A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Denman, Edmund
DENMAN. (Capt., 1825. f-p., 24; h-p., 33.)
Edmund Denman died 6 July, 1846, at Knocker’s Knowle, near Devonport.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 April, 1790, as a Boy, on board the Royal George 100, Capt. Thos. Pringle, flag-ship in the Channel of the Hon. Sam. Barrington. He afterwards joined the Cambridge 80, bearing the flag at Plymouth of Sir Rich. Bickerton; and on his return from the West Indies in the Perseus 20, Capt. Geo. Palmer, obtained, in April, 1793, a Midshipman’s berth on board the Royal Sovereign 100, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Thos. Graves; under whom he figured in Lord Howe’s actions of 28 and 29 May and 1 June, 1794. In the same ship, under Vice-Admiral Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, Mr. Denman was subsequently present in that gallant officer’s celebrated retreat of 16 and 17 June, 1795. He was promoted, 14 June, 1796, to a Lieutenancy in the Trusty 50, Capt. John Osborn, at the Cape of Good Hope; and was afterwards appointed – 11 Dec. 1798, to the Saturn 74, Capt. Thos. Totty – 3 July, 1799, to the Windsor Castle 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Chas. Cotton – and 24 April, 1800, to the Jason 36, Capt. Hon. John Murray, all on the Home station; where, as Senior Lieutenant of the latter ship, he was wrecked and taken prisoner 21 July, 1801. Mr. Denman, who had been frequently employed in cutting out vessels under the enemy’s batteries, next became, 9 April, 1803, and 14 May, 1808, First-Lieutenant, on the Home and Jamaica stations, of the Plantagenet 74, Capts. Graham Eden Hamond, Hon. Michael De Courcy, Francis Pender, and Wm. Bradley, and of the Polyphemus 64, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Bartholomew Sam. Rowley. In June, 1809, we find him commanding the night guard-boats of the squadron employed under the orders of Capt. Wm. Pryce Cumby at the blockade of St. Domingo; and, at the commencement of the following month, acquiring the warm thanks of Major-General Carmichael for his uncommon zeal and exertions in command of a detachment of seamen, landed to cooperate with the troops preparatory to the surrender of that city by the French.[1] On 17 Feb. 1810, Capt. Denman was confirmed in the command of the Shask sloop, in which vessel, and in the Challenger, Sappho , and Sparrow, he alternately served until March, 1811, when his health obliged him to invalid. Being next appointed to the command, 7 June, 1814, of the Redpole 10, he had the honour of conveying from England to the Continent, among other illustrious personages, the Hereditary Prince of Orange, the Crown Prince of Bavaria, the Princes Charles and William of Brunswick, Prince Paul of Wirtemburg, and the present King of the French, then Duke of Orleans. He was also in the same vessel intrusted with the command of a light squadron stationed in the river Scheldt for the protection of Cadsand; and towards the close of 1815, when he was paid off, he brought home the despatches of Rear-Admiral Cockburn announcing the safe arrival of Buonaparte at St. Helena. Capt. Denman was subsequently nominated, 25 March, 1819, Superintending-Commander of the Ordinary at Plymouth, which office he creditably filled for the accustomed period of three years. He was advanced to Post-rank 27 May, 1825; but was not again employed.
Capt. Denman had, with other issue, a daughter, Maria Louisa Hume, who married, in 1842, the present Sir Thos. Turton, Bart., of Starborough Castle, co. Surrey. Agent – John P. Muspratt.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1415.