Charles Edwardson

Commands
Active:

HMS Comeuppance, Formidable Class 92-gun Second-Rate

HMS Challenger, Wenden Class 72-gun Third-Rate

HMS Indefatigable, Mercy Class 34-gun Fifth-Rate

HMS Francis, San Fernando Class 56-gun Fourth-Rate

Prospected:

HMS Paris, Indomitable Class 100-gun First-Rate

Retired:

HMS Royal Charles, Invincible Class 102-gun First-Rate

HMS Debonair, Peregrine Class 26-gun Sixth-Rate

Sunk or Captured:

HMS Caesar, Valiant Class 62-gun Third-Rate

HMS Lexington, Alexander Class 54-gun Fourth-Rate

HMS Augustus Caesar, Valiant Class 62-gun Third-Rate

Actions and Engagements
Conquest of Portobello, Dec. 6th 1724

Defense of Turtling Bay, Dec. 7th 1724



Early Life
Born June 14th, 1701 to a wealthy family of politicians and military officers, Edwardson was raised on his family's estate in Cambridge, England. His father, Alexander Edwardson, was a member of the British Parliament and often away from home, leaving his care and education in the hands of his mother, Caroline. He learned to read and write proficiently by the age of five and was quite a good shot with a pistol. In July of 1709, his father, Alexander, was called to serve his country in diplomatic negotiations in Amsterdam. Charles was placed in the care of Lord Lexington, the 2nd Baron Lexington, Robert Sutton II, to receive formal education in a gentleman's matters - Alexander had paid quite a large sum to see this through. Lord Lexington himself wanted little to do with the boy, but as his education progressed, the Baron became impressed with the boy's knowledge and interest in the British Government, Royal Navy, and the Natural Sciences and Maths; at the age of nine, Charles had mastered Trigonometry and parts of Newton's Calculus theories and was an honorary fellow of The British Royal Society.

Naval Education
Sent to the Naval College at age ten in 1711, a remarkably young age for such an honorable education, Edwardson earned his Lieutenancy in May, 1717 at age fifteen with no prior experiences at Sea. Having graduated at the top of his class in Navigation, Gunnery, Mathematics, Literature and Strategic Initiatives, Lord Lexington rewarded him with the assignment of 1st Lieutenant on Admiral G. Rooke's flagship in the Channel fleet. Speculation and cry of foul play ran rampant among senior officers, but no one dared challenge the Baron or the Admiral's decision. Rooke found Edwardson an outstanding Naval Officer and wanted to further his education. Edwardson, at the age of sixteen, became Secretary to the Lord of the Admiralty in February 1718. When the British Government underwent a Change of Cabinets in October, 1719, Edwardson was promoted to Master and Commander and placed in command of the brig HMS Lexington. He underwent a series of Naval Supply Escort missions to the Caribbean Station from November 1719 to January 1722. During his time in the Caribbean Station, Edwardson earn the promotion to Post-Captain in June 1721 and took command of the idle 34-gun Frigate, HMS Indefatigable. Several vicious engagements with Pirates and French Privateers made his name commonplace in the House of Commons and the Admiralty, to say nothing of the Press. When he arrived in Portsmouth in August of 1722, he became an adviser to the Admiralty while he await the construction of the 54-gun Fourth-Rate HMS Tormentor which was to be his to command. The ship was completed in July of 1723 and Edwardson was relieved of his advisory position to oversee her armament and recruitment. News of Lord Lexington's death in September struck Edwardson with melancholy. The ship was renamed HMS Lexington in the Baron's honor. However, the Lord having lost his only son in 1713 to fever in Madrid, the estate was divided up between his daughters, close friends and, much to his surprise, Charles. Financially sound and ready for duty, Edwardson departed Portsmouth on the Lexington on October 15th, 1723.

Naval Career in the Caribbean
At 22 years of age, Edwardson was one of the youngest Post-ranked Captains in the Royal Navy. In the April 1724 battle for Havana, Cuba, and Cayo de Marquis, Florida, HMS Lexington was pounded into oblivion, leaving Edwardson no choice but to abandon her. Having survived his Court Martial, Edwardson received command of the HMS Caesar, a 62-gun Third-Rate, which perished in actions against France at Irish Point and Leogane in June of 1724. Edwardson had made a fortune on prize money and personal investments in various economic activities, and his name was in the vernacular of all sea-minded persons and those of upper social status. Taking leave from the bloody actions, in August Edwardson took command of the Flagship HMS Royal Charles, named after King Charles, not himself, in Port Royal. He saw minor action, but the Crown decided to retire to vessel from occupations other than harboring Admirals, dignitaries, MPs and hosting Admiralty strategy plannings.

Present Condition
In December of 1724, Edwardson was given command of the 72-gun Third-Rate HMS Challenger and charged with engaging in actions against Spain and France and defending Commerce from Piracy. At three and twenty years of age, he is as youthful as he ever was, preparing to reroute funds to build a new economic empire and make a new name for himself in Great Britain. He has recently joined the Saint George Squadron of the White and stands ready to sally forth into the eternal ocean for the sake of God and Country.