A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Kempthorn, Charles Henry
KEMPTHORN. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 24; h-p., 16.)
Charles Henry Kempthorn, born 12 Oct. 1792, is son of the late Capt. T. Kempthorn.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 Nov. 1807, as Ordinary, on board the Amphion 32, Capt. Wm. Hoste, with whom he served, nearly the whole time as Midshipman, until paid off in Aug. 1811. He was consequently present in that frigate on 12 May, 1808, in a very spirited engagement of many hours with several batteries in the bay of Rosas, in an attempt to cut out the French 800-ton store-ship Baleine, mounting from 20 to 30 guns, with a crew of 150 men. He also, on 23 April, 1809, served with the boats of the Amphion, Spartan, and Mercury, under Lieut. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, at the capture of 13 valuable merchantmen lying in the mole of Pesaro; and on 27 Aug. following he was employed with a detachment, commanded by the same officer, at the storming of the strong fort of Cortelazzo, near Trieste, the capture of which occasioned the simultaneous surrender, within sight of the Italian squadron off Venice, of six of the enemy’s gun-boats and a large convoy of merchant-trabaocolos anchored for protection under its walls.[1] Besides participating in similar affairs at Biseglia, Umago, and other places, it was Mr. Kempthorn’s lot to be Senior Midshipman of the Amphion in the famous action of 13 March, 1811, off Lissa, where a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, completely routed, after a battle of six hours, and a loss to the above ship of 15 men killed and 47 wounded, a Franco-Venetian armament, whose force amounted to 284 guns and 2655 men. On leaving the Amphion he joined the Pylades 18, Capt. Geo. Ferguson, likewise in the Mediterranean, where, becoming Signal-Mate of the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, he served in that capacity in the partial action fought with the Toulon fleet 5 Nov. 1813. He attained the rank of Lieutenant on 25 Dec. in the latter year, and in the course of 1814, after having served on shore as Naval Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Sir Henry Montressor during the operations against Genoa, joined the Bacchante 38, Capt. Fras. Stanfell, on the North American station, whence he returned home and was paid off in July, 1815. Since 7 July, 1831, he has been in charge of a station in the Coast Guard.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1907.