A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Markland, John Duff

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MARKLAND, C.B., K.L.A. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 19; h-p., 33.)

John Duff Markland, born 14 Sept. 1780, at Leeds, is son of Edw. Markland, Esq., of that place (a descendant of the Marklands of Wigan, co. Lancaster, located there as far back as the reign of Edw. III.), by Elizabeth Sophia, second daughter of Josiah Hardy, Esq., H.M. Consul at Cadiz, and formerly Governor of the Jerseys in North America. He is nephew, by marriage, of Capt. John Cooke, R.N., who fell in command of the Bellerophon 74 at Trafalgar; first-cousin of Capts. G. W. H. D’Aeth and J. H. Godby, also of the R.N.; and a relative of Commander T. P. Le Hardy, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 27 May, 1795, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hebe frigate, Capt. Paul Minohin, stationed in the Channel; and in the following July became Midshipman of La Tourterelle 28, commanded by his uncle Capt. Cooke; whom, after cruizing for eight months on the Cork station in the Seahorse 33, Capts. John Peyton and Rott. Dudley Oliver, he rejoined, in Aug. 1796, on board La Nymphe 36. On 9 of the following March we find him assisting, in company with the San Fiorenzo 36, at the capture of the French frigates La Résistance of 48, and La Constance of 24 guns. On leaving La Nymphe, which ship had been latterly commanded by Capt. Percy Fraser, Mr. Markland, in April, 1798, joined the Royal George 100, bearing the flag at Portsmouth of Lord Bridport, with whom he remained until again placed, in April, 1799, under the orders of Capt. Cooke on board the Amethyst 38. While cruizing in that vessel in the Bay of Biscay and off the north coast of Spain, he was afforded an opportunity of contributing to the capture of L’Aventure French privateer of 14 guns and 75 men, Le Vaillant cutter of 15 guns and 131 men, and Le Mars ship of 22 guns and 100 men; and of witnessing the surrender of La Dédaigneuse frigate of 36 guns and 300 men. On 8 Jan. 1801 he was made Lieutenant into the Malta 80, Capt. Albemarle Bertie, on the Channel station, where he served until April 1802. His next appointment was, 29 Nov. in the latter year, to the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferrier, under whom, it appears, he aided in taking, off Brest, 28 May, 1803, La Franchise French frigate, and, in the Bay of Bengal, in the following Jan., La Clarisse corvette. In Dec. 1805, after he had been for nearly two years First-Lieutenant of the Albion, he invalided home on board the Tremendous 74, Capt. John Osborne; and on his arrival he had the satisfaction of finding that he had been promoted to the rank of Commander by commission dated 22 Jan. 1806. Obtaining an appointment, 12 April, 1808, to the Bustard 16, Capt. Markland was at first employed in that vessel off Boulogne and was then ordered to the Mediterranean. On 29 July, 1809, being at the time in the Adriatic, he coalesced with the Acorn sloop, and the boats of the Excellent 74, and elicited the highest admiration of Capt. John West, the senior officer on the station, by the masterly manner in which he led into the little-known harbour of Duino, near Trieste, and by his well-directed fire assisted in capturing six heavy gun-boats belonging to the Italian marine, and 10 coasting traders, laden with brandy, flour, rice, and wheat.^[1] At the commencement of July, 1810, the Bustard took and destroyed nine of the enemy’s vessels in a harbour on the east side of Calabria; and during the next three months her Captain was intrusted with the command of the sloops of war stationed in the Faro of Messina for the purpose of protecting Sicily from the threatened invasion of Joachim Murat, whose army, consisting of nearly 40,000 men, was encamped on the opposite shore, and who had collected more than 80 gun and mortar boats between Scylla and Reggio. He was thrown in consequence into frequent action with the enemy’s land-batteries and flotilla, and rendered such good service^[2] that he not only obtained the repeated thanks of Rear-Admiral Geo. Martin, but, on 5 Feb, 1811, a few days after his removal to the Éclair 18, was nominated by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Chas. Cotton, although personally unknown to him. Captain of the Ville de Paris 110, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Fras. Fremantle, whom he followed, in the course of the same year, into the Rodney and Milford 74’s. Capt. Markland’s confirmation to Post-rank took place while he was in the Rodney, 18 April, 1811. Joining in all the operations of 1813 in the Adriatic, he assisted in reducing the town of Fiumé, where, as soon as the batteries had been silenced, he proceeded with the armed boats and dislodged the enemy from their last stronghold. He also landed at Porto Ré;^[3] was very active in exciting a spirit of revolt against their oppressors among the inhabitants of the different islands at the head of the Adriatic; beheld the fall of Rovigno, Piran, and Capo d’Istria; landed, with Capt. Jas. Black of the Weasel sloop, and, by a coup-de-main, took possession of the arsenal at Trieste, destroying its guns, and sawing into many pieces the keel and stern-post of a large frigate; and, during the operations which led to the surrender of the citadel at the latter place, was again employed on shore, and called forth the thanks of Rear-Admiral Fremantle for having in every way exerted himself, particularly in the arrangements of stores and provisions.^[4] Resigning command of the Milford 31 Oct. 1813, Capt. Markland, in the ensuing Dec, returned to England with despatches from the last-mentioned officer. He was rewarded for his services by being nominated a C.B. 4 June, 1815; and in 1816, “in testimony of his Imperial Majesty’s approbation of the distinguished services rendered by him at the capture of Trieste, and the other operations in Italy during the campaign of 1813,” he was presented with the Cross of the Order of Leopold of Austria. His last appointment was, 28 April, 1830, to the command (which he retained until paid off in Jan. 1833) of the Briton 46, employed on particular service. He obtained the Captains’ Good Service pension 19 Feb, 1842, and accepted his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.

The Rear-Admiral married, 8 March, 1814, Helen Ellery, eldest daughter of Lewis Dymocke Grosvenor Tregonwell, Esq., of Cranbourn Lodge, co. Dorset, by whom he has issue one son and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co,

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1. Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1931.
2. During his command of the Bustard Capt. Markland took, in the whole, 25 vessels, and destroyed 39, including some armed feluccas, which, with the assistance of the Halcyon sloop, were altogether annihilated under Cape del Arme, where they were for a long time defended by their crews, some soldiers, and the neighbouring peasantry. – Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1859.
3. Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 2009.
4. Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 2478.