A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Earle, Edward Charles
EARLE. (Commander, 1844. f-p., 31; h-p., 9.)
Edward Charles Earle died, while in command of the Rapid, at Sierra Leone, from the effects of imprudently bathing, 11 April, 1845, at the age of 49.
This officer entered the Navy, 6 Feb. 1805, as Third-cl. Boy, on board the Ariadne 20, Capt. Hon. Edw. King, and, after participating in several warm encounters with the Boulogne flotilla, successively joined, as Midshipman and Acting-Lieutenant, on the West India and Newfoundland stations, the Alexandria 32, Capt. Hon. E. King, Melville and Pelorus, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Jas. Wm. King, Circe 32, Capt. John Chas. Woolcombe, Jason 32, Capt. Hon. Edw. King, Hazard 18, Capt. John Cookesley, Jason again, Capt. Hon. Jas. King, and Nemesis 28, armée en flûte, Capt. Hon. Jas. Ashley Maude. Being confiimed while in the latter vessel, 10 Sept. 1813, Mr. Earle was next appointed, 7 May, 1814, to the Devastation bomb, Capt. Thos. Alexander, under whom he shared in the taking of Fort Washington, was at the capitulation of Alexandria, contested warmly with the Americans on the return of the British down the Potomac, and co-operated in the attack upon Baltimore. He left the Devastation in June, 1815; joined, 6 May, 1824, the Meteor bomb, Capt. Jas. Scott, in the Mediterranean; and, from Oct. 1824 until 1831, served in the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, and Hyperion 42, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch, Hugh Pigot, and Wm. Jas. Mingaye. He then for three years commanded the Lion Revenue-cutter, at the end of which period he obtained charge of a station in the Coast Guard. He was afterwards, in June, 1839, and Dec. 1841, appointed to the successive command of the Adelaide, another Revenue-cruizer, and of the Rapid brig – the latter stationed off the coast of Africa, where, although promoted to the rank of Commander, 22 July, 1844, he continued until the hour of his death. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.