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>
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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>
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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>
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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>