A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Robinson, Charles
ROBINSON. (Commander, 1794. f-p., 19; h-p., 61.)
Charles Robinson is uncle of Commander Thos. Pitt Robinson, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1767, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Fury, Capt. Mark Robinson, under whom, after serving for more than six years on the coast of North America, he was employed on the Home station, as Midshipman, in the Worcester 64 and Shrewsbury 74, from Nov. 1774, until made Lieutenant, 12 Feb. 1780, into the Terrible, Capts. John Douglas and John Dixon, attached to the force in the West Indies. He was placed on half-pay in June of the latter year; and was subsequently appointed – in Feb. 1781 and March, 1782, to the Shrewsbury,[1] Capts. M. Robinson, John Colpoys, and John Knight, and Nymph, Capts. John Ford and Edw. Knatchbull, in which vessels he again, until June, 1783, served on the American and West India stations – 24 June, 1790, to the Swiftsure 74, Capt. Sir Jas. Wallace, with whom he continued, in the Channel, until Oct. 1791 – and 23 Jan. and 14 Nov. 1793, to the Princess Royal 98 and Victory 100, flag-ships of Admirals Sam. Cranston Goodall and Lord Hood in the Mediterranean, where he was present at the occupation of Toulon. On 5 April, 1794, he was made Commander Into the Scout 16; in which vessel he was captured by two French frigates, off Bona, in the following Aug. He was restored to liberty, we believe, in Nov. 1795; and did not afterwards go afloat. He was admitted into the Royal Hospital at Greenwich 27 Aug. 1840.
Commander Robinson is the senior officer of his rank in the Navy. One of his sons, Chas. Cowling Robinson, is a Lieutenant R.N.; and another, Dan. Robinson, a First-Lieutenant R.M., and a Colonel in the Spanish service. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Part of the fleet engaged under Rear-Admiral Graves in the action with the Comte de Grasse, off Cape Henry, 5 Sept. 1781.