Royal Naval Biography/Renny, Alexander
ALEXANDER RENNY, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1817.]
Was made commander, Oct. 13, 1807; and appointed to the Trinculo brig, Oct. 22, 1810.
On the 1st and 2d Oct. 1811, a court-martial was held, in Sheerness harbour, for the trial of Captain Renny, upon charges exhibited against him by Mr. John Hill, late first lieutenant of the Trinculo; viz. repeated drunkenness, and a flagrant breach of the 10th, 12th, and 13th articles of war[1]. The following is a transcript of an attested copy of the sentence:
“he Court having heard the evidence produced in support of the charges, as well as what the prisoner had to offer in his defence, and having very maturely and deliberately weighed the whole and every part thereof, is of opinion that the charges are not proved; and does, therefore, most fully and most honorably acquit Alexander Renny, Esq. commander of H.M. sloop Trinculo, of all and every part thereof. And Alexander Renny, Esq. &c. is hereby most fully and most honorably acquitted of all and every part of the charges accordingly.
“The Court is at a loss for an expression sufficiently strong to mark the sense it feels of this prosecution, which has disclosed a scene of malice, perversion of facts,, and total insubordination, which cannot be too strongly deprecated.”
On the 18th and 19th of the same month, a Mr. Croke, late acting lieutenant of the Triuculo, was tried for contempt; for unofficer-like conduct to a centinel, while he himself was under arrest; for making use of improper language in the gun-room; and for being one of a combination against Captain Renny. The Court decided, that he was guilty of the first two charges alleged against him, but acquitted him of the latter: he was consequently adjudged to be incapable of receiving promotion for two years, and admonished to be more circumspect in his conduct for the future. In Feb. following, Lieutenant Cornelius Lascelles, likewise of the Trinculo, was tried in the some port, for a violation, of the 23d and 27th articles of war, and for conspiring against his commander. The whole of these charges being proved, he was sentenced to be dismissed from the naval service, and rendered incapable, for ever, of serving his Majesty.
Captain Renny obtained post rank, Jan. 1, 1817 ; and died at Paris, June 13, 1826.
- ↑ Implying cowardice.