Edwards entered the navy and rose through the rank. He received a promotion to the rank of
post captain on 4 November 1740 and given command of the 24-gun . He commanded her until 1742, during which time he captured a 10-gun Spanish
privateer named
Justa Resina. He next commanded , and by early 1746 was in command of
HMS Princess Mary. He was appointed governor of Newfoundland that year, but was ordered to go to North America and place himself under the command of Commodore
Peter Warren at
Louisbourg, where he was
besieging the fort. Edwards arrived on 11 July, bringing with him two other ships, and . Louisbourg surrendered four days later, and Edwards sailed to Newfoundland to take up his original post. On its conclusion, he returned to England, and had little further active service, though he may have commanded a yacht. He was refused a promotion to
flag rank, unless he resumed his active service at the rank of captain. He secured the command of
HMS Princess Amelia, but only for a short period. He was given the rank and pay of a rear-admiral from 3 June 1757 and was placed on the superannuated list. He died in
England on 16 June 1773. ==Notes==