A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Copeland, Richard
COPELAND. (Capt., 1838. f-p., 21; h-p., 21.)
Richard Copeland, born 5 March, 1792, is son of the late John Copeland, Esq., Surgeon of the 7th Fusileer Guards, and Staff Surgeon to H.R.H. the late Duke of Kent when Governor of Nova Scotia. This gentleman, together with his wife and youngest son, was lost in the Frances transport, off Sable Island, in Dec. 1799.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Jan. 1805 (under the auspices of Queen Charlotte and the Princess Augusta), as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Medusa 36, Capt. Sir John Gore; and, on removing to the Revenge 74, commanded by the same Captain, and subsequently by Hon. Chas. Paget, witnessed the capture of four French frigates by Sir Sam. Hood’s squadron off Rochefort 25 Sept. 1806; and was further present, in 1809, at the destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads and the siege of Flushing. In Sept. 1810, he rejoined Sir John Gore, as Midshipman, in the Tonnant 80; and, after serving for some time with the British army in the Tagus, and with Capt. Jas. Brisbane in the Belle Poule 38, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 11 Dec. 1811. From 11 Feb. 1812, until wrecked, off the mouth of the Courantine river, 8 March, 1815, Mr. Copeland next served on board the Cygnet 18, Capt. Robt. Russell; and, being awarded a second promotal commission 13 June following, was afterwards appointed, 7 Sept. 1825, and 4 Feb. 1830, to the command of the Mastiff and Meteor alias Beacon surveying-vessels, on the Mediterranean station. While at Gibraltar on one occasion he seized a notorious pirate; and, in 1834, he took captive, near Thasos, another famous marauder, Kara Mitzos, with 160 of his men, all of whom were delivered over to the Greek government. Being, however, liberated without trial, these plunderers resumed their former atrocities with redoubled zest, and, falling again into the hands of Capt. Copeland, were sent to the Pacha of Thessalonica, by whom they were executed. The subject of this sketch, who has been on half-pay since Feb. 1836, was promoted to Post-rank, at the instance of Her Majesty, 28 June, 1838.
He has published ‘An Introduction to the Practice of Nautical Surveying, and the Construction of Sea Charts, &c.,’ translated from the French of C. F. Beautems Beaupré, Hydrographer of the French Marine.