A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Carpenter, Edward John
CARPENTER. (Captain, 1846. f-p., 17; h-p., 17.)
Edward John Carpenter is son of the late Wm. Carpenter, Esq., of Toft Monks, co. Norfolk, by Louisa, sister of the late Rear-Admiral Sir Edw. Berry, Bart., the distinguished companion in arms of the immortal Nelson, with whom he fought in the action off Cape St. Vincent, also as his Flag-Captain at the battle of the Nile, and in command of the Agamemnon at Trafalgar. Sir Edw. Berry, who was on board the Leander 50 when that ship was taken, after a deadly resistance, by the French 74 Le Généreux, further commanded the Foudroyant 80, at the memorable capture of Le Guillaume Tell, and the Agamemnon in Sir John Duckworth’s action with the French fleet off St. Domingo.
This officer entered the Navy, 15 Oct. 1813, on board the Barfleur 98,[1] commanded in the Mediterranean by his gallant uncle, Sir E. Berry; on his removal with whom to the Royal Sovereign yacht, we find him employed in attendance upon the Allied Sovereigns on the occasion of their visit to this country. After an interval of rather more than three years, part of which period was passed at the Royal Naval College, he re-embarked, 20 Oct. 1817, on board the Inconstant frigate, Capt. Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo, stationed on the coast of Africa, where he served until his return home in Sept. 1818. After a further employment of more than five years on the East India and North America and West India stations, on board the Phaeton 46, Capts. Wm. Henry Dillon, Sir Wm. Augustus Montagu, and Henry Evelyn Pitfield Sturt, Mr. Carpenter – who had passed his examination 9 Oct. 1821, and had contributed, in the early part of 1823, to the capture, during an arduous boat-cruize off the island of Cuba, of two piratical vessels – rejoined the Royal Sovereign, then commanded by Sir Michael Seymour, from which vessel he was promoted, on the consummation of a particular service, performed with the Lords of the Admiralty on board, to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 10 Aug. 1824. From 9 March, 1825, until detained at Malta as a witness on the trial of some pirates, 20 Feb. 1827, he next served on the Mediterranean station, in the Gannet 18, Capt. Fras. Brace. He attained the rank of Commander 30 April in the latter year; and after an interval of half-pay, one year of which was devoted, with the permission of their lordships, to the study of the higher branches of mathematics at the Royal Naval College, was appointed, 3 Dec. 1834, to the Scylla 16, in which sloop he appears to have been employed in the West Indies until paid off, 10 April, 1836. Capt. Carpenter’s last appointment was to the command, 13 Dec. 1841, of the Geyser steam-sloop, again in the Mediterranean. He was advanced to Post-rank on the paying off of that vessel, 2 July, 1846, and has not since been afloat.
Capt. Carpenter took out a patent, in June, 1840, for a new mode of propelling vessels by means of blades or fans placed on each quarter of a vessel submerged, working on the principle of a screw. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
- ↑ The Barfleur formed part of a fleet under Sir Edward Pellew, and was much damaged in an encounter with the enemy off Toulon 13 Feb. 1814.