Royal Naval Biography/Bertram, Charles
CHARLES BERTRAM, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1814.]
The services in which this officer participated while a lieutenant have been fully described in our memoir of Captain Frederick L. Maitland, C.B. under whom he served both in the Loire and Emerald frigates, and who thus speaks of him in his official letter to Lord Gardner, reporting the destruction of l’Apropos French national schooner, in Vivero harbour. Mar. 14, 1808[1].
“I must beg leave, my Lord, to request you will state Lieutenant Bertram’s meritorious conduct to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in the strongest point of view; when I hope their Lordships will be induced, in consideration of his very gallant behaviour, and a most severe wound he has received, to consider him worthy of that reward which in our service has ever been looked up to as the certain consequence of distinguished bravery. Mr. Mildridge, master’s-mate, a young man who has served the whole of his time with me, and whose gallantry has been represented to me by Lieutenants Bertram and William Smith as highly exemplary, I hope your Lordship will be induced to mention also as deserving of promotion[2]. The conduct of Lieutenant Bertram and his party, as well as that of Lieutenant William Smith, renders it unnecessary for me to say any thing further on the subject. I shall therefore only add, that Mr. John Smith, the second lieutenant, whom I kept on board to assist me, as well as Mr. Brokensha the master, and the whole of the officers and ship’s company that remained on board, have my warmest thanks for their cool and steady conduct during an action that lasted, with intervals, for more than six hours.”
The subject of this sketch was made commander Mar. 24, 1808, and appointed to the Persian brig, of 18 guns, Oct. 21, 1810. On the 6th April, 1811, Captain Bertram captured l’Ambuscade French lugger privateer, of 14 guns and 36 men; and on the 27th Mar. 1812, le Petit Jean, of 16 guns, only eight mounted, and 48 men. The Persian subsequently proceeded to the Jamaica station, and was wrecked on the Silver Keys, Bahamas, June 16, 1813.
Captain Bertram’s post commission bears date June 7, 1814.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part I. p. 394, et seq.
- ↑ Mr. Matthew Mildridge was immediately promoted, and appointed to the Emerald, of which ship he was first lieutenant at the time of his decease. He was accidentally killed, Oct. 14, 1810.