Royal Naval Biography/Laurie, Robert
SIR ROBERT LAURIE,
Bart. Rear-Admiral of the Blue.
This officer, a son of the late Lieutenant-General Sir R. Laurie, M.P., was made a Lieutenant in 1790; and served in that capacity on board the Queen, of 98 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Gardner, in Earl Howe’s action, June 1, 1794[1], on which glorious occasion that ship had 36 men killed, and 67, including Lieutenant Laurie, wounded.
Some time after this event, our officer was promoted to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the Zephyr sloop, stationed in the North Sea. Towards the latter end of 1796, he received orders to proceed to the Leeward Islands and on his passage captured la Refleche French privateer, of 12 guns and 67 men. In the month of February following, he was present at the reduction of Trinidad; and on the 17th July, in the same year, obtained the rank of Post-Captain. His next appointment was to the Andromache frigate, in which he was employed principally on the North American and Jamaica stations until the summer of 1804, when he was removed into the Cleopatra, of 32 guns, and subsequently ordered to Halifax.
On the 16th Feb., 1805, Sir Robert fell in with, pursued, and after an anxious chase, which continued throughout the night, and during the greater part of the next day, came to close action with la Ville de Milan, a French frigate of the largest class, mounting 46 guns, with a complement of 360 men, besides a number of troops passengers. The battle commenced at half past two P.M., both ships trimming sails, steering sometimes close to the wind, and at others about three points free, during which the Cleopatra had greatly the advantage. About five, having shot away the Frenchman’s main-top-sail yard, she forged a-head, although the mizen-topsail was a-back, and both jib-stay and haliards gone; finding neither fore nor main clue-garnets left to haul the courses up, the running rigging cut to pieces, so as to render it impossible either to shorten or back a sail, the main standing and spring-stays shot away, and the main-mast only supported by the storm-stay-sail-stay, Sir Robert was induced to cross the enemy’s bow, and by hauling up to have raked him; but in the act of doing so an unfortunate shot disabled the wheel, and the rudder being choked at the same time by splinters, &c. the Cleopatra became ungovernable. The French commander, availing himself of her situation, with the wind upon his quarter, gave her the stem, running his head and bowsprit over the quarter-deck just abaft the main rigging, and under the cover of a heavy fire of small arms attempted to board, but was driven back. Most of the Cleopatra’s sails lying partly a-back, and entangled as she was with so heavy a ship, going almost before the wind, and much sea running, Sir Robert saw no prospect of saving his vessel, or the numerous wounded men who were then below. He however directed the fore-top-mast-stay-sail and sprit-sail-top-sail to be set; but owing to the destructive effects of the French musketry, his orders could not be carried into effect. At a quarter past five, the enemy succeeded in boarding, and the British colours were reluctantly hauled down. Immediately afterwards the Cleopatra became a perfect wreck, not a spar standing but the mizen-mast; and her commander fully expected she would have foundered before the ships could get clear of each other.
No language can do sufficient justice to the perseverance in the chace and gallant conduct of Sir Robert Laurie in bringing a ship of so superior a force into action[2], and in maintaining it. La Ville de Milan was nearly double the size and force of the Cleopatra, being 1200 tons burthen, and carrying French 18-pounders on her main-deck; whereas the latter had only English 12-pounders, and 190 men, several of whom were on the sick-list. The following morning the French ship had only her fore-mast and bowsprit standing; and was otherwise so much cut up as to be incapable of offering the slightest resistance when fallen in with, six days after the action, by Captain Talbot of the Leander, a 50-gun ship, who also recaptured the Cleopatra[3].
From this period, we find no mention of Sir Robert Laurie until the latter end of 1811, when he was appointed to the Ajax, of 74 guns, and soon after ordered to the Mediterranean, where he continued till towards the conclusion of the war. He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, July 19, 1821.
Residence.– Maxwelton, Dumfriesshire.
- ↑ See note at p, 75, et seq.
- ↑ La Ville de Milan was from Martinique, bound to France with despatches, and having orders not to speak to any thing during the passage; every effort was made to avoid being brought to action by the Cleopatra.
- ↑ The loss sustained by the Cleopatra in the action with la Ville de Milan, was 20 killed and 38 wounded; 2 of whom mortally, and 18 dangerously.