A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Coghlan, Francis Rogers
COGHLAN. (Commander, 1843. f-p., 22; h-p., 18.)
Francis Rogers Coghlan is nephew of that intrepid veteran, the late Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, R.N., C.B. (1810), who died 4 March, 1844, at the age of 69.[1]
This officer entered the Navy, 18 May, 1807, as a Supernumerary, on board the Dædalus 32, Capt. Fred. Warren, and, on proceeding with convoy to the West Indies, obtained, 11 June following, a Midshipman’s berth on board the Elk 18, commanded by his uncle, Capt. J. Coghlan. After serving for some time in the Polyphemus 64, Capt. Wm. Pryce Cumby, he returned home with that officer in the Hyperion 36, early in 1812, and, then joining the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Pellew, witnessed, 5 Nov. 1813, a partial action with the French fleet off Toulon; immediately subsequent to which he became attached with his relative to the Alcmene 38, and assisted, 23 Dec. in the same year, at the capture of La Flêche national schooner, of 12 guns. Being promoted, 18 April, 1814, to a Lieutenancy in the Pylades 18, Capt. John Chas. Gawen Roberts, he sailed for the coast of North America, where he contributed to the capture of many of the enemy’s vessels, and was employed in the blockade of Newport, Rhode Island. The latter vessel having been paid off in July, 1815, Mr. Coghlan, on 4 July, 1816, joined the Minden 74, Capt. Wm. Paterson, then on the eve of her departure for Gibraltar, where, on his arrival, he assumed command of No. 23 gun-boat, and shared in the glories of Algiers. On his return to England in the Queen Charlotte 100, Lord Exmouth’s flag-ship, he was appointed, 19 Oct. 1816, to the Prometheus sloop, Capts. Wm. Bateman Dashwood and Constantine Rich. Moorsom, with whom he successively remained until paid off in Aug. 1818. His appointments afterwards were, to the command–10 July, 1832, of the Hornet 6, on the South American station–18 July, 1837, and 13 May, 1841, of the Lapwing and Linnet Falmouth packets–and, 28 June, 1843, of the Anson convict-hulk, at Hobart Town. Since his last promotion, which took place 2 Sept. 1843, Commander Coghlan has been unemployed.
He married, 4 Sept. 1830, Jane Matilda, only daughter of Fras. Henry Beall, Esq. Agents–Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Capt. Coghlan entered the Navy in Jan. 1796; and when he had been only four years and a half in the Service, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, as a reward for his heroism in having cut out, on the night of 29 July, 1800, with a single boat containing only 20 men, a fully prepared and desperately defended gun-brig, La Cerbère of 7[errata 1] guns and 87 men, moored with springs on her cables in a naval port of difficult access, within pistol-shot of three batteries, surrounded by several armed craft, and not a mile distant from a 74, bearing an admiral’s flag, and two frigates. Continuing his gallant career with equal fortune and success, he was further advanced to the rank of Commander 1 May, 1804, and on 27 Nov. 1810 to that of Post-Captain. He afterwards commanded the Caledonia, Sir Edward Pellew’s flag-ship, in a partial action with the Toulon fleet, 5 Nov. 1813, and the Alcmene frigate in a variety of detached services.