Royal Naval Biography/Marryat, Frederick
FREDERICK MARRYAT, Esq.
A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath; and Fellow of the Royal and Linnaean Societies.
[Post-Captain of 1825.]
The Marryats are descended from le Sieur Thomas Marriatte, a protestant native of Normandy, and an officer in the Hugonot army (under Admiral Coligni), who escaped the massacre of St. Bartholomew, Aug. 24th, 1572, and fled to England with the loss of all his property. One of his descendants, Obadiah Marryat, a presbyterian divine, was ejected from the living of Aston-Clinton, co. Bucks, for non-conformity, at the restoration of Charles II.[1]
The subject of this memoir is the second son of the late Joseph Marryat, Esq. M.P. for Sandwich, Chairman of the Committee of Lloyd’s, and Colonial Agent for the island of Grenada, by Charlotte, third daughter of the late Frederick Geyer, Esq., a distinguished American loyalist, who suffered severely, as well from the steadiness of his attachment to the cause of Great Britain, during the struggle with her revolted colonies, as from the shock which property in general was made to undergo at the establishment of their independence. Thomas Marryat, M.D., father of the said Joseph Marryat, Esq. was the author of “Therapeutics, or Art of Healing.”
Mr. Frederick Marryat was born in London, July 10th, 1792; and entered the royal navy, as midshipman on board the Imperieuse frigate, Captain Lord Cochrane, Sept. 23d, 1806. In the ensuing winter, he witnessed the capture and destruction of three French national transports and twelve merchant vessels; also the demolition of Fort Roquette, at the entrance of Arcasson[2].
On the 12th of Sept. 1807, the Imperieuse sailed from Spithead, with the Mediterranean trade under her protection. On the 16th of Nov. following, her boats engaged a Maltese privateer, supposing that she was an enemy’s vessel, and sustained a loss of sixteen men killed and wounded before they obtained possession. About the same period, Mr. Marryat incurred great personal risk by jumping into the sea, and saving the life of Mr. Henry Cobbett, midshipman, who had accidentally fallen overboard.
The Imperieuse subsequently cut out a Turkish ship from Port Valona, on the coast of Dalmatia; and in the beginning of 1808, we find her sailing from Malta, on a cruise off Catalonia and the Balearic islands, where, in the course of four months, she captured and destroyed one national brig, six gun-vessels, one privateer, and about fifty sail of merchantmen. In effecting the capture of the privateer, she lost her first lieutenant (Caulfield), and had eleven of her ship’s company killed and wounded.
The Spaniards were then still under the influence of Napoleon Buonaparte; but no sooner had they evinced a disposition to shake off his yoke, than the British nation proffered the most generous aid; and Lord Cochrane, impressed with the warmest interest in favor of the patriots, resolved to make every exertion in their behalf. He accordingly entered into friendly communication with the authorities at Carthagena and Majorca, proceeded from Palma bay to the vicinity of Barcelona, and there commenced a series of active operations, by engaging, capturing, and dismantling batteries, destroying bridges, &c., in order to impede the further progress of the invading forces.
On the 31st of July, 1808, the castle of Mongat, an important work, completely commanding a pass by the road from Barcelona to Gerona, and the only position between those towns occupied by the enemy, surrendered to the Imperieuse, and was immediately levelled with the ground: the rock on which it stood was also blown up, and the road, filled with the fragments, thereby rendered impassable to artillery, without a heavy loss of men. The French garrison consisted of two officers and 69 men, of whom two were killed, seven wounded, and the rest taken prisoners.
In Aug. and Sept. 1808, the Imperieuse cruised on the coast of Languedoc, took three batteries, captured many trading vessels, threw rockets into the towns of Adge and Cette, destroyed the mud engines in the vicinity of the latter place, and the newly constructed semaphoric telegraphs at Bourdique, Pinede, St. Maguire, Frontignan, Canet, and Foy; together with the houses attached, fourteen barracks of the gens-d’armes, and a strong tower upon the lake of Frontignan. Besides keeping the coast in constant alarm, causing a total suspension of the enemy’s trade, and harassing a body of troops immediately opposed to him, it appears from Lord Cochrane’s official statement, that the comparatively insignificant force which he landed upon these several occasions, actually drew about two thousand troops from the fortress of Figueras to the defence of the French territory!
On the 13th of Nov. following, a fort near Barcelona was blown up, the city annoyed with rockets, and a small French vessel taken. Two days afterwards, the Imperieuse sustained considerable damage, and had one of her guns dismounted, whilst engaging some batteries. By his subsequent heroic defence of the castle of Trinidad, Lord Cochrane greatly retarded the progress of the French army; and he was pleased on this occasion, to make particular mention of Mr. Marryat, as will be seen by his official letter to Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood, of which we shall here give a copy:–
“H.M.S. Imperieuse, Bay of Rosas, Dec. 5th, 1808.
“My Lord, – The fortress of Rosas being attacked by an army of Italians in the service of France, in pursuance of discretionary orders that your lordship had given me to assist the Spaniards wherever it could be done with the most effect, I hastened here. The citadel, on the 22d ultimo, was already half invested, and the enemy making his approaches towards the S W. bastion, which your lordship knows was blown down last war by the explosion of a magazine, and tumbled into the ditch; a few thin planks and dry stones had been put up by the Spanish engineers, perhaps to hide the defect: all things were in the most deplorable state, both without and within; even measures for their powder, and saws for their fusees, were not to be had – hats and axes supplied their place. The castle of Trinidad, situated on an eminence, but commanded by heights, was also invested; three 24-pounders battered in breach, to which a fourth was afterwards added, and a passage through the wall to the lower bomb-proof being nearly effected, on the 23d the marines of the Fame were withdrawn. I went to examine the state of the castle, and, as the senior officer in the bay had not officially altered the orders I received from your lordship, to give every possible assistance to the Spaniards, I thought this a good opportunity, by occupying a post on which the acknowledged safety of the citadel depended, to render them an effectual service. The garrison then consisted of about eighty Spaniards, and they were on the point of surrendering; accordingly I threw myself into it, with fifty seamen and thirty marines of the Imperieuse. The arrangement made I need not detail to your lordship; suffice it to say, that about 1000 bags, besides barrels and palisadoes, supplied the place of walls and ditches; and that the enemy, who assaulted the castle on the 30th, with 1000 picked men, were repulsed with the loss of their commanding officer, storming equipage, and all who had attempted to mount the breach. The Spanish garrison gave good assistance s and Lieutenant Bourman, of the regiment of Ultonia, who succeeded to the command of the Spanish soldiers in the castle, on Captain Fitzgerald being wounded in the hand, deserves every thing his country can do for an active and gallant officer. Inocenti Maranger, cadet of the same regiment, particularly distinguished himself by his zeal ond vigilance. As to the officers, seamen, and marines of this ship, the fatigues they underwent, and the gallant manner in which they behaved, deserve every praise. I must, however, particularly mention Lieutenant Urry Johnson of the navy, Lieutenant Hoare of the marines, Mr. Burney the gunner, Mr. Lodwick, carpenter, and Messrs. Stewart, Stovin, and Marryat, midshipmen.
“Captain Hall, of the Lucifer, at all times, and in every way, gave his zealous assistance. I feel also indebted to Captain Collins, of the Meteor, for his aid.
“The citadel of Rosas capitulated at 12 o’clock this day. Seeing, my Lord, further resistance in the castle of Trinidad useless and impracticable against the whole army, the attention of which had naturally turned to its reduction, after firing the trains for exploding the magazines, we embarked in the boats of the Magnificent, Imperieuse, and Fame. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“Cochrane.
During the above operations, the Imperieuse had three men killed and seven wounded. On the 30th of Dec, she warped into the harbour of Cadaqués, near Cape de Creux, and, after a short action, took possession of the batteries, two French national vessels, and twelve others laden with wheat for the garrison of Barcelona. On the 9th of Jan. 1809, she ran into Port Selda, drove the enemy from their works, and embarked four brass guns. Here terminated Lord Cochrane’s active and gallant services in the Mediterranean.
On the 11th of April following, Mr. Marryat was employed in an explosion vessel, under Lieutenant Urry Johnson[3], and conducted himself very creditably in the memorable night attack on a French squadron in the road of Aix[4]. He also bore a part in the unequal contest maintained by the Imperieuse on the ensuing day.
In June, 1809, Captain Thomas Garth assumed the temporary command of the Imperieuse[5] and Mr. Marryat continued to serve under that officer until Oct. in the same year, when he was discharged into the Victorious 74, for a passage from Flushing to England, in consequence of his having been severely attacked with the Walcheren fever. On the following day, he joined the Centaur 74, flag-ship of Sir Samuel Hood, with whom he soon afterwards went back to the Mediterranean. While serving in this ship, he again risked his own life to save that of a fellow creature, by jumping overboard after a man named Thomas Moubray, who had fallen from the main-yard, while cruising off Toulon.
After an absence of about twelve months, Mr. Marryat returned home from Cadiz, in the Atlas 74, Captain James Sanders. We next find him proceeding to Barbadoes and Bermuda, as passenger on board the Africa 64, Captain John Bastard. When running down the trades, at the rate of seven knots an hour, he leaped overboard after another seaman (James Walker), but was unable to save him, being nearly two miles astern of the ship, and upwards of thirty minutes in the water before a boat arrived to his assistance. From Bermuda, he went in the Chub schooner, to Halifax, and there joined the AEolus frigate. Captain Lord James Townshend, April 27th, 1811.
the Æolus, after visiting Quebec, and Prince Edward’s Isle, was sent to cruise off New York, in company with a squadron under Captain Bastard. On the 30th of Sept. 1811, in lat. 40° 50' N., long. 65° W., a gale of wind commenced at S.E., and soon blew with tremendous fury; the Æolus was laid on her beam-ends, her top-masts and mizen-mast were literally blown away, and she continued in this extremely perilous situation for at least half an hour. Directions were given to cut away the main-yard, in order to save the mainmast and right the ship; but so great was the danger attending such an operation considered, that not a man could be induced to attempt it, until Mr. Marryat led the way. His courageous conduct in this emergency excited general admiration, and was highly approved by Lord James Townshend, one of whose ship’s company he also saved by jumping overboard at sea.
On the 17th of Nov. 1811, Mr. Marryat was removed to the Spartan frigate. Captain Edward Pelham Brenton, under whom he continued to serve on the coast of North America, until Aug. 22d, 1812. A few days previous to his leaving this ship, for a passage home in the Indian sloop of war, he was engaged in two boats attacks, in Haycos harbour and Little River, the result of which was the capture of the six American armed vessels mentioned in p. 427 of Suppl. Part I.
Mr. Marryat was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Dec. 20th, 1812; and received his commission without going abroad for it, – a favor only granted where the particular services of the candidate appear to deserve such a mark of approbation. On the 8th of Jan. 1813, he was appointed to l’Espiegle sloop, Captain John Taylor; and on the 8th of the following month, when running down the trades, before a heavy sea, he leaped overboard after Jacob Small, a sailor who had fallen from the main rigging, but was unsuccessful on account of the time that it required to bring the vessel to, and lower a boat to assist him. On this occasion, Mr. Marryat was picked up a mile and a half distant from his sloop, in an exhausted and nearly senseless state.
After visiting Surinam, Demerara, and Barbadoes, Mr. Marryat left l’Espiegle at New Providence; proceeded from thence to sick-quarters at Halifax; and returned home a passenger on board the Spartan. His next appointment was, Jan. 31st, 1814, to the Newcastle 58, Captain Lord George Stuart, under whom he assisted at the capture of the American privateers Ida, of 10 guns and 65 men; and Prince de Neufchatel, of 18 guns and 135 men. On the 19th of Dec. 1814, he commanded the Newcastle’s barge, and cut four vessels out of Boston bay; in accomplishing which service eleven of his crew were killed and wounded. He left that ship at Madeira, on account of ill health, Feb. 16th, 1815; returned to England in the Conway 24; and obtained the rank of commander on the 13th of June following.
The military events of June, 1815, being followed by a general peace throughout the civilized world, Captain Marryat then occupied himself in acquiring a perfect knowledge of such branches of science as might prove useful should the Lords of the Admiralty be pleased to employ him in any survey or voyage of discovery; and, we believe, he was actually recalled from Italy, in 1818, to conduct a mission into the interior of Africa[6]. About the same time he received the “warmest thanks” of the Royal Humane Society, for his “most gallant and benevolent exertions” in the cases related above, and for saving the lives of several other persons under circumstances not quite so hazardous, but still deserving of “admiration.” He was also presented with the medal of that excellent institution, for his invention of a life-boat, which is described in their forty-seventh report.
Captain Marryat is likewise the inventor of a code of signals for the use of merchant vessels of all nations, including a cypher for secret correspondence. This telegraph is now used in the British and French navies; at all the principal ports in both these kingdoms; at Calcutta, Bombay, the Cape of Good Hope, and other English settlements; and by the mercantile marine of North America; the work has also been printed in Dutch and Italian, and is eminently calculated to render important service to navigation at large, and to the shipping interest of Great Britain in particular. By an ordonnance of the French government, no merchant vessel can be insured in that country without having these signals on board.
On the 13th of June, 1820, Captain Marry at was appointed to the Beaver sloop; and in Sept. following, he had the honor of dining with his late Majesty on board the Royal George yatch. He subsequently proceeded to Madeira, Teneriffe, St. Jago, Trinidad on the Main, Tristan de Cunha, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena, off which island he continued cruising, to windward, until the death of Napoleon Buonaparte; when, having been attacked with dysentery, he exchanged into the Rosario sloop, and brought home duplicate despatches relative to that event, from Rear-Admiral Lambert and Sir Hudson Lowe. On the day after the decease of the captive, a likeness of him was taken by Captain Marryat.
The Rosario formed part of the squadron that escorted the remains of her late Majesty from Harwich to Cuxhaven, in Aug. 1821. She afterwards cruised with some success against the smugglers in the British channel; but being found no longer seaworthy, was paid off, Feb. 7th, 1822.
In the same year, Captain Marryat published “Suggestions for the Abolition of the Present System of Impressment in the Naval Service,” in which pamphlet he pointed out the propriety of all merchant vessels carrying apprentices proportioned to their tonnage, instead of West Indiamen only, as was then the case. A few months after its appearance, his Majesty’s ministers put this suggestion in force, taking the scale proposed by Captain Marryat as their guide, with but little if any alteration.
Captain Marryat’s next appointment was, March 31st, 1823, to the Larne of 20 guns, fitting out for the East India station, where he joined his commander-in-chief, the late Commodore Charles Grant, C.B. on the 19th of December following.
After touching at Point de Galle, Colombo, Cochin, Tellicherry, Cananore, and Bombay, Captain Marryat was despatched to Madras, Trincomalee, and Calcutta, with directions to take the Sophie sloop under his orders, and to follow the instructions of the Governor-General of India, as to the best means of employing the Lame and her consort, in carrying on the war against Ava. His able, gallant, and zealous cooperation with the expedition under Sir Archibald Campbell, K.C.B., at Rangoon, where he was the senior naval officer from May until the middle of September, 1824, during which period he had to perform duties of no common character; and the very important services he subsequently rendered to the Hon. East India Company, as commander of an armament sent against Bassein, are detailed in a narrative of the naval operations in Ava; which, for the reasons stated in p. 255, we have placed as an appendix to this volume. From it, our readers will find, that Captain Marryat was often thanked for his services, by the Supreme Government and other high authorities in India, every operation which he arranged or conducted having been attended with complete success ; he likewise received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, in common with his brother officers; his rank alone precluding him from being individually named on that occasion.
On the demise of Commodore Grant, July 25th, 1824, the senior officer of the station promoted Captain Marryat to the command of the Tees 26; but, contrary to the custom during time of war, this appointment to a death vacancy was not confirmed by the Admiralty before July 25th, 1825, upon what grounds we are unable to state; yet we may be permitted to express our surprise at the circumstance, after the unqualified acknowledgment made by the Lords Commissioners, of Captain Marryat’s distinguished services. By reference to the official navy list, it will appear that no less than twenty-four officers now take seniority above him, the whole of whom would otherwise have been his juniors.
Captain Marryat paid off the Tees, at Chatham, in the beginning of 1826; obtained a Companionship of the Bath, in Jan. 1827; and was appointed to the Ariadne 28, in Nov. 1828. In this ship, we find him employed for many months on a diplomatic service at Madeira and the Western Isles, and subsequently searching for supposed dangers in the Atlantic Ocean. In Nov. 1830, his private affairs obliged him io resign the command of the Ariadne, since which he has not been employed.
This gallant and highly talented officer married Catherine, daughter of Sir Stephen Shairp, formerly Chargé d’Affaires at the Court of Russia. His eldest brother, Joseph Marryat, Esq. is the present M.P. for Sandwich.
Agents.– Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ See Non-Conformist’s Magazine.
- ↑ See Commander David Mapleton.
- ↑ Died a commander, Feb. 17th 1816, aged 26 years.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. p. 84.
- ↑ See Captain Eaton Travers.
- ↑ See p. 101.