A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Troubridge, Edward Thomas

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1980026A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Troubridge, Edward ThomasWilliam Richard O'Byrne

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TROUBRIDGE, Bart., C.B., M.P. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1841. f-p. 12; h-p. 38.)

Sir Edward Thomas Troubridge is only son of the late Rear-Admiral Sir Thos. Troubridge, Bart.,^[1] and brother-in-law of Lieutenant-General Sir Chas. Bulkeley Egerton, G.C.M.G., K.C.H.

This officer entered the Navy, 21 Jan. 1797, as a Volunteer, on board the Cambridge 74, Capt. Boger, guardship at Plymouth. Being discharged in April, 1799, he next, in Jan. 1801, joined, in the capacity of Midshipman, the Achille 74, Capt. Geo. Murray; with whom he continued employed in the Channel and Baltic in the Edgar 74 and London 98, until transferred in May, 1802, for a few weeks, to the Leander 50, Capt. Jas. Oughton. In the Edgar he fought at the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801. In July, 1803, he was received on board the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Nelson in the Mediterranean; where, in Aug. 1804, he removed to the Narcissus 32, Capt. Ross Donnelly. That ship he left in Feb. 1805. On 22 Feb. 1806 he was created a Lieutenant of the Blenheim 74, bearing his father’s flag in the East Indies; and in March, Aug. and Oct, of the same year, he was nominated Acting-Commander of the Harrier 18, and Acting-Captain of the Macassar and Greyhound frigates. His commissions as Commander and Captain bear date 5 Sept. 1806 and 28 Nov. 1807. While in the Harrier and in company with the Greyhound, commanded at the time by Capt. Chas. Elphinstone, he assisted, 4 July, 1806, in destroying, under the fort of Manado, the Dutch company’s brig Christian Elizabeth, of 8 guns and 80 men. On the 6th of the same month the two ships took, at the island of Tidore, the Belgica of 12 guns and 32 men; and on the 26th they fought a gallant action with a Dutch squadron, consisting of the Pallas frigate, of 40 guns and 250 men, the Vittoria (a two-decker) and Batavia Indiamen, both richly laden and both (the one of 800, the other of 500 tons) armed for the purposes of war, and the William corvette, of 20 guns (24-pounders) and 110 men; the result whereof was the capture of all the enemy’s ships but the William, after a loss had been incurred by them of 12 killed and 39 wounded, and by the British of 1 killed and 11 wounded. In his official letter detailing the events we have just noticed, Capt. Elphinstone says – ”The support and assistance I have received from Capt. Troubridge on every other occasion throughout a difficult navigation, I attribute to the same talents, ability, and zeal which he so nobly displayed on this one.”^[2] After vainly cruizing, in the Greyhound, in quest of his father, who, it was thought, on the Blenheim being missed, might have put into some port to repair his damages, Capt. Troubridge, in Jan. 1808, invalided home. His next appointment was to the Armide 38; which frigate he commanded from 5 Feb. 1813 until May, 1815. He assisted, in company with the Endymion 40. in making prize, 15 Aug. 1814, of the Herald American privateer of 17 guns and 100 men; and on the following day he captured, alone, the Invincible of 16 guns and 60 men. During the operations against New Orleans he landed as senior officer of the naval brigade, and was highly spoken of for his conduct, particularly for the assistance he afforded the troops in throwing up batteries and getting the guns in.^[3] From 15 April, 1831, until superseded in Oct. 1832, he commanded the Stag 46, on particular service; in April, 1835, he obtained a seat at the Board of Admiralty; and on resigning that appointment he assumed command, 23 Aug. 1841, of the Formidable 84, fitting for the Mediterranean. He was advanced to Flag-rank 23 Nov. following; and has since been on half-pay. He had been nominated a C.B. 20 July, 1838.

Sir Edw. Thos. Troubridge, who is a Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Haddington, was returned to Parliament in 1831 as Member for Sandwich – a place he still represents. From 30 June, 1831, until promoted to his present rank, he had filled the post of Naval Aide-de-Camp to his late and Her present Majesty. He married, 18 Oct. 1810, Anna Maria, daughter of Admiral Hon. Sir Alex. Forrester Inglis Cochrane, G.C.B., sister of Rear-Admiral Sir T. J. Cochrane, K.C.B,, and cousin of Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dundonald, G.C.B., by whom he has issue. Agent – John P. Muspratt.

↑ Sir Thos. Troubridge entered the Navy about 1773, on board the Seahorse, Capt. Farmer, and distinguished himself shortly afterwards by his gallantry at the capture of the Sartine French frigate of superior force. Attaining Post-rank 1 Jan. 1783, he was afforded an opportunity, in the following June, of participating, as Captain of the Active frigate, in Sir Edw. Hughes’ fifth and last action with M. de Suffrein, off Cuddalore. In 1784 he returned to England in command of Sir Edward’s flag-ship. In 1790 he was again sent to India, in the Thames 32. On his passage, in May, 1794, to Newfoundland, in command of the Castor 32, he was captured, off Cape Clear, by part of the French fleet, and he chanced, in consequence, to be on board the Sanspareil 80, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Nielly, on the famous 1st of June. While in command, afterwards, of the Culloden 74, his reputation reached the highest pitch of fame. Besides sharing in Hotham’s second partial engagement, 13 July, 1793, he led the British fleet in the action off Cape St. Vincent, 14 Feb. 1797, and distinguished himself in the attack upon Santa Cruz, Teneriffe. Although attached to Nelson’s fleet, he was prevented from actually participating in the glories of the Nile, by the circumstance of his ship taking the ground on the tail of a shoal running from the small island of Bequieres. He was, however, as he had been for his conduct off Cape St. Vincent, included in the thanks of Parliament, and presented with a gold medal. He was afterwards engaged in a variety of important operations on the coast of Italy, where, previously to obtaining possession of the Roman territory, he commanded a detachment of seamen and marines at the investment of the Castle of St. Elmo, which capitulated after a siege of nine days. As a reward for the great importance of his services he was presented with the Sicilian Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit, and was by his own Sovereign raised, 30 Nov. 1799, to the dignity of a Baronet of Great Britain. After officiating as Captain of the Channel Fleet under Earl St. Vincent he took a seat at the Board of Admiralty, and in April, 1805, having attained the rank of Rear-Admiral, hoisted his flag on board the Blenheim 74, and sailed for India as Commander-in-Chief in the seas to the eastward of Pointe de Galle, in the island of Ceylon. On 12 Jan. 1807 he left Madras in the Blenheim, accompanied by the Java frigate and Harrier brig, for the purpose of assuming the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope. The Blenheim and Java parted from the Harrier on the night of 1 Feb., during a tremendous gale, and were not afterwards heard of. Sir Thos. Troubridge, to adopt the words of a former biographer, was “a pattern of professional excellence, of undaunted valour, and of patriotic worth.” He was the cherished friend of Nelson.
↑ Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 422.
↑ Vide Gaz. 1815, p. 441.

[Thomas_Troubridge-1] Sir Thos. Troubridge entered the Navy about 1773, on board the Seahorse, Capt. Farmer, and distinguished himself shortly afterwards by his gallantry at the capture of the Sartine French frigate of superior force. Attaining Post-rank 1 Jan. 1783, he was afforded an opportunity, in the following June, of participating, as Captain of the Active frigate, in Sir Edw. Hughes’ fifth and last action with M. de Suffrein, off Cuddalore. In 1784 he returned to England in command of Sir Edward’s flag-ship. In 1790 he was again sent to India, in the Thames 32. On his passage, in May, 1794, to Newfoundland, in command of the Castor 32, he was captured, off Cape Clear, by part of the French fleet, and he chanced, in consequence, to be on board the Sanspareil 80, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Nielly, on the famous 1st of June. While in command, afterwards, of the Culloden 74, his reputation reached the highest pitch of fame. Besides sharing in Hotham’s second partial engagement, 13 July, 1793, he led the British fleet in the action off Cape St. Vincent, 14 Feb. 1797, and distinguished himself in the attack upon Santa Cruz, Teneriffe. Although attached to Nelson’s fleet, he was prevented from actually participating in the glories of the Nile, by the circumstance of his ship taking the ground on the tail of a shoal running from the small island of Bequieres. He was, however, as he had been for his conduct off Cape St. Vincent, included in the thanks of Parliament, and presented with a gold medal. He was afterwards engaged in a variety of important operations on the coast of Italy, where, previously to obtaining possession of the Roman territory, he commanded a detachment of seamen and marines at the investment of the Castle of St. Elmo, which capitulated after a siege of nine days. As a reward for the great importance of his services he was presented with the Sicilian Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit, and was by his own Sovereign raised, 30 Nov. 1799, to the dignity of a Baronet of Great Britain. After officiating as Captain of the Channel Fleet under Earl St. Vincent he took a seat at the Board of Admiralty, and in April, 1805, having attained the rank of Rear-Admiral, hoisted his flag on board the Blenheim 74, and sailed for India as Commander-in-Chief in the seas to the eastward of Pointe de Galle, in the island of Ceylon. On 12 Jan. 1807 he left Madras in the Blenheim, accompanied by the Java frigate and Harrier brig, for the purpose of assuming the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope. The Blenheim and Java parted from the Harrier on the night of 1 Feb., during a tremendous gale, and were not afterwards heard of. Sir Thos. Troubridge, to adopt the words of a former biographer, was “a pattern of professional excellence, of undaunted valour, and of patriotic worth.” He was the cherished friend of Nelson.

[2] Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 422.

[3] Vide Gaz. 1815, p. 441.

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