn left and naval command was given to Brayne.[11] Brayne was the first administrator of Jamaica to assume command over both the army and navy and this was continued by his successors.[12]
Brayne died on 2 September 1657.[13] Before his deateh Brayne appointed D'Oyley as his successor.[14][15] Cromwell did not officially appoint a replacement for Brayne.[15]
References
[edit]- ↑ Knight 2021, p. 8.
- ↑ Campbell 2002, p. 268.
- ↑ Gentles 2022, p. 229.
- ↑ Gentles 2022, p. 233.
- ↑ Pestana 2017, p. 490.
- ↑ Webb 1979, pp. 167–168.
- ↑ Pestana 2014, p. 323.
- ↑ Pestana 2017, pp. 487–488.
- ↑ Webb 1979, pp. 171.
- ↑ Webb 1979, pp. 167, 314.
- ↑ Pestana 2017, p. 496.
- ↑ Wilson, Kwan & Coakley 2024, p. 37.
- ↑ Webb 1979, p. 172.
- ↑ Pestana 2014, p. 331.
- 1 2 Pestana 2017, p. 488.
Works cited
[edit]Books
[edit]- Campbell, Alastair (2002). A History of Clan Campbell: From Flodden to the Restoration. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9781902930183.
- Gentles, Ian (2022). The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300265200.
- Knight, James (2021). The Natural, Moral, and Political History of Jamaica, and the Territories thereon Depending: From the First Discovery of the Island by Christopher Columbus to the Year 1746. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 9780813945576.
- Webb, Stephen (1979). The Governors-General: The English Army and the Definition of the Empire, 1569-1681. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807813311.
- Wilson, David; Kwan, Nathan; Coakley, John (2024). The Problem of Piracy in the Early Modern World: Maritime Predation, Empire, and the Construction of Authority at Sea. Amsterdam University Press. ISBN 9789048554263.
Journals
[edit]- Pestana, Carla (2014). "Early English Jamaica without Pirates". William and Mary Quarterly. 71 (3). Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture: 321–360. doi:10.5309/willmaryquar.71.3.0321. JSTOR willmaryquar.71.3.0321.
- Pestana, Carla (2017). "State Formation from the Vantage of Early English Jamaica: The Neglect of Edward Doyley". Journal of British Studies. 56 (3). Cambridge University Press: 483–505. doi:10.5309/26599094. JSTOR 26599094.