Royal Naval Biography/Rous, Henry John
HON. HENRY JOHN ROUS.
[Post-Captain of 1823.]
Second son of John, first Earl of Stradbroke, by Charlotte Maria, daughter of Abraham Whittaker, Esq. and brother and heir presumptive to the present peer.
This officer was born Jan. 23, 1795. We first find him serving as midshipman under Captain (afterwards Sir William) Hoste, and assisting at the capture of la Tisiphone French national xebec, two gun-boats, seven transports laden with timber for the Venetian government, and two merchant vessels, by the boats of the Bacchante frigate, at Port Lema, on the coast of Istria, in the night of Aug. 31st, 1812. He also bore a part at the capture of the Corfu flotilla, Jan. 6th, 1813; as will be seen by reference to our memoir of Captain Donat Henchy O’Brien[1]. On the 15th May following, he assisted at the capture and destruction of the castle and batteries of Karlebago, mounting two long 12-pounders, four nines, and two brass sixes[2]; and on the 12th June in the same year, he commanded the Bacchante’s yawl, under the orders of Lieutenant Silas Thomson Hood, in a most brilliant affair on the coast of Abruzzi, the result of which was the capture of seven large Neapolitan gun-vessels, each mounting a long 18-pounder in the bow, throe others armed with 4-pounders, and fourteen sail of merchantmen, from Ancona bound to Barletta, many of the latter lying aground under the town of Gala Nova, and protected by more than 100 soldiers, with two field-pieces, on the beach. “This,” says Captain Hoste, “was the force opposed to a frigate’s boats; but no disparity of numbers could check the spirit of the brave officers and men employed in this service. The attack was determined on instantly, and executed with all the gallantry and spirit which men accustomed to danger, and to despise it, have so frequently shewn; and never was there a finer display of it than on this occasion. The boats, as they advanced, were exposed to a heavy fire of grape and musketry; and it was not till they were fairly alongside that the enemy slackened their fire, and were driven from their vessels with great loss. I beg leave to recommend Lieutenant Hood to the notice of the commander-in-chief in the strongest manner; I am unable to do justice to his merit. He speaks in the highest possible terms of Lieutenant Francis Gostling; acting Lieutenant Webb, who distinguished himself so much in January last, with the Corfu flotilla; Lieutenants Holmes and Haig, R.M.; and Messrs. Rees, Rous, Hoste, Farewell, Waldegrave, Langton, M‘Kean, and Richardson.”
The loss sustained by the British on this occasion was rather severe, though not so much as might have been expected from the enemy’s superiority of force, the obstinacy of the contest, and the boats’ crews being exposed to a scattered fire of musketry while employed in getting the prizes afloat. Three men were killed, and six very badly wounded, one of whom survived only a few hours.
On taking possession of the merchant vessels, the whole of which were loaded with oil, it was found that the plugs had been taken out of the bottoms of those aground, and that they consequently were half full of water. In the ensuing night, one of these vessels, under the charge of Mr. Rous, filled and upset, but did not go down, owing to the buoyancy of her cargo. The wind was then blowing strong, with a heavy sea, notwithstanding which Mr. Rous and his prize crew were providentially enabled to hang on by the starboard gunwale, from midnight until 4 a.m., when they had the good fortune to be discovered and picked up by the Hon. Mr. Waldegrave, commanding the very sternmost vessel of the convoy, and under a press of sail for Lissa.
From this period, Mr. Rous was engaged in a variety of important operations, – including the capture of Rovigno, on the coast of Istria; the island of Lesina; and the strong fortresses of Cattaro and Ragusa; by the reduction of which the allies became masters of every military post in Dalmatia, Croatia, Istria, and the Frioul, together with all the islands in the Adriatic Sea[3].
Mr. Rous’s promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place May 18th, 1814; and on that occasion he was appointed to the Alcmene 38, Captain Jeremiah Coghlan. From Aug. 4th following until Jan. 1816, he served in the Maeander 38, Captain John Bastard. In Jan. 1817, he received an appointment to the Conqueror 74, fitting out for the flag of Rear-Admiral Plampin, from which ship he was advanced to the command of the Podargus 14, at St. Helena, Nov. 26th in the same year.
The Podargus was paid off in Aug. 1819; and Captain Rous subsequently commanded the Sappho 18, on the Irish station, and Hind 20, in the Mediterranean, where he was serving when promoted to post rank, April 25th, 1823. His last appointment was, July 30th, 1825, to the Rainbow 28, in which ship he visited every part of the East India station, and discovered a river to the northward of Sydney, in New South Wales, where there is said to be fine and very safe anchorage. To this river he gave the name of Richmond. the Rainbow was put out of commission, at Portsmouth, Aug. 25th, 1829.
Agent.– C. Clementson, Esq.