View Full Version : The Action of 5 November 1813.
This was a brief naval clash during the Napoleonic Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Wars), between part of the British Mediterranean Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet) led by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth), and a French force under Rear-Admiral Julien Cosmao-Kerjulien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julien_Cosmao). The engagement took place outside the French port of Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulon).
The clash occurred when a French fleet under Vice-Admiral Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxime_Julien_%C3%89meriau_de_Beauverger) took advantage of a favourable wind and the temporary absence of the British blockading force, to leave port to carry out exercises. Émeriau abandoned the exercises when the wind changed, but while returning to port his rear came under attack from the recently returned British inshore squadron. The British attack was reinforced by newly arrived ships from the main fleet, but the French were able to escape into Toulon after exchanging cannon fire with the British. Casualties on both sides were light.
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The Blockade of Toulon.
The French Mediterranean Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Mediterranean_Fleet) had been blockaded in their principal base at Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulon) for several years. Their commander from early 1811, Vice-Admiral Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxime_Julien_%C3%89meriau_de_Beauverger) made occasional sorties from the port in order to exercise his fleet, but preferred to avoid any chance of action with the patrolling British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew. Émeriau instead preferred to make brief sorties when the wind was in his favour and the British were absent, undertake exercises, and then return to Toulon when Pellew's fleet appeared. Pellew in turn hoped to tempt the French out and then cut them off from their homeport, forcing a decisive battle upon them. To this end he kept the main part of his fleet, including his largest ships, some distance from Toulon, and relied on a small inshore squadron composed of 74-gun ships (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventy-four_(ship)) to maintain the blockade. Strong gales in late October 1813 had forced both the inshore squadron and the main battlefleet off their stations, and Émeriau decided to make a sortie to exercise his fleet off Cape Sicié.
The French fleet, consisting of between twelve and fourteen ships of the line, six frigates and a schooner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner) duly put to sea at 9:30 am on the morning of 5 November. Émeriau, flying his flag aboard the Impérial (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Imp%C3%A9rial_(1811)), was assisted in his manoeuvres by a strong east-north-east wind and made for the usual exercise area. The British inshore squadron, commanded by Captain Henry Heathcote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Heathcote), had only arrived back on their station the night before, and the main British fleet under Sir Edward Pellew was some distance to the south. Heathcote, commanding four 74-gun ships, was observing the French movements, when at 11:30 am, the wind suddenly changed direction, shifting to the north-west. Concerned about the sudden arrival of the British and unfavourable winds, Émeriau abandoned the exercises and ordered the fleet to make for Toulon. The advanced squadron of the French fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral Julien Cosmao-Kerjulien and consisting of five ships of the line and four heavy frigates, now found itself to leeward, beating back to port. Heathcote immediately saw a chance to cut off the French rear, and ordered his squadron to attack.
Engagement.
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Fight of the Wagram (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Wagram_(1810)), by Auguste Mayer.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Mayer)Heathcote, commanding HMS Scipion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Scipion_(1805)), took his ship in and at 12:34 pm passed the French rear, firing on them with her port (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard) guns, as the French stood in for Toulon on the starboard tack. The rest of the squadron, joined by the 74-gun HMS Pompee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pompee_(1793)) from Pellew's fleet, followed in succession.
The British ships then turned about and tacked across in the opposite direction, cannonading the fleeing French with their starboard batteries. At 1:00 pm the advance ships of Pellew's fleet, HMS Caledonia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Caledonia_(1808)), HMS San Josef (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_San_Josef_(1797)) and HMS Boyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boyne_(1810)) arrived and opened fire on the rear-most French ship, the Wagram (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Wagram_(1810)).
The British ships tacked and wore, exchanging fire with the French until the wind carried Cosmao-Kerjulien's squadron under the safety of the shore batteries covering the approach to Toulon.
Casualties and damage on both sides were light. On the British side, twelve men were wounded by French fire, while one man was killed and another two wounded in accidents, bringing total British casualties to 15.
Caledonia sustained a shot to her mainmast and three or four in her hull, as well as some damage to her shrouds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_(sailing)) and backstays (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backstay). Her launch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launch_(boat)) and barge were also destroyed.
The French had a total of 17 men wounded to varying degrees, mostly aboard the Agamemnon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Agamemnon_(1812)), which suffered damage to her masts, hull and rigging, and had nine men wounded. The Borée (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Bor%C3%A9e_(1805)) had her wheel shot away, and the frigates Pénélope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_P%C3%A9n%C3%A9lope_(1806)) and Melpomène (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Melpom%C3%A8ne_(1812)) were damaged in their sails, masts and rigging.
Pellew sailed for Menorca (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menorca) soon afterwards, reducing the inshore squadron to a minimum, but Émeriau declined to come out.
Order of battle British Fleet.
Admiral Pellew's Fleet
Ship
Rate
Guns
Commander
Casualties
Notes
Killed
Wounded
Total
HMS Caledonia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Caledonia_(1808))
First rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_rate)
120
Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth)
Rear-Admiral Israel Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Pellew)
Captain Jeremiah Coghlan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Coghlan_(Royal_Navy_officer))
0
3
3
HMS Hibernia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hibernia_(1804))
First rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_rate)
120
Captain Thomas Gordon Caulfield
0
0
0
Not in action
HMS San Josef (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_San_Josef_(1797))
First rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_rate)
112
Rear-Admiral Sir Richard King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Richard_King,_2nd_Baronet)
Captain William Stewart
0
4
4
HMS Royal George (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Royal_George_(1788))
First rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_rate)
100
Captain Thomas Fraser Charles Mainwaring
0
0
0
Not in action
HMS Boyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boyne_(1810))
Second rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_rate)
98
Captain George Burlton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burlton)
0
1
1
HMS Prince of Wales (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Prince_of_Wales_(1794))
Second rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_rate)
98
Captain John Erskine Douglas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Erskine_Douglas)
0
0
0
Not in action
HMS Union (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Union_(1811))
Second rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_rate)
98
Captain Robert Rolles
0
0
0
Not in action
HMS Barfleur (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Barfleur_(1768))
Second rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_rate)
98
Captain John Maitland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Maitland_(Royal_Navy_officer))
0
0
0
Not in action
HMS Pompee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pompee_(1793))
Third rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rate)
74
Captain James Athol Wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Athol_Wood)
0
2
2
Inshore squadron
HMS Scipion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Scipion_(1805))
Third rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rate)
74
Captain Henry Heathcote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Heathcote)
1
1
2
HMS Mulgrave (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Mulgrave_(1812))
Third rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rate)
74
Captain Thomas James Maling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_James_Maling)
0
0
0
HMS Pembroke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pembroke_(1812))
Third rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rate)
74
Captain James Brisbane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brisbane)
0
3
3
HMS Armada (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Armada_(1810))
Third rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rate)
74
Captain Charles Grant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Grant_(Royal_Navy_officer))
0
0
0
Casualties: 1 Killed, 14 Wounded, 15 Total
Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth).
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Pellew was born at Dover (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover), the second son of Samuel Pellew (1712–1764), commander of a Dover packet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_boat). The family was Cornish (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_people), descended from a family that came originally from Normandy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy), but had for many centuries been settled in the west of Cornwall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwall). Edward's grandfather, Humphrey Pellew (1650–1721), a merchant and ship owner, son of a naval officer, resided at Flushing manor-house in the parish of Mylor. Part of the town of Flushing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flushing,_Cornwall) was built by Samuel Trefusis, MP for Penryn; the other part was built by Humphrey Pellew, who was buried there. He also had a property and a tobacco plantation in Maryland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland). Part of the town of Annapolis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis) stands on what was, before the revolt of the colonies, the estate of the Pellews. On the death of Edward's father in 1764 the family removed to Penzance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penzance), and Pellew was educated for some years at Truro Grammar School (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truro_Cathedral_School). He was a pugnacious youth, which did not endear him to his headmaster. He ran away to sea at the age of 14, but soon deserted because of unfair treatment to another midshipman.
Early career.
1770s.
In 1770, Pellew entered the Royal Navy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy) on board HMS Juno (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Juno_(1757)) with Captain John Stott (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Stott_(naval_officer)&action=edit&redlink=1), and made a voyage to the Falkland Islands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands). In 1772, he followed Stott to the Alarm, and in her was in the Mediterranean for three years. In consequence of a high-spirited quarrel with his captain, he was put on shore at Marseilles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseilles) where he found an old friend of his father's in command of a merchant ship. He was able to get a passage to Lisbon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon) and so home. He afterwards was in the Blonde which took General John Burgoyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Burgoyne) to America in the spring of 1776 under the command of Captain Philemon Pownoll (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philemon_Pownoll). In October, Pellew and midshipman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midshipman) Brown were detached for service in the Carleton tender on Lake Champlain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Champlain) under Lieutenant Dacres (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richard_Dacres_(1749%E2%80%931810)). During the Battle of Valcour Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Valcour_Island) on 11 October, Dacres and Brown were both severely wounded, and the command devolved on Pellew. Pellew extricated the vessel from a position of great danger by his personal gallantry. As a reward for his service, he was immediately appointed to command the Carleton. In December, Lord Howe promised him a commission as lieutenant when he could reach New York, and in the following January Lord Sandwich (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Montagu,_4th_Earl_of_Sandwich) wrote promising to promote him when he came to England. In the summer of 1777, Pellew and a small party of seamen were attached to the army under Burgoyne, and he was present in the fighting at Saratoga (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saratoga), where his youngest brother John was killed. He and the rest of the force were taken prisoner. After the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, he was repatriated.
He returned to England and was promoted on 9 January 1778 to be lieutenant of the Princess Amelia guardship at Portsmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth). He wanted to be appointed to a seagoing ship, but Lord Sandwich considered that he was bound by the terms of the surrender at Saratoga not to undertake any active service. Towards the end of the year, he was appointed to the Licorne which went out to Newfoundland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_(island)) in the spring of 1779, returning in the winter, when Pellew was moved into the Apollo with his old captain Pownoll. On 15 June 1780, the Apollo engaged a large French privateer, the Stanislaus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_15_June_1780), off Ostend (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostend). Pownoll was killed by a musket-shot, but Pellew continued the action and dismasted the Stanislaus, driving her on shore where she was protected by the neutrality of the coast. On the 18th, Lord Sandwich wrote to him: "I will not delay informing you that I mean to give you immediate promotion as a reward for your gallant and officer-like conduct." On 1 July, he was accordingly promoted to the command of the Hazard sloop, which was employed for the next six months on the east coast of Scotland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland) and was then paid off.
Peacetime service.
In March 1782, Pellew was appointed to the Pelican (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Pelican_(1781)&action=edit&redlink=1), a small French prize, so small indeed that he used to say "his servant could dress his hair from the deck while he sat in the cabin."[ On 28 April while cruising on the coast of Brittany (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany), he engaged three privateers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer) and drove them on shore. In special reward for this service, he was promoted to post rank on 25 May] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth#cite_note-odnb-1) and, ten days later, was appointed to the temporary command of the Artois (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Artois_(1780)), in which he captured a large frigate-built privateer on 1 July.
From 1786 to 1789, he commanded the Winchelsea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Winchelsea_(1764)) frigate on the Newfoundland station,returning home each winter by Cadiz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz) and Lisbon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon). Afterwards, he commanded the Salisbury on the same station as flag-captain to Vice-admiral Milbanke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Milbanke). In 1791, he was placed on half-pay and tried his hand at farming on Treverry Farm near Helston, a property owned by his brother who was a senior customs officer of Flushing. This met with indifferent success, during which time he attempted to sell a bull, only to find that it was in the ownership of a neighbouring farmer.
The Russians offered him a command in the Russian navy but Pellew declined the offer. He was still struggling with the difficulties of his farm when the revolutionary government of France declared war on Great Britain on 1 February 1793.
Wartime service.
Pellew immediately applied for a ship and was appointed to the Nymphe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Nymphe_(1780)), a 36-gun frigate which he fitted out in a remarkably short time. He had expected a good deal of difficulty in manning her and had enlisted some eighty Cornish miners who were sent round to the ship at Spithead (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spithead). He put to sea with these and about a dozen seamen, plus officers—who were obliged to help in the work aloft. He filled his complement of crew by pressing from the merchant ships in the Channel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel), but with very few seasoned navy men. On 18 June, Nymphe sailed from Falmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falmouth,_Cornwall) on the news that two French frigates had been seen in the Channel.
At the Action of 18 June 1793 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_18_June_1793), Nymphe fell in with the Cléopâtre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Cl%C3%A9op%C3%A2tre), also of 36 guns and commanded by Captain Jean Mullon (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Mullon&action=edit&redlink=1), one of the few officers of the ancien régime who still remained in the French navy. After a short but very sharp action, Cléopâtre's mizenmast and wheel were shot away, making the ship unmanageable, and it fell foul of the Nymphe. Pellew's crew boarded her in a fierce rush and captured her. Mullon was mortally wounded, and died trying to swallow his commission which he had mistaken for the code of secret signals in his dying agony. The code thus fell intact into Pellew's hands, who sent them to the admiralty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty). Cléopâtre was the first frigate taken in the war and was brought to Portsmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth), and Pellew was presented to the king on 29 June by the Earl of Chatham (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pitt,_2nd_Earl_of_Chatham) and was knighted.
Pellew transferred to Arethusa (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Arethusa_(1787)&action=edit&redlink=1) in December 1793. In 1794, Arethusa was part of the western squadron of frigates based at Falmouth under Sir John Borlase Warren (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Borlase_Warren). On 23 April, the squadron engaged one of these to the southwest of Guernsey, the stronger British force quickly overpowering their opponents in an action where Pellew's Arethusa played the primary role in fighting the Pomone, at the time the largest frigate in service. Pomone surrendered after an engagement that lasted less than half an hour. The French had suffered between eighty and a hundred casualties; Arethusa had only three dead and five wounded. Warren's squadron went on to destroy one frigate and capture another. They also drove two corvettes ashore, Alerte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Alert_(1793)) and Espion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_(1793_ship)), both of which had been Royal Navy sloops. (The French later refloated Espion after Pellew refused to burn either, as they contained wounded men.) The squadron also captured many vessels from French coastal convoys.
Service in the French Revolutionary War.
By 1794, he was Commodore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_(rank)) of the Western Frigate Squadron (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_Frigate_Squadron&action=edit&redlink=1). In 1795, he took command of HMS Indefatigable (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Indefatigable_(1784)), the ship with which he is most closely associated. The squadron also comprised the frigates HMS Argo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Argo_(1781)), Concord (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Concord_(1783)), Révolutionnaire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_R%C3%A9volutionnaire_(1794)), and Amazon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Amazon_(1795)).
He was a good swimmer and noted for saving the lives of several seamen who had fallen overboard. The most striking life-saving event was on 26 January 1796 when the East Indiaman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indiaman) Dutton was carrying more than four hundred troops, together with many women and children, when it ran aground under Plymouth Hoe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Hoe). Due to the heavy seas, the crew and soldiers aboard were unable to get to shore. Pellew swam out to the wreck with a line and, with help from young Irishman Jeremiah Coghlan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Coghlan_(Royal_Navy_officer)), helped rig a lifeline that saved almost all aboard. For this feat he was created a baronet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baronet) on 18 March 1796.
On 13 April 1796, off the coasts of Ireland, his squadron captured the French frigate Unité (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Gracieuse_(1787)), and the Virginie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Virginie_(1794)) nine days later.
His most noted action was the Action of 13 January 1797 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_13_January_1797), cruising in company with HMS Amazon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Amazon_(1795)), when the British (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom) sighted the French 74-gun ship of the line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_the_line) Droits de l'Homme (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Droits_de_l%27Homme). Normally, a ship of the line would over-match two frigates (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate), but by skillful sailing in the stormy conditions, the frigates avoided bearing the brunt of the superior firepower of the French. In the early morning of 14 January, the three ships were embayed on a lee shore in Audierne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audierne) Bay. Both the Droits de l'Homme and Amazon ran aground, but Indefatigable managed to claw her way off the lee shore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_shore) to safety.
Pellew was also responsible for pressing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressment) young violinist and composer Joseph Antonio Emidy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Antonio_Emidy) who had been playing in the Lisbon Opera orchestra.
Admiralty and peerage.
Pellew was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1804. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief_(Royal_Navy)) of the East Indies Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indies_Station). It took six months to sail out to Penang (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang), so he took up the appointment in 1805. Following his return from the east in 1809, he was appointed to the position of Commander-in-Chief, North Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_North_Sea) from 1810 to 1811 and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet), from 1811 to 1814, and again from 1815 to 1816.
.
In 1814, he was made Baron Exmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Exmouth) of Canonteign. In 1816, he led an Anglo-Dutch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands) fleet against the Barbary states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_states). Victory at the Bombardment of Algiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Algiers_(1816)) secured the release of the 1,200 Christian slaves in the city. For this action, he was created 1st Viscount Exmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscount_Exmouth) on 10 December 1816. Following his return to England, he became Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_Plymouth) from 1817 to 1821, when he effectively retired from active service. He continued to attend and speak in the House of Lords (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Lords). In 1832, he was appointed Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom) and Admiral of the Red Squadron of His Majesty's Fleet, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, also of the Royal and distinguished Order of Charles the Third of Spain, of the Military Order of William of the Netherlands, of the Royal Sicilian Order of St. Ferdinand and Merit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Saint_Ferdinand_and_of_Merit), of the Military Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazare of Sardinia, Knight of the Most Honourable and Most Ancient Order of the Annunciation of the Royal House of Savoy, High Steward of Great Yarmouth, and one of the Elder Brethren of the Hon. Corporation of the Trinity House.
He bought Bitton House in Teignmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teignmouth) in 1812 and it was his home until his death in 1833. He was buried in Christow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christow) on the eastern edge of Dartmoor on 30 Jan 1833.
Rear-Admiral Israel Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Pellew).
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Pellew first went to sea aboard the sloop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloop) Falcon (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Falcon_(1771)&action=edit&redlink=1) in 1771, serving in the West Indies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies). He went to the North American (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America) station on the frigate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate) HMS Flora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Vestale_(1756)) in 1776. Pellew was promoted to lieutenant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant) in the Royal George (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Royal_George_(1756)) in April 1779 and then served on the frigates (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate) Danae (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Danae_(1779)&action=edit&redlink=1) and Apollo (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Glory_(1763)&action=edit&redlink=1). He was placed in command of the cutter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutter_(ship)) Resolution (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Resolution_(1779)) in the North Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea) in 1782, and he retained command when she was transferred to the Irish station serving until 1787. In March 1789 he joined Salisbury (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Salisbury_(1769)&action=edit&redlink=1), and was promoted to commander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander) in 1790, but was not employed again during the peace.
On the outbreak of war (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars) in 1793 Pellew was temporarily without a ship, and served as a volunteer aboard his brother's command Nymphe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Nymphe_(1780)), being in charge of her aft guns when she captured the French frigate Cléopâtre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Cl%C3%A9op%C3%A2tre) on 18 June, the first British naval victory of the French Revolutionary Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars). For this action (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_18_June_1793), his brother was knighted and Israel Pellew was presented to King George III (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom) and made post captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_captain) of Squirrel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Squirrel_(1785)). In April 1795 he was made captain of a larger frigate, Amphion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Amphion_(1780)), commanding her off Newfoundland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_(island)) and in the North Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea). In September 1796, sailing to join his brother's squadron in the Channel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel), Pellew took Amphion into Plymouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth) for repairs. On 22 September she suddenly exploded alongside the dock. About 300 of her crew and visitors were killed. Pellew survived, being blown through an open stern gallery window on to the deck of a sheer hulk. An inquiry blamed the explosion on the Amphion's gunner, who was suspected of stealing gunpowder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder) which caught fire and blew up the fore magazine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_(artillery)#Naval_magazines). However, Pellew had already complained that the magazine was poorly constructed and unsafe, and questioned the judgement on the deceased gunner.
In February 1797 Pellew was appointed to Greyhound (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Greyhound_(1783)&action=edit&redlink=1) but, having been put ashore when her crew mutinied (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny) at the Nore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nore_mutiny), and under pressure from his commander-in-chief, he resigned the command, being moved in July to Cleopatra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cleopatra_(1779)). He commanded her first in the Channel, until November 1798, and then on the Halifax (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Halifax) and Jamaica (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica) stations. In 1800, Pellew suffered a setback when a boat attack to seize some Spanish vessels from an anchorage off Cuba (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba) was driven off with significant casualties and only the capture of a small galley. Later Cleopatra ran aground off Abaco (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaco_Islands), one of the Bahamas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahamas). She was aground for three days and only floated off after her guns and some ballast had been thrown overboard.
The Trafalgar Campaign.
Pellew next went to sea in April 1804 following the Peace of Amiens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Amiens), commanding the ship of the line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_the_line) Conqueror (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Conqueror_(1801)) in the Channel before going to the Mediterranean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea) in September and participating in the full chase across the Atlantic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Campaign) after the French fleet and the return leg to Cadiz. During this time, Pellew became good friends with his admiral and joined the famous Band of Brothers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson%27s_Band_of_Brothers) with which Nelson surrounded himself. The Conqueror fought well at the Battle of Trafalgar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar), being the fourth ship in the van or weather column under Nelson's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson) command. The Bucentaure (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Bucentaure_(1803)), Villeneuve's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Charles_Villeneuve) flagship (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagship), surrendered to Conqueror's captain of Marines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marines), who had been sent aboard by Pellew to receive Villeneuve's sword. But as the Conqueror had sailed on to engage the Santísima Trinidad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_ship_Sant%C3%ADsima_Trinidad) and to attempt to block the escape of Dumanoir (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Dumanoir_le_Pelley)'s squadron, the Marines could not return the sword to Pellew. During the course of these later actions, Pellew was wounded by a close miss from a cannonball, but refused to report it or have it treated until well after the battle.
The French admiral's sword was eventually given to Admiral Collingwood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuthbert_Collingwood,_1st_Baron_Collingwood) after the battle and he retained it much to Pellew's disgust. Pellew was also greatly irked following the battle by the shadow of his brother, which appeared when the boarding party arrived on the deck of the Bucentaure. Marine captain James Atcherly boarded the ship and encountered Admiral Villeneuve, who asked for the identity of his captor. Atcherly replied that it was Captain Pellew, whereupon Villeneuve pronounced "It is a satisfaction to me that it is to so fortunate an officer as Sir Edward Pellew that I have surrendered". The greatly embarrassed Atcherly corrected his mistake, to which Villeneuve shouted "His brother? What are there two of them? Helas!".
Although the Conqueror's sails and rigging suffered considerable damage, she suffered only three dead and nine wounded despite being in the thick of battle, and returned to Gibraltar largely unharmed by the large storm which followed the action, and was even able to help some more crippled ships back to port. After Trafalgar the Conqueror helped continue to blockade Cádiz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A1diz) and then, in 1807, was in the squadron sent to secure the Portuguese (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal) fleet and royal family. She remained off the Portuguese coast during much of 1808, eventually returning home after the surrender of Siniavin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Senyavin)'s Russian (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia) squadron in the Tagus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagus). Pellew then left her and was appointed to superintend the payment of ships in the Medway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medway).
Admiral Pellew and retirement.
In 1810 Pellew was promoted to rear-admiral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-admiral) and in 1816 his brother, on receiving the command of the Mediterranean fleet, made him captain of the fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_of_the_fleet), effectively his chief of staff. In 1815, Pellew was knighted (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath). He retained the position of captain of the fleet until 1816, taking a prominent part in the negotiations with the Barbary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Coast) powers that year and the ensuing bombardment of Algiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Algiers_(1816)). This marked the end of his active service, but Pellew advanced automatically to the rank of vice-admiral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice-admiral) in 1819. In the same year his only son, Edward, an officer in the Life Guards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_Guards_(British_Army)), was killed in a duel with a brother officer in Paris (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris). Pellew was appointed a full admiral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral) in 1830. He had moved to Plymouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth) in retirement and died there in 1832, after a long and painful illness.
Pellew was buried near his home in Plymouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth) at Charles the Martyr Church (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Church,_Plymouth), but on 21 March 1941 a massive German air raid in the Blitz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz) demolished the church and its attendant graveyard. The ruins of the church remain standing as a memorial to that night, but there is no surviving indication of the whereabouts of Pellew's body or tomb, which is believed to have been lost.
Captain Jeremiah Coghlan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Coghlan_(Royal_Navy_officer)).
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Jerry Coghlan originally came from Crookhaven (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookhaven) in Ireland. (his brother Daniel was later the agent for Lloyds). He ran away to sea as a cabin boy, because, he later claimed, his mother had mistreated him.
In one incident his ship became stranded on the rocks in a storm near Mevagissey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mevagissey). Captain Smith (at home ashore) saw the stricken vessel and commandeered a fishing boat. He managed to rescue the master and the crew but whilst they were on their way back to safety they realised that the cabin boy was still missing. Captain Smith insisted on returning to search for him and they found him clinging with terror to the fore-topmast (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topmast). The captain climbed the mast and managed to save the boy, who was the young Jerry Coghlan.
Dutton.
On 26 January 1796 the Dutton, which was transporting troops to the West Indies, ran aground under the citadel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Citadel,_Plymouth) in Plymouth with almost 500 men, women and children still on board. A crowd gathered and watched helpless as the ship lay stricken. Due to the raging storm it was too dangerous for any boats to venture out, but this did not deter Coghlan from plunging into the raging sea with a rope tied around his body. Although at great risk of being dashed to pieces on the rocks, he was successful in saving a good number of lives.
In the meantime Pellew had managed to board the vessel and was restoring order amongst the chaos. Spurred on by this spectacle of bravery, Coghlan, along with Mr Edsell (signal Midshipman to the port admiral), managed to obtain a boat from the Barbican (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbican,_Plymouth), row out to the Dutton, and bring their boat alongside. It was Coghlan who managed to secure the Dutton's lifeline. This enabled hawsers to be rigged with cradles for hauling people ashore one by one. Coghlan also managed to save about 50 lives transporting people in his boat from the wreck, before any other boats dared go out to help him.
"Soon after Sir Edward reached the wreck, a small boat belonging to an Irish brig came to alongside, with two persons who greatly assisted him in this work of benevolence. One of these young men was the mate, whom Captain Pellew on the following day received into his own ship, and thenceforward became his steady friend and patron. It is almost unnecessary to add, that this officer is now Captain Coghlan, R.N."
Early career.
HMS Indefatigable and HMS Impetueux.
After spending three years on a merchant ship, Coghlan was persuaded to join Sir Edward Pellew on the HMS Indefatigable (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Indefatigable_(1784)) as a midshipman. This "...added to the British Navy an officer almost unrivaled in heroic exploits - no less a character than Captain Jeremiah Coghlan" In the spring of 1799 he moved with Edward Pellew to the HMS Impetueux (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_America_(1788)). While on these ships he distinguished himself on numerous occasions with his gallantry on boat services and he also saved the lives of several of their crew members who had accidentally fallen overboard. As a reward for this gallantry Pellew persuaded Admiral Lord St Vincent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jervis,_1st_Earl_of_St_Vincent) to give him command of the Viper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Greyhound_(1780)) cutter as acting Lieutenant.
Notable actions.
Cutting out Cerbère.
"I Did not think the Enterprize of Sir Edward Hamilton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Edward_Hamilton,_1st_Baronet) or of Captain Campbell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Campbell_(Royal_Navy_officer)) could have been rivalled until I read the enclosed Letter from Sir Edward Pellew, relating the desperate Service performed by acting Lieutenant Coghlan, of the Viper Cutter..., which has filled me with pride and admiration"
— Earl St Vincent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jervis,_1st_Earl_of_St_Vincent), London Gazette (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Gazette), Letter to Evan Nepean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_Nepean).
On 29 July 1800, acting Lieutenant Jeremiah Coghlan was in command of the 14-gun cutter Viper, attached to Sir Edward Pellew's squadron, when he led a very famous cutting out expedition during a blockade of Port Louis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-Louis,_Morbihan), on the South Coast of Brittany.
He persuaded Edward Pellew to lend him a ten-oared cutter and 12 volunteers from Impeteux and with boats also from the HMS Amethyst (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Amethyst_(1799)) and Viper, the Irish fire-eater planned to launch a night raid on some of the gun-boats and vessels which were guarding the entrance to the harbour. Coghlan took six of his own men and Midshipman Silas Paddon from Viper, which made 20 men in total. Striking out ahead Coghlan's boat reached the French gun-brig Cerbère (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cerbere_(1800)) alone and without the support of the other two boats. Heavily outnumbered, they were twice beaten back by the 87 men on board, but on the third attempt they managed to triumph, boarding and killing every officer on board. Then, with the help of the other two boats, they managed to tow Cerbère out under heavy fire from the shore batteries. Although the expedition was a great success, Coghlan himself was badly wounded; after being caught up in a trawl-net, he had a pike driven through his thigh. Mr Paddon was also wounded in six places.
For this action Earl St Vincent presented the youthful Irishman with a sword of 100 guineas value. He was promoted to lieutenant, which required a special order from the King in Council, as he had only been in the Navy four and a half years. Furthermore, the squadron let the boat crews keep the prize money for themselves, in recognition of their gallantry.
Captain Coghlan did not survive to claim the Naval General Service Medal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_General_Service_Medal_(1847)) with clasp "29 July Boat Service 1800" awarded in 1847.
General Ernouf.
While in command of Renard, Captain Coghlan gave chase to a French privateer off the north coast of San Domingo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captaincy_General_of_Santo_Domingo) on Friday 20 March 1805. The quarry was the General Ernouf, from Guadeloupe, commanded by Paul Gerard Pointe, with a complement of 160 men, 31 of whom were soldiers.
After a chase of about 3 hours they managed to close in on the Frenchman who immediately opened fire. Legend has it that Monsieur Pointe, on seeing the inferior size of Renard, called for her to strike (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striking_the_colors), and Captain Coghlan took up his trumpet and replied
“Aye! I'll strike, and damned hard too, my lad, directly”.
Coghlan waited until the French were within pistol-shot and then commenced a disciplined and deadly accurate return of fire. After 35 minutes the General Ernouf was seen to catch fire and ten minutes later she blew up with a dreadful explosion.
"...every possible Exertion was now made to get the only Boat that could swim to the Relief of the few Brave, but unfortunate Survivors.... who were now seen all around us, on the scattered remnants of the Wreck, in a mangled and truly distressing state."
— Jeremiah Coghlan, London Gazette (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Gazette), Letter to Dacres (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Richard_Dacres_(1749%E2%80%931810))
Capture of Diligent.
On the 25 May 1806, in the afternoon, Renard was about 10 miles north-north-east of the island of Mona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_de_Mona) when Coghlan spotted a foreign ship near the island of Zacheo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desecheo_Island) off Puerto Rico. A long chase followed that lasted well through the night and into the next day.
On 26 May, while the chase continued throughout the day, it was discovered to be the French navy brig Diligent, of fourteen 6-pounder and two 32-pounder guns. On the 27th, although the Renard was now gaining on the enemy, the weather was becalmed and so yet another day and night passed. By noon on the 28th Renard had finally got almost near enough to open fire, when Diligent's commander, lieutenant de vaisseau Thévenard, suddenly surrendered his ship without a shot being fired by either side.
When taken on board Renard, M. Thévenard was surprised by the smallness of the vessel and requested that he might be returned to his ship to continue the fight. Coghlan naturally laughed at this request. The Frenchman then very seriously asked that Coghlan might award him a certificate stating that he had not acted cowardly. The Captain replied "No, I cannot do that; but I will give you one that shall specify you have acted 'prudently'!"
Storming the guns at Cassis.
In August 1813 Captain Thomas Ussher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Ussher) on HMS Undaunted (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Undaunted_(1807)) discovered a number of vessels lying in the mole (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(architecture)) at Cassis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassis), in the south of France. Five heavy gun batteries, one of which was protected by a wall 25 feet high, overlooked the town and harbour. Coghlan led a detachment of 200 marines and managed to overcome the citadel battery by escalade (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalade), under heavy fire. A certain Lieutenant Hunt distinguished himself by being the first over the top.
This battery in possession, the British drove the French at the point of the bayonet and pursued them through the defences to the heights that commanded the town, leaving it entirely at the mercy of the British ships. This enabled HMS Redwing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Redwing_(1806)) under Captain Sir John Sinclair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair-Lockhart_baronets) to enter the mole and capture three gun boats and 24 merchant settees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settee_(sail)) and tartans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartane).
The success of the venture was in large part owed to the gallantry of Coghlan and the marines under his command, as was later highlighted in Ussher's letter to Sir Edward Pellew.
Seizing Naples.
In early May 1815, Coghlan was captain of HMS Alcmene (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Topaze_(1805)) as second in command of a British squadron headed by Captain Robert Campbell of HMS Tremendous (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Tremendous_(1784)) on its way to the bay of Naples during the Neapolitan War (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neapolitan_War). Joachim Murat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Murat), the King of Naples was about to be deposed after his defeat by the Austrians at Tolentino (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tolentino). The British squadron managed to prevent two Neapolitan line-of-battle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line-of-battle) ships, the Joachim and the Capri, escaping to France. On board were Napoleon's mother (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letizia_Ramolino), his brother Jérôme (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A9r%C3%B4me_Bonaparte), his sister Pauline (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Bonaparte) and Murat's children together “with all the crown jewels, much public treasure, the pictures and other costly moveables of the palace. The whole of this valuable property, upon its arrival at Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulon) would of course have been at the disposal of Buonaparte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon)”. It was all returned to the Sicilian Court (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_the_Two_Sicilies).
On 11 May 1815, the squadron, consisting of Tremendous, Alcmene, HMS Partridge (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Partridge_(1809)&action=edit&redlink=1) and HMS Grasshopper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Grasshopper_(1813)) arrived off Naples and blockaded the port. Under the authority of Captain Campbell and after threatening to bombard the city, Coghlan helped to negotiate the treaty, signed on 13 May 1815, which enabled them to gain possession of all the ships and the naval arsenal in the Port of Naples - including the Joachim and the Capri. This would later lead to a grant from Parliament of £150,000, as prize money to be shared amongst the officers and crew members.
Edward Pellew, Viscount Exmouth, as overall commander, arrived in Naples on the 20th. Although it had been agreed that the Austrians would take over on 23 May, Murat fled the city in disguise on the 19th and so Exmouth despatched Coghlan and 500 marines to restore order in the city. They quelled the rioters at the point of the bayonet and took over all the forts in the city. Coghlan installed himself in the Castle of St Elmo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Elmo), and united with the civic guard to keep order until the arrival of Prince Leopold (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold,_Prince_of_Salerno) on the 23rd.
Late career.
On 4 June 1815 he was nominated a CB (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath). From 1826 to 1830, he commanded the Forte frigate on the South American station.
He died at Ryde (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryde) on 4 March 1844, aged 69.
Rear-Admiral Sir Richard King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Richard_King,_2nd_Baronet).
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King was the son of Sir Richard King, 1st Baronet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Richard_King,_1st_Baronet), a wealthy and high-ranking member of the Navy. King was placed on board ship at fourteen thanks to the influence of his father and made Post Captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Captain) just six years later, an achievement made possible by his father's rank of admiral. Normally an officer would be waiting double or triple that time before gaining such a prestigious rank. Nonetheless, King was no incompetent, and proved his worth as captain of HMS Sirius (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sirius_(1797)), capturing four enemy privateers whilst in command, as well as sitting on the navy board which condemned Richard Parker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Parker_(British_sailor)) to death for his part in the Nore mutiny (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nore_mutiny) in 1797. At the Action of 24 October 1798 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_24_October_1798), King captured two Dutch ships. In 1801 he captured a French frigate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate), and was rewarded with command of the large 74 gun ship of the line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_the_line) HMS Achille (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Achille_(1798)).
A month before the battle of Trafalgar, sensing that there was glory to be won in the coming operations off Cadiz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz), King used his influence with his father in law, Admiral Sir John Duckworth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thomas_Duckworth), to persuade Nelson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson) to give him a position in the blockading fleet. Since his reputation was good, Nelson endorsed the move and King joined just in time to catch the combined fleet off Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.
The seventh ship in Collingwood's division, Achille was heavily engaged, chasing off the Spanish Montanez (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spanish_ship_Montanez&action=edit&redlink=1) and the battling alongside HMS Belleisle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belleisle_(1795)) with the Argonauta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_ship_Argonauta). Whilst chasing this ship through the melee, Achille was cut off by her namesake, the French Achille (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Achille_(1803)), with whom she began a savage cannonade until joined by the French ship Berwick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Berwick_(1775)), whom Achille turned her attention on. An hour of savage fighting forced the French craft to eventually surrender, but at the cost of 13 dead and 59 wounded, severe losses in comparison with most of the British fleet.
King was, along with the other captains, voted many honours following the battle, and unlike several of his compatriots retained his command at sea, being engaged the following year in the action against a French frigate squadron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_25_September_1806) in an action in which Sir Samuel Hood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Samuel_Hood,_1st_Baronet) lost an arm.
The same year he inherited his fathers baronetcy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baronet) and transferred to the Mediterranean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean), where in 1812 he made the jump to Rear-Admiral and second in command to Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew). He was appointed KCB (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath) on 2 January 1815 and served as commander-in-chief on the East Indies Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indies_Station) from 1816.
Continuing in service postwar in 1819 as a Vice-Admiral and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath), King served as commander in chief in the East Indies and also remarried following his first wife's death to the daughter of Admiral Sir Charles Cotton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Cotton_(British_admiral)), Maria Susannah. As Commander-in-Chief, The Nore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_The_Nore) from 1833 after an eventful life, King continued his successful career past the age many of his contemporaries retired at.
Such devotion to duty often has a price, and King died in office in 1834 whilst at Sheerness (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheerness) from a sudden outbreak of cholera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera). He was buried nearby, survived by twelve children and his second wife.
Captain Thomas Fraser Charles Mainwaring.
https://sailsofglory.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=34704&d=1515235568
This officer was made a Lieutenant by Sir Roger Curtis, at the Cape of Good Hope, in 1800; successively serving under Captains William Hotham, Lord Mark Kerr, and Thomas Dundas; in the Adamant 50, Fisgard 38, and Naiad of similar force; on the Cape, Channel, and Mediterranean stations. In the latter frigate he witnessed the defeat of the combined fleets off Cape Trafalgar; and afterwards assisted in rescuing one of the British dismasted ships from destruction.
His commission as a Commander dates from Jan. 31st, 1806.
Captain Mainwaring’s first appointment was, to the Tartarus sloop, fitted as a fire-ship; and in Aug. 1807, he appears to have been charged with the landing of the troops under Sir Arthur Wellesley (Later Duke of Wellington) in Wibeck bay, preparatory to the investment of the Danish capital.
Early in 1808, Captain Mainwaring was appointed pro tempore, to the Vanguard 74, which was the first ship of her class that wintered in the Baltic. He retained the command of her until the following June, and then rejoined the Tartarus.
In 1810, the sloop sank two French privateers, off Pillau; after which Captain Mainwaring conveyed Gustavus, the ex-King of Sweden, from Riga to England, under particularly difficult circumstances for which he was promoted to Post Captain on, Nov. 27th, of the same year.
During the last two years of the war, he commanded the Royal George a first rate, on the Mediterranean station.
Captain George Burlton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burlton).
https://sailsofglory.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=34704&d=1515235568
Burlton was commissioned as a Lieutenant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_(Royal_Navy)) on 15 September 1777 and in 1783 was in command of HMS Camel (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Camel_(1776)&action=edit&redlink=1), 24.
He was made Commander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_(Royal_Navy)) on 5 July 1794.
In March 1795 he was acting captain of the 32-gun frigate Lively when she captured the French corvette Tourtourelle (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_corvette_Tourtourelle_(1794)&action=edit&redlink=1), and he was promoted to post captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_captain) on 16 March that year into the 74-gun (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventy-four_(ship)) HMS Vengeance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vengeance_(1774)).
Towards the end of 1796 he travelled to Cape Town. There in November he received command of the Dutch frigate Castor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_(1786_ship)), which the British had captured at the capitulation of Saldanha Bay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitulation_of_Saldanha_Bay) and renamed HMS Saldanha. Burlton sailed her to Britain where she was paid off.
Subsequent commands included Success, 32; Adamant, 50; and Resolution, 74, the last of which he commanded at the Battle of the Basque Roads (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Basque_Roads) in April 1809. In the summer of 1809 he was called as a witness at the Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court-martial_of_James,_Lord_Gambier) which assessed whether Admiral Lord Gambier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gambier,_1st_Baron_Gambier) had failed to support Captain Lord Cochrane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cochrane,_10th_Earl_of_Dundonald) at the battle. Gambier was controversially cleared of all charges.
In 1812 Burlton was captain of the 110-gun HMS Ville de Paris (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ville_de_Paris) and in March 1813 he was given command of HMS Boyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boyne_(1810)), 98. On 4 December 1813 he was made a Colonel of Marines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_of_Marines).
On 13 February 1814 Boyne engaged the French ship-of-the-line Romulus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Romulus_(1812)), for which Burlton was commended by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth). On 4 June 1814 Burlton was raised to flag rank (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_rank) as a Rear-Admiral of the White (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-Admiral_of_the_White) and on 2 January 1815 he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath).
On 24 December 1814 Sir Samuel Hood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Samuel_Hood,_1st_Baronet) died. He had been Commander-in-Chief on the East Indies Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indies_Station) and when the vacancy became known in England Sir George Burlton was appointed to succeed him. He hoisted his flag in HMS Cornwallis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cornwallis_(1813)), Captain John Bayley, on 10 January 1815. On the voyage out the American sloops-of-war USS Peacock (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Peacock_(1813)) and USS Hornet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hornet_(1805_brig)) mistook the 74-gun Cornwallis for a merchant ship. Cornwallis pursued Hornet between 28 and 30 April without success, though Hornet was obliged to jettison all her guns and arms in order to escape.
Burlton took over the East Indies command from acting-Commodore George Sayer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sayer_(Royal_Navy_officer)) in June 1815, but died at Madras (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras) on 21 September. Sayer resumed command until the arrival of Sir Richard King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Richard_King,_2nd_Baronet) in 1816.
Captain John Erskine Douglas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Erskine_Douglas).
https://sailsofglory.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=34704&d=1515235568
The son of David Douglas, a descendant of James Douglas, 2nd earl of Queensberry, Douglas was born in the later 1750s, and joined the British Royal Navy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy) at a young age, reaching the rank of commander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander) in 1794 at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars). Within a year he had been made a post captain and taken command of the small frigate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate) HMS Garland (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Garland_(1779)&action=edit&redlink=1), which he commanded in the North Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea) until 1798, when he transferred to the larger frigate HMS Boston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boston_(1762)). Boston was stationed off the Eastern Seaboard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Coast_of_the_United_States) of the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States), intercepting numerous French merchant ships trading with American ports. For a time he blockaded the French frigate Sémillante (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_S%C3%A9millante_(1792)), but by 1801 had sailed for the West Indies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies), operating in the Leeward Islands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeward_Islands) and then moving north to Halifax, Nova Scotia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Regional_Municipality), where he remained until 1804, continuing in employment throughout the Peace of Amiens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Amiens).
On his return to Britain, Douglas was given the 80-gun ship of the line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_the_line) HMS Impetueux (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_America_(1788)), moving in 1805 to the 74-gun HMS Bellona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bellona_(1760)), which participated in the Atlantic campaign of 1806 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_campaign_of_1806) as part of the squadron under Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Strachan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_John_Strachan). Ordered to the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, Bellona was cruising with HMS Belleisle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belleisle_(1795)) off Cape Henry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Henry) on 14 September 1806 when the French ship of the line Impétueux (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Brutus_(1798)) was spotted steering into the Chesapeake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay). Impétueux had been caught in a hurricane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1806_Great_Coastal_hurricane) earlier in the summer and was badly damaged, limping to port under jury masts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_mast). Closely pursued, Impétueux was driven on shore by her captain and the crew scrambled onto the beach as British boats boarded and captured the wreck. Although British intervention on American shore was a clear violation of American neutrality in the war, there was no protest from the American authorities – the only complaint coming from the French consul at Norfolk. Damaged beyond repair, the wreck of Impétueux was burnt on the beach.
Douglas remained off the Chesapeake during 1807 in command of a squadron of smaller vessels observing two French ships of the line at anchor in Hampton Roads (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Roads). This squadron became embroiled in the controversy surrounding the removal of British deserters from American-flagged vessels that ended with the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake-Leopard_Affair) in July 1807 and Douglas exchanged angry letters with the Mayor of Norfolk (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mayor_of_Norfolk&action=edit&redlink=1). Returning to Europe in 1808, Bellona was attached to the Channel Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Fleet) and in 1809 was part of the blockade fleet under Lord Gambier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gambier) that destroyed a number of French ships at the Battle of Basque Roads (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Basque_Roads). Moving to the North Sea in 1810, Douglas captured the privateer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer) L'Heros du Nord and in 1812 transferred to the 98-gun second rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_rate) HMS Prince of Wales (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Prince_of_Wales_(1794)) in the Mediterranean, where he remained for the rest of the war.
In 1814, Douglas was promoted to rear-admiral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_admiral_(Royal_Navy)) and from 1816 served as commander in chief of the Jamaica Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_Station_(Royal_Navy)), remaining in the post until 1817. Retiring from active service, Douglas continued to rise through the ranks, becoming a vice-admiral in 1825 and a full admiral in 1838.
He died aged 89 at Swallows near Watford (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford) in Hertfordshire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertfordshire) on 25 July 1847, leaving the considerable fortune of (£3,305,200 as of 2018) to his daughters.
Captain John Maitland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Maitland_(Royal_Navy_officer)).
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Maitland was born in Scotland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland) in 1771, the third son of Colonel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_(United_Kingdom)) the Honourable Richard Maitland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Maitland_(British_Army_officer)), who was himself the fourth son of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Maitland,_6th_Earl_of_Lauderdale&action=edit&redlink=1). His mother was Mary Maitland, née McAdam, of New York City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City). John Maitland was born into a substantial naval dynasty. His uncle was Frederick Lewis Maitland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Lewis_Maitland_(Captain)), who was a captain in the navy, and his first cousin was Frederick Lewis Maitland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Lewis_Maitland_(Rear_Admiral)), who reached the rank of rear-admiral. John Maitland also entered the navy, and by 1793 was a midshipman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midshipman) aboard John Jervis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jervis,_1st_Earl_of_St_Vincent)'s flagship (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagship) HMS Boyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boyne_(1790)). Maitland was involved in the attacks on the French colonies of Guadeloupe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadeloupe) and Martinique (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinique), often serving on shore with landing parties. In the assault on Fort Fleur d'Épée he was the first person over the walls, and came to the rescue of Captain Robert Faulknor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Faulknor_the_younger) when Faulknor was attacked by two Frenchmen. Maitland ran one through with a pike (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_(weapon)) and went on to kill another seven or eight of the garrison. During the attack on Pointe-à-Pitre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe-%C3%A0-Pitre), Guadeloupe, Maitland took over command of the landing parties as an acting-lieutenant when all of the more senior officers had been killed or incapacitated by wounds or exhaustion.
Command.
Lively and Kingfisher.
He received his commission as a lieutenant on 20 July 1794, and returned to serve in home waters, initially aboard the 32-gun frigate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate) HMS Winchelsea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Winchelsea_(1764)), under Lord Garlies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stewart,_8th_Earl_of_Galloway). Maitland then followed Garlies into the 32-gun frigate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate) HMS Lively (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Lively_(1794)), soon becoming her acting commander and sailing her to join Jervis's Mediterranean Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet_(United_Kingdom)). He continued to serve with considerable gallantry, capturing the French frigate Touterelle in 1795. An impressed Jervis promoted him to commander on 23 December 1796, appointing him to the sloop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloop-of-war) HMS Transfer (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Transfer_(1795)&action=edit&redlink=1). Maitland was moved to HMS Kingfisher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Kingfisher_(1782)) in April 1797, and took her to cruise off Portugal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal). On 1 August though he was almost the victim of a mutiny (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny). Taking a direct approach he gathered his officers and marines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marines) and attacked the mutineers with swords and cutlasses, killing and wounding several. This decisive action quashed the mutiny, and met with Jervis's approval. He described Maitland's actions as 'Doctor Maitland's recipe', and advised that it should be adopted in future instances of attempted mutiny. A further promotion for Maitland followed, he was made post-captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-captain) on 11 August 1797 and was given command of HMS San Nicolas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_San_Nicolas), one of the prizes captured by Nelson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson) at the Battle of Cape St Vincent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_St_Vincent_(1797)).
Channel duties.
Maitland sailed the San Nicolas to Britain, where she was paid off at Plymouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth) on her arrival, and Maitland went ashore. He married Elizabeth Ogilvy on 22 April 1799, and by 1800 had returned to active service aboard the 36-gun HMS Glenmore (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Glenmore_(1796)&action=edit&redlink=1) in the English Channel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel). He moved to the 38-gun HMS Boadicea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boadicea_(1797)) in 1803, and on 24 July 1803 he spotted the French 74-gun third-rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third-rate) Duguay-Trouin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Implacable_(1805)) and the 38-gun frigate Guerrière (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Guerriere_(1806)) sailing off Ferrol, Spain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrol,_Spain). Maitland decided to test whether the French ships were armed en flûte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_fl%C3%BBte) and were being used as troopships (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troopship), and closing to within range, opened fire. The French returned fire, revealing they were fully armed and manned, and Maitland broke off. The French pursued, but were unable to catch him. Maitland continued on in the Channel, but while sailing off Brest (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brest,_France) the Boadicea struck the Bas de Lis rock and was badly holed. She returned to Portsmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth) and was back on station eight days later, having spent just three days in dock. He went on to have a successful cruise, capturing the 12-gun French Vanteur, and several merchants.
Maitland and the Boadicea spent 1804 enforcing the blockade of Rochefort (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochefort,_Charente-Maritime), followed by a period in the North Sea and off the Irish coast (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland).
On 2 November he came across a squadron of four French ships of the line under Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Dumanoir_le_Pelley), that had escaped from the Battle of Trafalgar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar) two weeks previously. Maitland fired rockets to attract a nearby British squadron under Captain Sir Richard Strachan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Richard_Strachan,_6th_Baronet), but subsequently lost the French in fog. Strachan was able to make contact with the French thanks to Maitland, and after engaging them in the battle of Battle of Cape Ortegal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Ortegal), captured all of the French ships. A few days later Maitland spotted and gave chase to a French frigate, eventually breaking off after two days pursuit due to the nearness of the coast. He later learnt that the French frigate had run onto the island of Groix (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groix). In the autumn of 1806 Boadicea was employed protecting the whale fishery in the Davis Strait (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis_Strait). He escorted a convoy to Britain from Oporto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oporto), and followed this with service on the Irish station in 1807, blockading Le Havre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Havre). During this time the 14-gun French privateer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer) General Concleux was captured, and Maitland left the Boadicea in 1808. He was appointed to the 98-gun HMS Barfleur (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Barfleur_(1768)) in late 1813, spending the rest of the war aboard her in the Mediterranean.
Flag rank and later life.
Maitland married for the second time at Bath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath,_Somerset) on 8 January 1820, this time to Dora Bateman. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 19 July 1821 and died at Montagu Square (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagu_Square), London (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London) on 20 October 1836 at the age of 65.
Captain James Athol Wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Athol_Wood).
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Born in 1756, James Athol Wood was the third son of Alexander Wood (died 1778) of Burncroft, Perthshire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perthshire). He was younger brother of Sir Mark Wood, 1st Baronet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Mark_Wood,_1st_Baronet), and of Major-General Sir George Wood. First going to sea, for the East India Company (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company), in 1772, he entered the navy in September 1774, as able seaman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_seaman) on board the Hunter sloop on the coast of Ireland and afterwards on the North America station. In July 1776, as master's mate, he joined HMS Barfleur (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Britannia_(1762)), flagship of Sir James Douglas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_James_Douglas,_1st_Baronet) at Portsmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNB_Portsmouth).
In April 1777 he was moved into HMS Princess Royal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Princess_Royal_(1773)), the flagship of Sir Thomas Pye (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pye), and from her was lent to HMS Asia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Asia_(1764)), as acting lieutenant, during the spring of 1778. He rejoined his ship in time to go out with Vice-Admiral John Byron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Byron) to North America, where, on 18 October 1778, he was promoted to be lieutenant of the 50-gun ship HMS Renown (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Renown_(1774)), with Captain George Dawson.
After taking part in the Siege of Charleston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Charleston) in April 1780, the Renown returned to England; for some months Wood was employed in small vessels attached to the Channel Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Fleet), but in November 1781 he was appointed to the 64-gun ship HMS Anson (1781) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Anson_(1781)) with Captain William Blair, in which he was in the Battle of the Saintes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Saintes) on 12 April 1782, and continued till the peace. The next two or three years he passed in France, and then, accepted employment in merchant ships trading to the East Indies, and later on to the West Indies.
The West Indies and shipwreck off Madagascar.
When the fleet under Sir John Jervis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jervis,_1st_Earl_of_St_Vincent) (afterwards Earl of St. Vincent) arrived at Barbados (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbados) in January 1794, Wood happened to be there, and, offering his services to Jervis, was appointed to the flagship, the HMS Boyne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Boyne_(1790)). After the reduction of Martinique (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Martinique_(1794)) he was sent to France with the cartels (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cartel) in charge of the French prisoners; but on their arrival at Saint-Malo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Malo) in the end of May the ships were seized and Wood was thrown into prison. The order to send him to Paris, signed by Robespierre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilien_Robespierre) and other members of the committee of public safety (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_public_safety), was dated 13 Prairial (1 June), the very day of Lord Howe's victory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_First_of_June). In Paris he was kept in close confinement till April 1795, when he was released on parole and returned to England.
He was shortly afterwards exchanged, was promoted (7 July 1795), and was appointed to command the HMS Favourite (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Favourite_(1794)) sloop, which he took out to the West Indies. There he was sent under (Sir) Robert Waller Otway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Waller_Otway) to blockade St. Vincent and Grenada (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines). While engaged on this service he had opportunities of learning that Trinidad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad) was very insufficiently garrisoned; and after the reduction of the revolted islands he suggested to the commander-in-chief, Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Cloberry_Christian), the possibility of capturing it by an unexpected attack. Christian was on the point of going home and would not commit his successor (Sir) Henry Harvey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Harvey), to whom, on his arrival, Wood repeated his suggestion. Harvey sent him to make a more exact examination of the state of the island, and, acting on his report, took possession of it without loss. Of four ships of the line which were there, only half manned and incapable of defence, the Spaniards burnt three; Wood was appointed, by acting order, to command the fourth, and sent home with convoy. His captain's commission was confirmed, to date 27 March 1797.
Early in 1798 he was appointed to the frigate HMS '"Garland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sibyl_(1779)), which had been sent to the Cape of Good Hope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope) in February. He received information that a large French ship was sighted close in shore at Port Daupine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B4lanaro), Madagascar. Wood sailed there, but when still a mile off the Garland struck heavily on a sunken reef, and was irretrievably lost, 26 July. The French ship proved to be a merchantman, which Wood took possession of and utilised, together with a small vessel which he built of the timber of the wreck, to carry his men and stores to the Cape. Wood returned to England, where on 15 December 1798 he and his officers were acquitted at the court-martial for the loss of their ship.
In April 1802 he was appointed to the 40-gun HMS Acasta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Acasta_(1797)), which, on the renewal of the war in 1803, was attached to the fleet off Brest and in the Bay of Biscay under Admiral (Sir) William Cornwallis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cornwallis). In November 1804 the Acasta was sent out to the West Indies in charge of convoy, and there Sir John Thomas Duckworth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thomas_Duckworth), wishing to return to England in her, superseded Wood and appointed his own captain. As no other ship was available for Wood, he went home as a passenger in the Acasta, and immediately on arriving in England applied for a court-martial (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court-martial) on Duckworth, charging him with tyranny and oppression and also with carrying home merchandise. The court-martial, however, decided that, in superseding Wood, Duckworth was acting within his rights, and, as Duckworth denied that the goods brought home were merchandise, the charge was pronounced "scandalous and malicious." When Wood's brother Mark moved in the House of Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom) that the minutes of the court-martial should be laid on the table, the motion was negatived without a division.
Later years.
Public opinion, however, ran strongly in favour of Wood, and he was at once appointed to the Uranie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Uranie_(1788)), from which, a few months later, he was moved into HMS Latona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Latona_(1781)), again attached to the fleet off Brest, and again sent with convoy to the West Indies, where in January 1807 he was second in command under (Sir) Charles Brisbane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Brisbane) at the reduction of Curaçao (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao) — a service for which a gold medal was awarded to the several captains engaged.
In December 1808 Wood was moved into the 74-gun ship HMS Captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Captain_(1787)), in which he took part in the Invasion of Martinique (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Martinique_(1809)) in February 1809. In July he was transferred to HMS Neptune (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Neptune_(1797)), and sailed for England with a large convoy. On his arrival he was knighted, 1 November 1809, and in the following March he was appointed to the Pompee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pompee_(1793)), one of the Channel fleet, off Brest and in the Bay of Biscay. On 10 March 1812 broad off Ushant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushant) he sighted a French squadron some twelve miles distant. Of their nationality and force he was told by the frigate HMS Diana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Diana_(1794)) which had been watching them. It was then late in the afternoon, and when, about six o'clock, two other ships were sighted apparently trying to join the enemy's squadron, and that squadron wore towards him as though hoping to cut him off, Wood judged it prudent to tack and stand from them during the night. The night was extremely dark, and in the morning the French squadron was no longer to be seen; but the other two ships, still in sight, were recognised as English ships of the line.
The affair gave rise to much talk; Lord Keith (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Elphinstone,_1st_Viscount_Keith) was directed to inquire into it, and as his report was indecisive, the question was referred to a court-martial, which, after hearing much technical evidence—as to bearings, distances, and times—pronounced that Wood had been too hasty in tacking (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacking_(sailing)) from the enemy, and that he ought to have taken steps at once to ascertain what the two strange ships were; but also, that his fault was due to "erroneous impressions at the time, and not from any want of zeal for the good of his majesty's service." That the sentence was merely an admonition which left no slur on Wood's character is evident from the fact that he remained in command of the Pompée — sent to join Lord Exmouth's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth) flag in the Mediterranean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet) — till November 1815.
On 4 June 1815 he was nominated a C.B. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath); on 19 July 1821 he was promoted to be rear-admiral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-admiral).
He died at Hampstead (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampstead), apparently unmarried, in July 1829.
Captain Henry Heathcote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Heathcote).
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(20 January 1777 – 16 August 1851) was an officer of the Royal Navy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy) who served during the French Revolutionary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars) and Napoleonic Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Wars).
Heathcote was born into a gentry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentry) family in 1777, the son of a baronet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baronet). He entered the navy several years before the start of the French Revolutionary Wars, and after seeing action in the Mediterranean, was advanced to lieutenant in 1795. After several acting commands he became a post-captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-captain) but saw no further service until the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Wars). He took a frigate out to the West Indies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies), and achieved some successes against privateers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer). An attempt to cut out a moored privateer in 1804 ended in failure and heavy casualties after the French defenders were forewarned.
Heathcote then went out to the East Indies commanding a ship of the line. After service transporting the ambassadors to Persia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persia), he was based on the Indian coast. While there he took a bold decision to open despatches and then quit his post to deliver them to the station commanders, who were at the time involved in the Java Expedition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Java_(1811)). He was court-martialed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court-martial) for this, but though several charges were proved, he was judged to have acted in the service's best interests, and was acquitted. He went out to the Mediterranean late in the Napoleonic Wars, and commanded the inshore squadron during the blockade of Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulon).
He led one of the last attacks on the French Mediterranean Fleet at the Action of 5 November 1813 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_5_November_1813), and retired ashore after the end of the wars. He developed a new technique for hoisting staysails (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staysails), received further promotions, and a knighthood, while in retirement, before his death in 1851 at the rank of admiral.
Captain James Brisbane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brisbane).
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James Brisbane was born in 1774, the son of Admiral John Brisbane (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johan_Brisbane_(admiral)&action=edit&redlink=1) and the younger brother of future Admiral Charles Brisbane (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Brisbane).
In 1787 Brisbane went to sea aboard HMS Culloden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Culloden_(1783)) and by 1794 he was signal midshipman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midshipman) aboard Lord Howe's (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Howe,_1st_Earl_Howe) flagship HMS Queen Charlotte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Charlotte_(1790)). Brisbane served in this capacity at the Glorious First of June (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_First_of_June), where Queen Charlotte was heavily engaged and badly damaged. In the aftermath of the battle, Brisbane was promoted to lieutenant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant) and was sent to the Cape of Good Hope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope), later joining George Elphinstone (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Elphinstone)'s flagship HMS Monarch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Monarch_(1765)) and being present at the surrender of a Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saldanha_Bay).
Brisbane was promoted to commander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander) and given command of one of the captured Dutch ships, the sloop Sireene (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_sloop_Sireene_(1786)), which the Royal Navy renamed Daphne. When he she reached Plymouth in September 1797 the Navy paid-off Daphne and Brisbane was put on half-pay. Brisbane remained on half-pay until 1800; he married Jemima Ann Ventham shortly before he returned to sea in command of HMS Cruizer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cruizer_(1797)). Cruizer was attached to Sir Hyde Parker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Parker_(admiral))'s Baltic fleet on commissioning and Brisbane came under the direct command of Admiral Horatio Nelson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson), who used Cruizer to take soundings and make charts of the approaches to Copenhagen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen) prior to the British attack on the city at the Battle of Copenhagen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1801)). Brisbane impressed his superiors in this duty and in 1801 was made a post captain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_captain) and commanded HMS Saturn (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Saturn&action=edit&redlink=1) under Admiral Thomas Totty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Totty) until the admiral's death.
Between 1803 and 1805, Brisbane commanded the Kent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent) sea fencibles and in 1807 took command of HMS Alcmene (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Alcmene_(1794)) off Ireland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland). In 1809, he moved to HMS Belle Poule (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belle_Poule_(1806)), and commanded her in the Adriatic Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Sea) and Ionian Sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Sea) in the early stages of the Adriatic campaign of 1807–1814 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_campaign_of_1807%E2%80%931814). There Brisbane captured the French frigate Var (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_frigate_Var&action=edit&redlink=1) off Valona (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlor%C3%AB). He later participated in the capture of several of the Ionian Islands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Islands) and remained in the region until 1811, becoming an expert in coastal operations.
In late 1811 Brisbane took command of Vengeur (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vengeur_(1810)), and stayed with her for a year. He then transferred to the command of the newly built HMS Pembroke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pembroke_(1812)) in the Channel Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Fleet). In 1813 he returned to the Mediterranean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean), where he remained for the rest of the war.
In 1816, Pembroke was attached to the force under Lord Exmouth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew) that bombarded Algiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Algiers_(1816)) and on his return home, Brisbane was knighted (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Bachelor). He was already a Companion of the Order of the Bath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath), having been admitted to the order in 1815.
In 1825, Brisbane was made commander-in-chief of the East Indies Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indies_Station) and sailed there as commodore, arriving in 1826 and taking part in the latter stages of the First Anglo-Burmese War (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Burmese_War), in which he had some success in riverine operations.
During the campaign however he contracted a fatal illness and died from it at Penang (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang) in Malaya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya) late in 1826. Brisbane is remembered as a popular and capable commander whose expertise was focused on coastal and riverine operations, which he conducted with success throughout his career.
Captain Charles Grant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Grant_(Royal_Navy_officer)).
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Charles Grant was the son of Sir James Grant, 6th Baronet and Anne Colquhoun and lived at Cardonay in Scotland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland).
His early commands included HMS Abergavenny (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Abergavenny_(1795)) which he was given in November 1800. By 1810 he had taken charge of HMS Diana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Diana_(1794)). In December 1810 men from the Diana succeeded in boarding and setting fire to the French frigate Elize which had run aground at Tatihou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatihou) island while attempting to escape from La Hogue (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue) during the Action of 15 November 1810 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_15_November_1810). Captain Grant declined any assistance, preferring stealth over force. The British succeeded in boarding and setting fire to Elize without suffering any losses despite fire from shore batteries and nearby French brigs.
In January 1812 he was appointed to command HMS Armada (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Armada_(1810)). On 23 July 1813, the seas pushed Armada into range of French batteries at Borgidhero (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordighera). The batteries opened fire but the shots went over Armada. Armada landed her marines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Marines) who captured the eastern battery and then entered the battery on the point of Borgidhero after the French had tried to blow it up. The marines spiked the guns (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_hole). The landing party took fire from the nearby town so the frigates accompanying Armada fired on the town while the landing party burnt some vessels on the shore. Armada suffered two men wounded in the engagement. Armada also took part in the Action of 5 November 1813 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_5_November_1813) when part of the British Mediterranean Fleet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet) led by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Pellew,_1st_Viscount_Exmouth), and a French force under Rear-Admiral Julien Cosmao-Kerjulien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julien_Cosmao) clashed outside the French port of Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulon). He was appointed CB (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath) on 4 June 1815. He was appointed to the Naval Command at the Cape of Good Hope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope) with the rank of Commodore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_(Royal_Navy)) on 1 September 1821.
Grant was appointed Commander-in-Chief (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief) of the East Indies Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Indies_Station) in 1822. In that capacity he was appointed commander of a British naval force sent on an expedition to Burma (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma) in Spring 1824 to counter Burmese aggression against the East India Company (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company). The force included HMS Larne (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Larne_(1814)&action=edit&redlink=1) and HMS Sophie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sophie_(1809)). On 11 May 1824 Larne proceeded up the Irrawaddy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrawaddy_River) and having silenced a gun battery (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_battery), landed the troops who occupied Rangoon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoon) before proceeding further up river and then falling ill with cholera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera) and other diseases.
Grant fell mortally ill and departed for Penang (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang) but died there two months later.
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