A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dashwood, Charles
DASHWOOD, K.C.B., G.C.T.S. (Vice-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p., 31; h-p., 37.)
Sir Charles Dashwood, born in 1765, is son of the late Robt. Dashwood, Esq., of Valla Wood, co. Somerset, who represented the senior branch of the family of Dashwood, from which also descend the present Sir Geo. Dashwood, Bart., and Sir John Dashwood King, Bart. He is grand-uncle of Lieut, K. D. Fowler, R.N. This officer entered the Navy, 9 Jan. 1779, as Midshipman (under the patronage of the Earl of Sandwich), on board the Courageux 74, Capt. Lord Mulgrave, on the Home station; served in the West Indies, from March, 1780, to Jan. 1782, in the Southampton frigate, and Grafton 74, both commanded by Capt. Gamier, under whom he witnessed the capture, 9 Aug. 1780, by a Franco-Spanish fleet, of a convoy of 5 East Indiamen, 18 transports, and about 60 sail of merchant-vessels; then joined the Formidable 98, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Bridges Rodney, to whom he acted as Aide-de-Camp in the battles of 9 and 12 April, 1782; and, during the next three years, served in the East Indies, latterly as Master’s Mate, on board the Cygnet sloop, Capt. Wm. Taylor, and Bristol 50, Commodore Chas. Hughes. On being paid off in 1787, Mr. Dashwood entered the packet-service at Falmouth, in which he continued about two years; and he then purchased and commanded a merchant-vessel, between London and Jamaica, until the renewal of hostilities in 1793. Obtaining a Midshipman’s berth, in March, 1794, on board the Impregnable 98, flag-ship in succession of Rear-Admirals Benj. Caldwell and Andw. Mitchell, he so distinguished himself on the ensuing 1 June, that he was promoted on 20 of that month to a Lieutenancy in the same ship. Mr. Dashwood’s next appointments were, 13 Aug. 1796, and 27 May, 1797, to the Defiance 74, Capt. Theophilus Jones, and Magnanime of 48 guns, Capt. Hon. Mich. De Courcy. In the latter ship, after rendering himself particularly obnoxious to the mutineers of the Nore by his resolute opposition to their designs, he assisted, 24 Aug. 1798, at the capture, off Cape Finisterre, of La Décade, French frigate of 36 guns. He was also present at the defeat, 12 Oct. following, of M. Bompart’s squadron, off the coast of Ireland – on which occasion he took possession of Le Hoche 74, received the French Commodore’s sword, and was placed in charge of La Coquille, one of the prize frigates, which he safely conducted into Plymouth. After further contributing, in the Magnanime, to the capture of several privateers, Mr. Dashwood was promoted, 2 Aug. 1799, to the command of the Sylph of 18 guns. In the following year, we find him employed, always within gun-shot distance of the batteries, in watching the movements of the enemy in Brest Harbour, and on one occasion, during a foggy night, making a gallant and hazardous, yet successful dash, to the rescue of the British frigate Alcmene, when that vessel, having drifted among the Black Rocks, had grounded, become high and dry, and been actually attacked by a flotilla of gunboats. At night, on 31 July and 28 Sept. 1801, while stationed off the north coast of Spain, Capt. Dashwood particularly signalized himself by his gallantry in twice beating off the French frigate L’Artémise, of 44 guns and 351 men : the first time, after a vigorous action of an hour and 20 minutes; and the second, after an equally stern conflict, of two hours and five minutes. On each occasion the Sylph, although her loss in men was trifling, suffered considerably in hull, masts, and rigging. Capt. Dashwood, who was rewarded for his conspicuous conduct by promotion to Post-rank 2 Nov. 1801, next obtained command, 28 Nov. 1803, of the Bacchante of 20 guns; in which ship, after convoying home a fleet from Oporto, he proceeded to the West Indies, where he captured, 3 April and 14 May, 1805, two Spanish vessels, La Elizabeth schooner of 10 guns and 47 men,[1] and Le Felix letter-of-marque of 6 guns and 42 men. While subsequently in command, from 21 Oct. 1805, until Jan. 1810, of La Franchise 36, he took El Carmen Spanish schooner, and the Brutus Dutch armed vessel – brought home from Jamaica a convoy of 109 sail under circumstances of great difficulty – accompanied Lord Gambier in his expedition against Copenhagen in Aug. and Sept. 1807 – returned in 1808 with convoy to the West Indies – took possession, in Dec. of that year, of the town of Samana, St. Domingo, almost the last port of refuge on the station for the enemy’s privateers[2] – and further captured Le Hazard, privateer, of. 4 guns and 50 men, and L’Iphigenie letter-of-marque, pierced for 18 guns. Removing next to the Pyramus 38, Capt. Dashwood took, in the Baltic, the Norsk Mod, Danish privateer, of 6 guns, 4 swivels, and 28 men; after which we find him, during the disastrous winter of 1811, commanding a squadron of 10 frigates and smaller vessels, left on that station by Sir Jas. Saumarez, to collect and bring home the remnant of Rear-Admiral Reynolds’ unfortunate convoy. On this occasion he took upon himself the responsibility of passing through the Malmo Channel, instead of the Great Belt, as he had been ordered, and thereby saved the whole from destruction. He afterwards made prize of eight American vessels, and on his transference, 15 Aug. 1812, to the Cressy 74, was presented with a piece of plate by the officers of the Pyramus. After serving for some time in the North Sea, under Admiral Wm. Young, Capt. Dashwood escorted a valuable convoy to the Leeward Islands, whence he returned with another of equal importance, the masters of which gave him a chronometer, for the very great attention he had paid them during the voyage. At the review, in the summer of 1814, of the fleet at Spithead he steered the royal barge; and on joining, 12 Aug. following, the Norge 74, he took part in the ensuing operar tions against New Orleans, where the unwearied and cheerful assistance he afforded Rear-Admiral Pulteney Malcolm in the debarkation of the army was officially reported by Sir Alex. Cochrane.[3] In 1821, Capt. Dashwood commanded the Windsor Castle 74, and Impregnable 104, as Flag-Captain of Sir Alex. Cochrane, Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth. He re-commissioned the former ship on 4 Jan. 1822; and being stationed off Lisbon during the rebellion in 1824, had the fortune of affording shelter to the fugitive Don John, who to commemorate the occasion bestowed a gold medal on each of the officers. The Vice-Admiral, who has been on half-pay since 1825, became a Rear-Admiral 22 July, 1830, and assumed his present rank 23 Nov. 1841.
Sir Chas. Dashwood was presented by Don John with the G.C.T.S., 28 March, 1825; he subsequently received the honour of knighthood; and, on 4 July, 1840, was nominated a K.C.B. He married, 7 Nov. 1799, the Hon. Elizabeth De Courcy, second daughter of Lord Kingsale, niece of Admiral Hon. Michael De Courcy, and aunt of the present Lord Kingsale. His two eldest sons, Charles Robert and John De Courcy, are both Lieutenants R.N. His youngest son, Francis, a Captain in the Hon.E.I.Co.’s Bengal Horse Artillery, died 21 Dec. 1845, from wounds received at the battle of Moodkee. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.