A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sangster, Robert
SANGSTER. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p., 20; h-p., 34.)
Robert Sangster was born 2 April, 1771, in the island of Bura, one of the Orkneys.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 Oct. 1793, as A.B., on board the Melampus of 42 guns and 267 men, Capts. Isaac Coffin, John Drew, Thos. Wells, Sir Rich. John Strachan, and Graham Moore; in which ship he continued employed, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Channel and North Sea, off the coast of Ireland, and on the Jamaica station, until transferred, in May, 1800, to the Queen 98, bearing the flag of Sir Hyde Parker at Port Royal. On 23 April, 1794, he assisted, in company with a squadron under Sir John Borlase Warren, at the capture, with a loss to the Melampus of 5 killed and 5 wounded, of La Pomone of 44 guns and 341 men, Le Babet of 22 guns and 178 men, and L’Engageante of 38 guns and 300 men. In the course of 1795 he escorted the Princess of Orange from North Yarmouth to Cuxhaven, accompanied the expedition to Quiberon, and contributed, in unison with the Hebe 38, to the capture of six out of 13 French vessels laden with military stores and convoyed by a ship of 26 guns, and also by two armed brigs, one of which. La Vésuve, was likewise taken. We subsequently find him aiding at the capture of the French national ships Etonnant of 18 guns, Etna of 20 guns, Volage of 22 guns and 195 men, and Résolue of 40 guns and 500 men, including troops. The latter frigate was taken 14 Oct. 1798, and was one of a squadron of ships that had been previously defeated under Commodore Bompart during an action in which the Melampus had had but 1 man wounded. Besides sharing in other services Mr. Sangster partook, during his attachment to the Melampus, of a variety of skirmishes with the enemy’s batteries and gun-boats on the coast of France, assisted at the capture of several privateers, witnessed the mutinies at Spithead and the Nore, conveyed the Princess Royal and the King of Wurtemberg from Harwich to Cuxhaven, and served off Waterford and Wexford during the Irish Rebellion. The Melampus was run on board, on one occasion, and dismasted, by an East India ship; and on another, she was for several hours on shore in a fog off Cape La Hogue. A few days after he had joined the Queen Mr. Sangster was made Lieutenant, 31 May, 1800, into the Quebec 32, Capt. Henry Wm. Bayntun, with whom and with Capt. Robt. Mends he continued to serve in the West Indies in the Néréide 36 until Sept. 1802. In charge of the boats of the latter ship he made an attempt to cut out several vessels from under a battery at Puerto Rico; on which occasion 28 grape-shot passed through his own boat, and he had 1 man killed and several wounded. His subsequent appointments were – 24 Aug. 1803, as First-Lieutenant, to the Curlew 16, Capt. Jas. Murray Northey, employed in the Channel and North Sea and off the coast of Ireland – 4 Jan. 1805, to the Antelope 50, Capts. Robt. Plampin and Henry Bazely, on the Home station – 31 Aug. 1805, to the Powerful 74, Capts. R. Plampin, Rich. Buck, Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, and Chas. Jas. Johnston, in which ship, after having gone in pursuit, with Sir John Thos. Duckworth, of a French squadron, consisting of six sail of the line, he proceeded to the East Indies – 29 May, 1809, as Senior, to the Milford 74, commanded at first by Capt. Bayntun on the coast of France, and subsequently by Capt. Edw. Kittoe, as flag-ship, during the siege of Cadiz, to Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats, under whom he performed for nine months the duties of Signal-Lieutenant – 16 June, 1811, to the charge (two months after an inflammatory complaint, produced by long service in various climates, had compelled him to seek half-pay) of a Signal station in co. Suffolk – and, 24 Jan. 1814, as First, to the Scarborough 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier in the North Sea, where he remained until 5 May following. While attached to the Curlew he aided in saving the guns and stores of the Tartarus bomb, wrecked on Margate Sands in Dec. 1804. On this service he endured a week’s exposure in the boats, and was attacked by a fit of rheumatism so severe that to this day its effects continue. In the Powerful he proved instrumental to the capture, 13 June and 9 July, 1806, of the privateers La Henriette of20 guns and 124 men, and (after a running fight of nearly two hours and some loss) La Bellone of 30 guns and 194 men. He also, 27 Nov. 1806, assisted at the capture and destruction of a Dutch frigate, seven brigs of war and about 20 armed and other merchant-vessels lying in Batavia Roads; and on 11 Dec. 1807 he was present as First-Lieutenant, and, owing to the absence of Capt. Pellew, had charge of the ship, at the annihilation, at Griessee, in the island of Java of the dockyard and stores and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in India. On the latter occasion he conducted the Powerful through an intricate passage and silenced the fire of a battery which had hulled her with hot and cold shot. For his conduct he received the thanks of Sir Edw. Pellew, the Commander-in-Chief, accompanied by a promise of recommendation to the Admiralty He was appointed, as above, First-Lieutenant of the Milford, one of the finest ships of her class at the particular request of Capt. Bayntun, whose applause he gained for the manner in which he fitted her out, and for the state of sound discipline into which he speedily brought the crew. Unable to obtain the promotion to which his services appeared to entitle him, he accepted, 26 Nov. 1830, the rank of Retired Commander on the Junior List; and on 5 Jan, 1845, was placed on the Senior.
Commander Sangster is married, and has issue a son and daughter.