A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lancaster, Robert Daniell
LANCASTER. (Lieut., 1805. f-p., 20; h-p., 31.)
Robert Daniell Lancaster was born 6 Oct. 1783 or 1784.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 Aug. 1796, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Duke 98, Capt. John Holloway, and was afterwards, until Sept. 1802, employed with the same Captain and with Capts. Sampson Edwards, Geo. Parker, Erasmus Gower, and Bridges Watkinson Taylor, chiefly as Midshipman, in the St. George 98, Santa Margarita 36, and Porcupine 22, on the Channel, Mediterranean, and West India stations. He next, in April, 1803, and Nov. 1804, joined the San Josef 110, bearing the flag off Brest of Sir Chas. Cotton, and Nimrod 18, Capt. Orde, attached to the force in the West Indies, where, on 26 Feb. 1805, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to the command of the Nelly schooner, in which vessel he was shortly afterwards sent home with despatches. His succeeding appointments were – 10 April, 1805, to the Malabar 50, Capts. Robt. Hall, John Ayscough, and Geo. Scott, stationed in the North Sea and West Indies – 16 Aug. 1806 and 27 Feb. 1809, to the command of the Phosphorus fire-brig, and Lyra Impress-tender, employed off Boulogne and at North Shields and Sheerness – in 1812 or 13, to the Basilisk 12, Capt. Geo. French, lying at Hamoaze – 21 June, 1814, and 27 Nov. 1818, to the command of the Landrail schooner and Serapis convalescent ship – and, lastly, 26 March, 1819, to the Ordinary at Plymouth, where he remained until April, 1822. While in the Malabar, Mr. Lancaster served, in the boats of that ship and the Wolf 18, at the destruction, on the coast of Cuba, 2 Jan. 1806, of the two French privateers Le Régulateur and Napoléon, of 5 guns each, and a crew united of 146 men, after a well-contested action of an hour and three-quarters. During his command of the Lyra he made suggestions to the Admiralty relative to the Impress service which caused a saving in one port alone of 3000l. per annum, and for which he obtained their Lordships’ thanks. On 12 July, 1814, being then in the Landrail, which vessel carried only 4 12-pounder carronades and 19 men, Mr. Lancaster had the misfortune to be captured by the American privateer-schooner Syren (mounting 1 long 18-pounder on a travelling-carriage, 4 long 6-pounders and 2 18-pounder carronades, with a crew of 75 men), at the end of a running fight of one hour and 10 minutes, and a close action, within pistol-shot, of 40 minutes, in all 2 hours. This strenuous and most gallant resistance on the part of the Landrail was the occasion of a loss to herself of 7 men wounded, and to her antagonist of 3 men killed and 15 wounded. Her brave commander was in consequence detained a captive in America until the conclusion of the war.
Mr. Lancaster is the Senior Lieutenant of 1805. His eldest son, John James Lancaster, Esq., M.D., is a Surgeon in the R.N. (1835). Agents – Hallett and Robinson.