A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Parker, Charles Christopher
PARKER, Bart. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 13; h-p., 30.)
Sir Charles Christopher Parker, born 16 June, 1792, is third and only surviving son of the late Christ. Parker, Esq., Vice-Admiral of the Blue,[1] by Augusta Barbara Charlotte, daughter of Admiral Hon. John Byron, grand-daughter of the fourth Lord Byron, and aunt of the poet. Sir Charles is grandson of the late Sir Peter Parker, Bart., Admiral of the Fleet;[2] great-grandson of Rear-Admiral Christ. Parker (1749), who entered the Navy towards the close of the seventeenth century, commanded the Speedwell in 1712, and the Torbay 80 in 1739, and died in 1763; and cousin of the late Admiral Sir Geo. Parker, K.C.B. His eldest brother, Sir Peter Parker, Bart., after a gallant career, was killed on shore, while Captain of the Menelaus 38, in a sanguinary affair with the Americans at Bellair, near Baltimore, 30 Aug. 1814; and his second brother, John Edm. Geo., whom he succeeded in the Baronetcy 18 Nov. 1835, was a Captain in the Royal Artillery. His nephew. Sir Peter Parker, Bart., only son of the last-mentioned Sir Peter, was a Commander R.N. (1834), and died 17 March, 1835. Sir Charles is brother-in-law of Colonel Chas. Parker Ellis, late of the Grenadier Guards.
This officer entered the Navy, 18 June, 1804, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Glory 98, Capt. Geo. Martin, whom he accompanied, towards the close of the same year, into the Barfleur 98. In those ships he served with the Channel Fleet until June, 1805. Being then received on board the Weasel 18, commanded by his brother, Capt. Peter Parker, he proceeded, after having narrowly escaped shipwreck, to join Lord Nelson off Cadiz. On the departure of the enemy’s fleet from that harbour immediately prior to the battle of Trafalgar, the Weasel was the first vessel that observed their outward movement; and she was only prevented from acting a part in the glorious scene that followed by the mortifying circumstance of being forthwith despatched to communicate the event to the ships at Gibraltar. So chagrined was her brave Commander at this disappointment that he actually shed tears on the quarter-deck. Mr. Parker continued to serve with his brother in the Melpomène 38 until March, 1806; in the course of which month he was transferred, as Midshipman, to the Eagle 74, Capt. Chas. Rowley. He bad been previously present in a violent storm, which had left the Melpomène for five days without a rudder. On joining the Eagle, he soon became engaged in a variety of operations on the coast of Italy, where, in May, 1806, it was his fortune to witness the capture of the island of Capri and the defence of the fortress of Gaeta. On the return home of the Eagle in the spring .of 1809, Mr. Parker obtained a berth on board the St. George 98, bearing the flag in the Baltic of Rear-Admiral Fras. Pickmore, under whom during the remainder of the year he was arduously employed; We may observe too that he suffered very severely from the effects of the climate, and that on one occasion while at the maintop he was so stiffened by the cold as to render it necessary for him to be lowered by a rope. In the early part of 1810 he returned with Sir Chas. Cotton to the Mediterranean in the San Josef 110; and in June of that year he accomplished his probationary term of servitude as Midshipman. Owing, however, to a recent Order in Council, retrospective in its operation, by virtue of which it was settled that no officer should be considered eligible for the receipt of a commission until he had attained the age of 19, Mr. Parker, being then only 18, was obliged to submit to the delay of another year before he could obtain leave to pass his examination. During the greater part of that period, although only holding the rating of Midshipman, he was allowed nevertheless to perform the duties of Lieutenant on board the Unité 36, Capt. Patrick Campbell. While so attached, we find him frequently employed on boat-service on the coast of France and Italy, particularly on one occasion, when he took part, and gained the warmest approbation of his Captain for his conduct, in an attack upon a convoy under the batteries of Cape Talliat. At another time, while the Unité was working in for the purpose of lowering her boats during some hostile operations against the town of Cotrone, he fell from the quarter-deck into the gun-room, and sustained so much injury in the head that the effects have since materially debilitated his constitution. On at length passing his examination, 17 June, 1811, Mr. Parker, then on board the Téméraire 98, bearing the flag of his friend Rear-Admiral Pickmore, was by Sir Chas. Cotton made, the same day. Lieutenant into his own flag-ship the San Josef. In the following Aug. he went on half-pay for the recovery of his health; but in the spring of 1812 he resumed the active duties of his profession, and again joined his brother on board the Menelaus 38; in which ship it appears he was present when, having pursued the French 40-gun frigate Pauline and 16-gun brig Ecureuil under the batteries of Toulon, she effected a masterly retreat from the fleet that had come out to their protection, by passing through its line ahead of one 74 and astern of another. This affair took place in May, 1812; and about the same period Mr. Parker removed to the Malta 80, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Benj. Hallowell. In 1813 he assisted at the siege of Tarragona. He was next advanced to the rank of Commander 5 April, 1815, having been nominated by Admiral Pickmore to one of his hauling-down vacancies; and he was afterwards, from 17 July, 1819, until promoted to his present rank, 23 April, 1822, employed in the Harlequin 18, on the Irish station. He has since been on half-pay.
Sir Chas. Christ. Parker married, 19 Sept. 1815 Miss Georgiana Ellis Parker, Agents – Hallett and Robinson,
- ↑ Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker, when commanding the Lowestoffe frigate, led the squadron, and distinguished himself in a successful attack made about 1778, in pursuance of a plan conceived by his father. Sir Peter, on the formidable fortress of St. Fernando de Omoa, on the Coast of South America. Towards the close of the French revolutionary war his own flag and that of his father were flying at the same time at Spithead – the only instance of the kind, we believe, on record. He died 26 May, 1804.
- ↑ Admiral Sir Peter Parker was born in 1721. He was made a Lieutenant in 1743, and a Post-Captain in 1749. In the latter capacity he commanded the Margate frigate, Woolwich 44, Bristol 50, Montagu 64, Buckingham 70, Terrible 74, and Barfleur 90. For services rendered previously to the year 1772, he received the honour of Knighthood. Being appointed in 1775 to the command on the North American station, he hoisted a broad pendant on board his former ship, the Bristol, and sailed with a squadron to co-operate with the loyalists in South Carolina. On 28 June, 1776, Sir Peter made a tremendous attack upon the batteries of Charlestown, which was as furiously resisted. The conflict continued throughout the day, and the enemy’s firing was at times silenced, but as the troops, commanded by General Clinton, were unable from some cause to effect a landing, the expedition failed. The carnage on board the ships was terrific; in the Bristol alone the loss amounted to 40 killed and 70 wounded. In the course of the same year Sir Peter Parker co-operated in an attack upon Long Island, and reduced Rhode Island. In 1777, on his promotion to flag-rank, he was promoted to the chief command on the Jamaica station, where he remained until 1782. In Dec. of that year he was created a Baronet of Great Britain. He became a Vice-Admiral in 1779, and a full Admiral in 1787; he was appointed Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth in 1793; and on the death of Earl Howe in 1799 [errata 1], he was made Admiral of the Fleet and a General of Marines, For some years prior to the commencement of the French revolutionary war Sir Peter sat in Parliament as M.P. for the borough of Maldon, We may add, that when in command at Jamaica he waa the first to discern the merits of Nelson and Collingwood, who, to the liberal patronage he in consequence afforded them, were solely indebted for their advancement in early life. The Admiral died 21 Dec. 1811.