A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ross, Charles Henry
ROSS. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 10; h-p., 33.)
Charles Henry Ross entered the Navy, 19 Oct. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Britannia 100, Capt. Chas. Bullen, flag-ship in the Channel of the Earl of Northesk; and, from 26 Nov. following until 12 Aug. 1811, was employed as Midshipman, Master’s Mate, Acting-Lieutenant, and Lieutenant (order and commission dated 21 Feb. and 13 March, 1811), in the Amphion 32, Capts. Sam. Sutton and Wm. Hoste. In the summer of 1805 he accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies and back in pursuit of the combined squadrons of France and Spain; in the following Nov. he assisted at the defeat, although supported by the fire of an immense battery, of a division of about 30 Spanish gun-boats, which had come out of Algeciras in the hope of capturing a British convoy; and on 30 July, 1806, he co-operated in the capture, on the coast of Calabria, of the town of Reggio,,and of the important fortress of Cotrone, with all its stores and magazines and upwards of 600 troops. He next, 12 May, 1808, shared in a very spirited engagement of many hours with several heavy batteries in the Bay of Rosas, in an attempt to cut out the French frigate-built 800-ton store-ship Baleine, mounting from 26 to 30 guns, with a crew of 150 men; and on 27 Aug. 1809 he took part in a gallant attack on the strong fort of Cortelazzo, near Trieste, which was stormed and carried by a detachment of 70 officers, seamen, and marines, under the present Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott – occasioning the simultaneous surrender, within sight of an Italian squadron off Venice, of six of the enemy’s gun-boats, and a convoy of merchant-trabaocolos anchored for protection under its walls,[1] Mr. Ross was subsequently, 29 June, 1810, engaged in an affair near the town of Grao, where the gallantry and exertions of the British enabled them to defeat a numerous body of French troops, and to effect the capture and destruction of a large convoy laden with naval stores for the arsenal at Venice.[2] On 13 March, 1811, it was his fortune to be present as Acting-Lieutenant in the celebrated action fought off Lissa; on which occasion a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, completely routed, after a battle of six hours and a loss to the Amphion of 15 killed and 47 wounded, a Franco-Venetian armament whose force amounted to 284 guns and 2655 men. For his conduct in this instance he was confirmed, as above alluded to, by a commission bearing date the day of the achievement. His last appointments were – 21 Nov. 1811 and 23 March, 1814, to the Sophie 18 and Terpsichore 32, Capts. Nicholas Lockyer and Wm. Bowen Mends, both on the North American station; where he continued actively employed until the summer of 1814, when he returned to England and was paid off.