Royal Naval Biography/Walker, Charles Montagu
CHARLES MONTAGU WALKER, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1825.]
Is the youngest son of the late Major Walker, of Bushey, co. Herts, who lost considerable property in North America during the colonial revolutionary war; and a brother to Colonel Frederic Walker, R.A., the present proprietor of the above manor; also to Lieutenant-General Sir George T. Walker, G.C.B., K.T.S., commander-in-chief at Madras.
This officer was present at the occupation and evacuation of Toulon, in 1793; and served as midshipman on board the Fortitude 74, Captain (afterwards Sir William) Young, during the subsequent operations against Corsica[1]. He likewise witnessed the reduction of the islands of St. Lucia and Trinidad, in May 1796, and Feb. 1797[2]. We next find him serving under Captain (now Sir William) Hotham, in the Adamant 50, on the Cape of Good Hope station, where he assisted at the destruction of la Preneuse French frigate, Dec. 11th, 1799[3]. He subsequently assisted in cutting out a merchant ship from above the buoys at the entrance of Port Louis, in the Mauritius, on which occasion the British boats had two men killed and ten wounded, including, among the latter, the senior lieutenant of the Lancaster 64[4].
Mr. Walker’s first commission bears date Jan. 11th, 1803. He was a lieutenant of the Spencer 74, Captain the Hon. Robert Stopford, when that ship accompanied Lord Nelson from the Mediterranean to the West Indies, in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, in 1805; also at the battle of St. Domingo, Feb. 6th, 1806; during the siege of Copenhagen, in 1807; and at the blockade of Lisbon, in the winter of the latter year[5].
After the convention of Cintra, Lieutenant Walker returned home from the river Tagus in command of a Russian sloop of war, belonging to the squadron surrendered by Vice-Admiral Siniavin. He was subsequently appointed to the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral (now Sir Charles) Tyler, and Colossus 74, Captain Thomas Alexander, which latter ship was attached to the squadron under Sir Richard G. Keats, employed in the defence of Cadiz. His promotion to the rank of commander took place, Feb. 1st, 1812.
From this period we lose sight of Captain Walker until Feb. 21st, 1824, when he was appointed to the Medina 20, in which ship he conveyed Lord Strangford, H.M. Ambassador to the Ottoman Porte, from Constantinople to Trieste, &c. &c. He obtained his present rank, May 27th, 1825. Captain Walker married, in 1811, Miss Anna Maria Riddell, of Dumfries-shire, N.B., grand-daughter of the late Governor Woodley, and has issue eight sons and a daughter. His only sister is the wife of the Rev. Stawel Chudleigh.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. pp. 60, 46, 250, et seq.
- ↑ See Id. notes at pp. 134 and 112.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part III. p. 169.
- ↑ See Nav. Chron. VI. 164.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part II. p. 589 et seq.; Vol. II. Part I. p. 280 et seq.; Vol. I. Part I. pp. 79–83; and Id. Part II. p. 431 et seq.