Peter Heywood (1772–1831) was a British naval officer who was aboard HMS Bounty during the mutiny of 28 April 1789. Bounty had left England in 1787 on a mission to collect breadfruit from the Pacific. Shortly after the ship began its homeward voyage, discontented crew members led by Fletcher Christian seized its captain, William Bligh, and took control of the vessel. Bligh and 19 loyalists were set adrift in an open boat; Heywood remained aboard Bounty. He and 15 others settled in Tahiti, while Bounty sailed on to Pitcairn Island. Bligh eventually reached England, where he implicated Heywood in the mutiny. In 1791 Heywood and his companions were captured and brought back to England. Heywood was court-martialed and sentenced to hang, but was subsequently pardoned by King George III. During his trial powerful family connections worked on his behalf, and the extent of his guilt was clouded by contradictory statements and possible false testimony. Heywood's career subsequently prospered; he was given his first command at the age of 27, and made a post-captain at 31. After leaving the navy in 1816 he enjoyed a long and peaceful retirement.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Heywood
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1674:
Shivaji (pictured), who led a resistance to free the Maratha from the Sultanate of Bijapur and the Mughal Empire, was crowned the first Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivaji
1813:
War of 1812: The British ambushed an American encampment near present-day Stoney Creek, Ontario, capturing two senior officers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stoney_Creek
1844:
The YMCA, today a worldwide movement of more than 45 million members from 124 national federations, was founded in London. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMCA
1859:
Queen Victoria signed letters patent separating the colony of Queensland from New South Wales. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensland
1971:
Vietnam War: The Australian Army attacked a heavily fortified Vietnamese communist forces base camp in the Battle of Long Khanh. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Long_Khanh
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
enfranchise: To grant the franchise to an entity, generally meaning to grant the privilege of voting to a person. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/enfranchise
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. --Dwight D. Eisenhower https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower