A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Temple, Francis
TEMPLE. (Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 1847.)
Francis Temple was educated at the Royal Naval College, and embarked, in 1786, as Midshipman, on board the Thisbe 28, Capts. Isaac Coffin and Sam. Hood. In that ship, in the Salisbury 50, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Milbanke, and in the Charon 44, Capt. Edm. Dodd, he was employed on the coasts of North America and Africa until made Lieutenant, 8 Oct. 1793, into the Recourse, Capts. Thos. Hamilton and Jas. Ross, on the West India station, whence he invalided in 1794. During the remainder of the war he served at Spithead, at Halifax, and in the Channel and Mediterranean, in the Prince 98, Capt. Parry, Bonetta sloop, Capts. Jas. Wemyss and John Tremayne Rodd, Resolution 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Murray, Juste 80, Capts. Wm. Hancock Kelly and Thos. Pakenham, Princess Royal 98, bearing the flag of Sir John Orde, and Nymphe 36, Capts. Percy Fraser and Jas. Douglas. He joined next, 1 Nov. 1802, the Loire 38, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland; and on the night of 27 June, 1803, he boarded and carried, with two of the boats belonging to that frigate, Le Venteux, a French national brig mounting 4 long 18-pounders and 6 36-pounder brass carronades, with a complement of 82 men. This, one of those brilliant exploits which, in the words of Capt. Maitland, add lustre to the British arms, was achieved after a desperate conflict of 10 minutes, fought under the batteries of Ile de Bas, in the course whereof the enemy sustained a loss of 3 men killed and 13 wounded, and the British of 6 wounded. As a reward for his valorous conduct Mr. Temple was promoted, 4 July following, to the command of the Tartarus bomb, off Boulogne, and was presented by the Patriotic Society with a sword valued at 50l, He removed, we believe, in June, 1804, to the Hound bomb; served, from 16 Dec. in the same year until 21 Sept. 1805, as Acting-Captain and Captain (commission dated 12 March, 1805) in the Theseus 74, in the West Indies; and held command, from Aug. 1812 until Feb. 1813, of the Armide 38, in the Channel. He was placed on the Retired List of Rear-Admirals 10 Jan. 1837; was transferred to the Active List 17 Aug. 1840; and advanced to his present rank 21 Dec. 1847.
Vice-Admiral Temple married, in 1815, Susan, youngest daughter of the late Geo. Warren, Esq., of Penpool, co. Cornwall, and has issue.