A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Patton, Robert
PATTON. (Captain, 1827. f-p., 12; h-p., 31.)
Robert Patton, born in 1791, is son of the late Retired Captain Chas. Patton, R.N.;[1] and first-cousin of Capt. Hugh Patton, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Feb. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Utrecht 64, Capt. John Wentworth Loring, bearing the flag in the Downs of his uncle Vice-Admiral Philip Patton. In the following June he removed as Midshipman to the Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin, lying at Portsmouth; and on being received, next, into the Bellerophon 74, Capts. John Loring, John Cooke, and Edw. Rotheram, he was afforded an opportunity of participating, 21 Oct. 1805, in the battle of Trafalgar. After having served for three years and nine months in the Niobe 40, commanded by his old Captain, J. W. Loring, under whom, during that period, he had assisted at the capture of Le Néarque corvette of 16 guns, he became Master’s Mate, in Nov. 1809, of the Polyphemus 64, Capts. Wm. Pryce Cumby and Thos. Graves, of which ship, stationed at Jamaica, he was nominated, 26 Aug. 1810, an Acting-Lieutenant. He was confirmed 13 Nov. following, and was subsequently appointed – 26 April, 1811, for five months, to the Dispatch sloop, Capt. Jas. Aberdour, also in the West Indies – 29 July, 1812, to the Doterel 18, Capt. Wm. Westcott Daniel, successively employed in the Channel, the West Indies, and North America – and, in April, 1813, and Nov. 1814, to the Loire 40 and Junon 38, Capts. Thos. Brown and Clotworthy Upton, both on the station last named, where he performed, in both ships, the duties of First-Lieutenant. Attaining the rank of Commander 13 June, 1815, he served in that capacity from 3 May, 1826, until posted, 30 April, 1827, in the Trinculo 18, on the Cork station. The latter was his last appointment. He accepted the Retirement in 1847.
Capt. Patton was presented with the honorary medallion of the Royal Humane Society 13 April 1826.
- ↑ Capt. Chas. Patton was made a Lieutenant 17 Feb. 1780, a Commander 25 Sept. 1781, and a Post-Captain 30 May, 1 795. During the whole of the late war he was in superintendence of the Transport department at Plymouth, and acquitted himself of his duties in a manner that gained him the esteem of all who were employed under him, at the same time that it yielded unqualified satisfaction to the Board of Admiralty and the Commander-in-Chief at the port. He was the author of a work entitled ‘An Attempt to establish the Basis of Freedom on simple and unerring_Principles,’ 8vo., published in 1793; and of another called ‘The Effects of Property upon Society and Government;’ to which was added, by his brother, Admiral Philip Patton, ‘An Historical Beview of the Monarchy and Republic of Rome,’ 8vo. 1797.