Benbow, John (1653-1702), was a British admiral known for his courage and fighting spirit. He was born on March 10, 1653, in Shrewsbury, England. Benbow joined the Navy in 1678 and became captain of a man-of-war in 1689. He fought at the battles of Beachy Head (1690) and La Hogue (1692) and became commander of the Dunkerque squadron in 1696. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1696 and vice admiral in 1701. In 1702, Benbow lost a leg during a four-day battle with a large French fleet in the Caribbean. He died a few months later, on Nov. 4, 1702, in Port Royal, Jamaica.
