Royal Naval Biography/Marshall, John
JOHN MARSHALL, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1814.]
A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath; Knight of the Highest Russian Military Order of St. George; and Knight of the Swedish Military Order of the Sword.
This officer obtained the rank of commander, Oct. 24, 1812; and was a passenger on board the Java, when that frigate was captured by the Americans, in the month of Dec. following[1].
On the 11th Nov. 1813, Captain Marshall was appointed to the Shamrock brig, then employed in the arduous and severe services which led to the investment, and finally to the surrender, of Gluckstadt and Hamburgh.
Immediately after he had joined the Shamrock, off Cuxhaven. Captain Marshall was sent higher up the Elbe, with a detachment of gun-boats under his orders, for the purpose of watching the enemy at Gluckstadt until the arrival of Baron de Boyé, who was then marching towards that fortress. The subsequent operations of the allied Anglo-Swedish forces, are thus officially described by Captain Arthur Farquhar, the senior British officer:–
“December, 23, 1813.
“On Sunday, the 19th instant, I was made acquainted, by letter from Captain Marshall, that a detachment of the Swedish army was advancing towards Gluckstadt; I determined to move up next morning with H.M.S. Desirée and the Blazer, but the weather was so extremely thick that it was impossible to move: the same day I received another communication from Captain Marshall, that Stoar battery, a little below Gluckstadt, was attacked by the Swedes, when the enemy set fire to the gun-carriages, spiked their guns, and retreated into the town ; I therefore resolved to proceed up the river that night in a gun-boat, and ordered the frigate and brig to come up as soon as the weather should clear. They arrived this morning.”
“January 2, 1814.
“On the 23d ult., six 32-pounders were landed, to be formed into a battery, assisted by a party of seamen and marines of this ship, under the command of Captain Green (late of the Shamrock), Lieutenants Haultain and Archer, and Mr. George Richardson, midshipman. On the 25th, two guns only were in battery, which were intended to flunk the pier-head and enemy’s gun-boats: from the extreme badness of the roads, the officer in command of the engineers did not prepare for more, conceiving that those, in a joint attack, might prove sufficient.
“There was not water to enable the Desirée to approach within gunshot of the fortress: to obviate this misfortune as much as possible, I deemed it expedient to strengthen our attack, by putting two long 18-pounders from this ship into each brig. On the evening of the 25th, I ordered the gun-boats to cannonade the town. On the following morning, a general attack was made by the brigs and gun-boats, under the immediate direction of Captain Marshall, which was kept up with great spirit the principal part of the day, and did the enemy considerable injury in the fortress, as well as sinking one of his gun-boats.
“On the 27th, the attack was renewed with equal spirit and effect, and continued on the morning of the 28th. Finding, however, the fire from the fortress still continued extremely heavy, and well-directed, both to the sea and land, it was resolved, without delay, to strengthen our batteries; and, for that purpose, I lost no time in landing two long 1 8-pounders from this ship, and two mortars taken from the enemy at Cuxhaven[2].
“Having, on the 31st, completed our batteries, consisting, the first of two long 18-pounders, served with red-hot shot; the second of four 32-pounders, and the third of two mortars, exclusive of those of the co-operating land force; on the morning of the 1st instant, a most tremendous attack was made on the enemy’s works, both by sea and land, and continued until this night; but, notwithstanding the town was fired in several places, the garrison still returned a very spirited and determined opposition.
“January 6, 1814.
“On the 4th, the garrison was summoned; but the governor’s answer (requesting that he might be allowed time to send to his sovereign at Copenhagen) being inadmissible, I again ordered the squadron to advance to the attack. Negociations were then happily set on foot, and yesterday this extremely strong fortress, which has been several times besieged by powerful armies, but never carried, was, at length, after an investment of sixteen days, and a most effectual bombardment of six, surrendered to a division of the Crown Prince of Sweden’s army, under the command of Baron de Boyé, and that of his Britannic Majesty’s squadron under my command, as per margin[3]. But in justice to the governor and garrison of Gluckstadt, I beg to state, that they defended their post as brave men, and that the cause of humanity appears to have determined the governor to surrender.
“The city has suffered much by fire, as well as in deaths, and I firmly believe, a few days’ bombardment would have entirely destroyed it. On the nights of the 2d and 3d, we had two 18-pounders and two 32-pounders within point-blank, constantly at work with red-hot shot, besides the mortar and rocket battery, which caused immense destruction, and kept the city in constant flames.
“I have now a most pleasant duty to perform, in expressing my best thanks and praise of the conduct of all the officers and men employed in this most arduous service, both by land and water, at this inclement season of the year * * * *; both brigs and gun-boats have received a considerable number of shot in their hulls, and rigging much cut. Nos. 1 and 12 gun-boats were dismasted; but the damage has been replaced, and the squadron is again in an effective state. * * * *.
(Signed)“Arthur Farquhar.”
The “almost miraculously small loss” of the British on this occasion has been stated at p. 934 of Vol. II. Part II. The following is a copy of that part of Captain Farquhar’s official letter to Admiral Young which did not appear in the London Gazette: – the cause of its suppression we are at a loss to surmise:–
“To Captain Marshall I am particularly indebted for his zeal in the performance of his duty. To Captains Banks and Rose, Lieutenant Kneeshaw, and Sir George Keith, every praise is due for their able support during the bombardment. Lieutenant Kneeshaw, who will have the honor of carrying home this despatch, is an officer of great merit: his attention to his duty, since he has been under my command, claims my warmest approbation. He is an old officer, and has lost his right arm in the service of his country.
“I am also much indebted to Captain Green, who commanded the seamen’s battery, and under him Lieutenants Haultain (volunteer) and Archer (2d of this ship), and Mr. George Richardson, midshipman, who has served his time, and passed for a lieutenant more than two years. Our shore batteries did the fortress incalculable mischief.
“The service the gun-boats has been employed on since under my command, I am sure will be duly appreciated by you. Sir, as well as by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty: for these last three months, a more trying and arduous service than that they have been engaged in (both officers and men), particularly against this place, and at this season of the year, never was performed, and this without a murmur or complaint. Lieutenant Hanmer, as senior officer, I cannot omit to mention; a more zealous officer does not exist. Lieutenant Henderson was of the greatest assistance to me during the whole time I was in the river Weser.
“Messrs. Thomas Riches and John Hallowes, petty officers, have commanded gun-boats ever since they were fitted out, and I beg most strongly to recommend them as young men highly deserving promotion. I cannot close this account without doing justice to Lieutenant Jack, at present the senior lieutenant of this ship, who has carried on the service with great activity on all occasions, and particularly when my personal attendance was required on shore, in different situations during the siege.”
On the 9th Jan. 1814, after considerable difficulty from the ice, the Shamrock entered the haven of Gluckstadt, and took possession of the Danish flotilla there, consisting of one brig and seven gun-boats. From thence Captain Marshall was despatched to Kiel, in order to establish the claims of the British squadron to the enemy’s vessels, naval stores, &c. taken in the Elbe.
On the breaking up of the ice, the Shamrock proceeded to Cuxhaven, where she remained whilst six of the gun-boats, under the directions of her only Lieutenant, Mr. James Edgecombe, co-operated with the allies at the reduction of Hamburgh and Haarbourgh.
Captain Marshall was advanced to post-rank, June 7, 1814; and nominated a C.B. in June, 1815. At the commencement of the latter year he obtained the royal license and permission to accept and wear the insignia of the foreign orders mentioned at the commencement of this memoir, “with which their Imperial and Royal Majesties, the Emperor of all the Russias, and the King of Sweden, had respectively honored him, in testimony of the high sense which those Sovereigns entertained of his bravery aud services during the siege of Gluckstadt, and at the blockade of Hamburgh and Haarburgh[4].”
In 1826, Captain Marshall was appointed superintendant of the lazarettos at Milford, from whence he removed to the quarantine establishment in Standgate Creek, about Jan. 1827. He married, in 1828, Augusta Eliza, youngest daughter of J. Wynne, of Garthmello, co. Denbigh, Esq. and granddaughter of the late Dr. S. Parr, Prebendary of St. Pauls.
- ↑ See Captain Henry Ducie Chads, C.B.
- ↑ See Captain Andrew Pellet Green.
- ↑ The same vessels as were with him at Cuxhaven, but reinforced by the Hearty brig, Captain James Rose; and a gun-boat, No. 12, Lieutenant John Henderson.
- ↑ London Gazette, Jan. 10, 1815.