John Goodwin Gregory Peyton was an officer in the Royal Navy during the American and French revolutionary wars. As a lieutenant, he fought alongside his father Joseph Peyton, at the Moonlight Battle off Cape St Vincent, and later, in 1798, commanded HMS Defence at the Battle of the Nile. He retired a Rear admiral in 1800 and died in 1809 at the age of 56.
The Moonlight Battle, where Peyton fought alongside his father, Joseph, aboard HMS Cumberland
Nelson's Band of Brothers at the Nile. Peyton's portrait is in the top row, fifth from the left
HMS Defence (1763)
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HMS Defence was a 74-gun Bellona-class third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 31 March 1763 at Plymouth Dockyard. She was one of the most famous ships of the period, taking part in several of the most important naval battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. In 1811 she was wrecked off the coast of Jutland with the loss of almost her entire crew.
HMS Defence at the Battle of the Glorious First of June 1794, dismasted and with severe injury to the hull, by Nicholas Pocock
Situation of the Defence at the close of the action on 1 June 1794, by Robert Dodd after Lieut. A. Becher RN.
The beach near Thorsminde
The last cruise