Grenville, Sir Richard

Sir Richard (1541-1591), an English naval commander. He was engaged in various naval expeditions. In 1585 he landed the colonists at Roanoke Island. He is remembered chiefly as the hero of an engagement with the Spanish in 1591. With his flagship only he attempted to cut his way through a Spanish fleet of fifty-three ships. While he lay becalmed his ship was attacked by fifteen of the largest Spanish vessels. After fifteen hours of battle with but twenty men out of one hundred and fifty left alive to man his ship, he was forced to surrender. He was wounded mortally and died soon after the engagement. Tennyson has made the incident the subject of a stirring ballad entitled The Revenge.