A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stuart, Robert
STUART. (Captain, 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 21.)
Robert Stuart was born in 1792.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 April, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Thalia 36, Capt. Jas. Walker, with whom, after having served, chiefly in the capacity of Midshipman, on the North Sea, East India, North American, and Guernsey stations, he removed, in Oct. 1807, to the Bedford 74, commanded for some time by Capt. Adam Mackenzie. In that ship he escorted the Royal Family of Portugal in its flight to the Brazils, and was present in 1809, in the attack upon Flushing. On leaving the Bedford, in Dec. 1811, he joined in succession, as Admiralty-Mate, on promotion, the Cyane, Shark, Brazen, and Thetis, all in the West Indies. He attained the rank of Lieutenant 21 March, 1812; and was subsequently appointed – 3 Oct. 1812, to the Abercromby 74, Capt. Wm. Chas. Fahie, attached to the Channel fleet – 4 March, 1814, to the Warspite 74, Capt. Lord Jas. O’Bryen, with whom he made a voyage to Quebec – 28 Oct. following, to the Leonidas 38, Capt. Wm. King, stationed off Bermuda and on the north coast of Brazil – 13 June, 1815, to the Iphigenia 36, Capt. Andrew King, in which ship he sailed for the East Indies, whence, in May, 1816, he invalided – 15 Sept. 1818, to the Phaeton 46, Capt. Wm. Henry Dillon, fitting for the station last named – 6 Jan. 1820, about three months after the Phaeton had been paid off, to the Egeria 28, Capt. John Toup Nicolas – 20 March, 1823, to the Revenge 76, Capt. Sir Chas. Burrard, equipping at Chatham – and, 25 June, 1823, to the Sparrowhawk 18, Capt. Hon. Rich. Saunders Dundas, employed on the coasts of North and South America and in the Channel. While serving in the Egeria, of which vessel he was First-Lieutenant, Mr. Stuart visited Newfoundland, escorted George IV. to Scotland, was active in the suppression of smuggling in the North Sea, and obtained the thanks of the Mayor and Magistrates of Newcastle-upon-Tyne for his zealous and Indefatigable exertions in subduing some alarming disturbances which had broken out among the keelmen at that place. He was promoted, 17 July, 1824, to the command of the Sparrowhawk, and in that sloop, stationed in the Mediterranean, he continued until some time in the following year. After officiating for a few months as Second-Captain of the Winchester 52, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys in the West Indies, he was there, 21 March, 1831, appointed to the Icarus 10. He returned home and was paid off towards the close of the same year; and was lastly, from 22 Sept. 1835 until the spring of 1837, employed as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard. He acquired the rank he now holds 23 Nov. 1841.
Capt. Stuart was for some time a Justice of the Peace in the West Indies. He married in 1837.