A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Renwick, Thomas
RENWICK. (Captain, 1817. f-p., 21; h-p., 37.)
Thomas Renwick entered the Navy, in 1789, as a Volunteer, on board the Colossus 74, Capt. Hugh Cloberry Christian, guard-ship at Portsmouth. In Jan. 1791 he was received on board the Brunswick 74, Capts. Sir Roger Curtis and John Harvey, attached to the Channel fleet; and on 29 May and 1 June, 1794, he fought in Lord Howe’s actions with Admiral Villaret Joyeuse. On the latter occasion the Brunswick was opposed by the Vengeur 74; and so fierce was the contest that raged between these two ships that the former was quite disabled, and the latter, who, towards the close of the conflict, received half a broadside from the Ramillies 74, went down. After serving for about 15 months on board the Minotaur 74, and Prince George 98, flag-ships of Rear-Admirals John M‘Bride and Hood Hanway Christian, he was placed, 14 Nov. 1795, in command, with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant, of L’Éclair 12, lying at Portsmouth. On 17 of the same month he was confirmed a Lieutenant; and on 7 of the ensuing Dec. he received an appointment to the St. Fiorenzo of 42 guns, Capts. Sir Harry Burrard Neale and Wm. Chas. Paterson. In that ship he assisted, in company with La Nymphe 36, and was warmly recommended for his conduct, at the capture of La Résistance of 48 guns, and La Constance of 24 guns, 9 March, 1797.[1] He was on board of her when, to her honour, she passed, uncontaminated, through the mutinous fleet at the Nore; and also, 9 April, 1799, in a very warm action of nearly two hours, in which, with her consort the Amelia 38, she defeated a French squadron, consisting of three frigates and a gun-vessel. Quitting the St. Fiorenzo in April, 1801, he next, in Feb. 1804, became Senior of the Tribune 36, Capts. Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett and Thos. Baker, stationed in the Channel and North Sea. In May, 1806, he was appointed, in the same capacity, to the Fame 74, Capt. K. H. A. Bennett; but that ship being at sea, and his promotion to the rank of Commander taking place before she returned (his commission as such bearing date 25 Sept. 1806), he never joined her. His last appointments were – 16 May and 18 Aug. 1808, to the Combatant and Mercurius sloops of 18 guns each – the former stationed in the river Weser. While in the Mercurius, in which vessel he remained until Sept. 1815, he was chiefly employed on convoy service, and escorted about 2000 vessels to the White Sea, the Baltic, and every part of the North Sea. Of these not one was at any time either captured or lost. On one occasion, in April, 1813, Capt. Renwick conducted in safety a fleet of between 400 and 500 sail through the Sound under a continued fire from Cronenburg Castle; a performance which obtained for him the thanks of Rear-Admiral Jas. Nicoll Morris. At different times he made prize of 17 vessels. He attained Post-rank 1 Jan. 1817; was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 7 Nov. 1840; and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Representations made by Capt. Renwick, when in the Mercurius, of the danger and delay to which convoys bound to the Baltic were subjected from certain injudicious instructions, accompanied at the same time by suggestions for more appropriate ones, led to the adoption of the latter by the Lords of the Admiralty, whose approbation was conveyed to him through the Commander-in-Chief. In Nov. 1814 he became impressed with a conviction that measures, more efficacious than those in vogue, might be rendered practicable for the suppression of smuggling. He accordingly, in March, 1815, developed his ideas on the subject to the Board of Admiralty, and proposed a plan which secured so much attention that it proved, we have every reason to believe, the foundation of the present system of Coast Guard. He is married, and has issue.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1797, p. 251.