Royal Naval Biography/Watling, John Wyatt
JOHN WYATT WATLING, Esq.
[Captain of 1830.]
Is a native of Leominster, co. Hereford, and maternally descended from the family of Sir Thomas Wyatt, who was beheaded in the reign of Queen Mary, for leading an insurgent force into London[1].
This officer was born in 1787, and, being related to several ship-owners, went first to sea in the merchant service, with the view of ultimately becoming master of a Jamaica trader; but his friends conceiving that they had interest sufficient to bring him forward in the royal navy, he was induced, early in 1801, to embark as midshipman on board the Veteran 64, Captain Archibald Dickson, under whom we find him serving in the expedition against the Northern Confederacy, so happily dissolved by the heroic Nelson’s attack upon the line of defence before Copenhagen. He subsequently served under Captains Edward Fellowes, Charles Brisbane, and Edward Brace, in the Acasta 40, Goliah 74, and Iris and Virginie frigates. In June, 1808, he passed his examination, and was immediately appointed to act as lieutenant of the Hero 74, Captain James Newman Newman. His promotion to that rank took place on the 22d Sept. following; and, in the ensuing month, he appears to have been removed to the Sirius frigate, Captain Samuel Pym, then about to sail for the Cape of Good Hope station. On the 21st Sept. 1809, he assisted at the capture of St. Paul’s, in the island of Bourbon, on which occasion la Caroline French frigate was taken, and much valuable British property rescued from the enemy[2].
His subsequent services in the same neighbourhood are thus officially certified:
“Considering the conduct of Lieutenant John Wyatt Watling, during the time he served in H.M.S. Sirius under my command, deserving my particular approbation, I do hereby certify, that he had charge of the beach in landing Lieutenant-Colonel Frazier with his brigade from that ship, at the attack of the Isle of Bourbon, composed of the whole of the 80th regiment, a large party of artillery, parts of two regiments of sepoys, and fifty pioneers, amounting together to 960 men, with howitzers and ammunition, not any part of which was injured; and that in the space of less than two hours and a half the whole were landed and on their march; and that the said Lieutenant Watling, and the seamen under his orders, did their duty in an astonishing fine style, though not without great personal risk, in saving the soldiers, and keeping the ammunition dry, from the heavy surf, and rolling stone beach. That, with the small-arm men, he afterwards executed my orders in keeping possession, during the night, of the heights between the town of St. Paul’s and Colonel Frazier’s rear, by which he prevented any reinforcements being sent from the former to St. Denis. He also drove in all their sharp-shooters, and took several cavalry horses. A service rendered of great importance in consequence of a total failure in the landing attempted to be effected to windward by the commodore and the rest of the squadron, with the three brigades under Lieutenant-Colonels Keating, Campbell, and Drummond, and by which the surrender of the island was effected on the following day, before Lieutenant-Colonel Keating had joined Lieutenant-Colonel Frazier[3].
(Signed)“S. Pym.”
Shortly after this event. Captain Pym, then cruising off the N.W. end of the Isle of France, sent his boats, under the command of Lieutenants Norman and Watling, to cut off a deeply laden three-masted schooner; which vessel, however, succeeded in getting into an intricate narrow passage, between reefs of coral, and was run aground by her crew within 200 yards of the shore, where she was protected by a large military force, and one or two field-pieces on the beach. Notwithstanding this opposition, the boats pushed on, the pinnace, under Lieutenant Watling, taking the lead, and succeeded in boarding and setting the vessel on fire. By the time her destruction was effected, the tide had ebbed so considerably as to preclude the possibility of the boats returning through the same channel by which they had approached the schooner, and their only alternative was to force a passage in another direction, exposed at a very short range to the fire of the soldiers and other persons on land. On this occasion the pinnace, keeping inshore of the other boats, to cover them as much as possible, unfortunately took the ground, when many Frenchmen waded off and attempted to carry her by boarding; but the reception they met with was so warm, that such as were not wounded soon retreated again, bearing off with them several apparently lifeless bodies. In the pinnace, a midshipman was dangerously wounded, and a sailor slain; the only loss sustained by the British boats, all of which succeeded in making good their retreat, though for some time under a galling fire. Lieutenant Watling’s conduct on this occasion is said by Captain Pym, to have “done him great credit;” and at the successful attack afterwards made upon l’Isle de la Passe, it “was truly gallant[4].” He there appears to have had a miraculous escape, – for while in the act of leading on his men, after scaling the first breast-work, he was about to spring down, when a French soldier, who had previously crouched under the wall, rose and presented at him his musket, with fixed bayonet. Stopping, however, to take deliberate aim, the enemy afforded Mr. Watling an opportunity to jump over him, and thereby escape both lead and steel; but a poor fellow immediately behind was caught by the point of the bayonet, and literally run through the body: the soldier soon paid for his temerity, being killed on the spot. In this affair, Mr. Watling was also personally engaged with a French officer, second in command, whom he obliged to surrender.
Immediately after the capture of l’Isle de la Passe, Lieutenant Watling proceeded with the boats of the Sirius into Port Sud-Est, for the purpose of attacking a ship of 18 guns and 60 men, bound to Madagascar for slaves. On the approach of the boats, this armed ship cut her cable, and, having a fresh breeze and fair wind for the purpose, ran on a coral reef, under the protection of the land batteries, where she was afterwards broke up, the enemy finding it impossible ever to get her afloat.
On the 21st Aug. 1810, Lieutenant Watling and Mr. John Andrews, midshipman, in two small boats, containing between them only nine men, with no other weapons of offence than the stretchers, followed a large ship into Riviere-Noire, and there attacked and carried her, under the fire of several formidable batteries. She proved to be the Windham East Indiaman, of 30 guns, recently captured by a French squadron, and then in charge of a lieutenant de vaisseau, whose prize-crew consisted of not less than thirty men, several of whom were wounded by the fire from the shore, after they had ceased to resist their assailants. Of this vary gallant exploit, we can find no official account, beyond a passage in a letter to the Admiralty, from Commissioner Shield at the Cape of Good Hope, stating that the Windham had been recaptured by the Sirius.
During the subsequent disastrous attack made by the Sirius and three other frigates, upon a French squadron in Port Sud-Est, Lieutenant Watling was the bearer of most of the orders issued by the senior officer to his brother-captains; and at the termination of that unfortunate business, he nearly lost his life in taking measures for ensuring the speedy destruction of the Sirius[5], having gone below and opened the magazine doors after every other person had abandoned her, and only regained the deck at the moment when the flames, recently kindled by Captain Pym and himself, were bursting forth in all directions, and the last boat was actually pulling away, the people in her supposing that he had fallen a sacrifice to his devotedness and zeal.
After the blowing up of the Sirius, Lieutenant Watling volunteered to convey Captain Pym’s despatches to Isle Bourbon, a distance of 140 miles; and at 8 p.m. Aug. 25th, he was accordingly sent thither in the pinnace with nine men. A French brig, l’Entreprenante, then cruising off Port Sud-Est, gave chace to him ; but, by pulling in-shore among the breakers, he adroitly escaped from her, and landed at St. Denis on the 27th, about 2 a.m. Immediately on his arrival, he was ushered into the presence of the governor, R.T. Farquhar, Esq., who without delay summoned a Council, whereat it was first proposed and decided on, in consequence of the annihilation of nearly the whole British naval force off the Isles of France and Bourbon, to equip the Windham as an auxiliary ship of war, and to place her under the command of Lieutenant Watling, who, as was observed at the time, had merited such an appointment by his gallantry in recapturing her. On a farther consultation, however, it was decided that he would render a more essential service by proceeding direct to India, and giving such information as might probably prevent many other valuable ships from being captured. An American prize-schooner was instantly assigned for this purpose; and after receiving a present of £200 from the Government of Bourbon, he sailed for Madras with despatches, and the following recommendatory letter:–
“St. Denis, 29th Aug. 1812.
“Sir,– Permit me to recommend to your Excellency’s notice and consideration, Lieutenant Watling, late first of the Sirius, a most gallant, active, and enterprising officer, who is now in command of the Egremont schooner, purchased by this Government, and manned by a party of the Sirius’s late ship’s-company. The vessel is copper-fastened, sails remarkably well, and is in every respect one of the completest ever built. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“R. T. Farquhar.”
“To H.E. Vice-Admiral Drury,
&c. &c. &c.”
On board the Egremont, Lieutenant Watling was subject to great privation, having quitted Isle Bourbon in such haste as not to admit of his obtaining either apparel, bedding, or any other article of comfort; but on his touching at Columbo, in Ceylon, he was most kindly furnished by the late Sir Thomas Maitland, with linen of every description, wine, and other necessaries, from the General’s own stock, and for which the latter would not accept any remuneration. On his arrival at Madras, he was presented by the Governor and Council of that presidency with another sum of £200, in testimony of their approbation of the services he had rendered to the Hon. East India Company.
After refitting his schooner. Lieutenant Watling sailed for Rodriguez, charged with despatches, and a letter of which we shall here give the copy:–
“Madras, 4th Oct. 1810.
“My dear General, – This will be delivered to you by Lieutenant Watling, R.N. He was first of the Sirius, and engaged in the capture of l’isle de la Passe: he boarded and recaptured the Windham, under the batteries near the Rivièire Noire: – he was in the Sirius in the gallant, though unfortunate action, which took place in Port Sud-Est; after which he undertook, at very great hazard, and with much address, to convey the despatches of Captain Pym, in an open boat, to Bourbon; and then took the command of a schooner fitted up by Mr. Farquhar, in a few hours, having no other officer, nor any assistance but what he derived from the common sailors on board. He brought the Egremont to Madras, under these circumstances; and is now preparing, at my suggestion, to return, I fear in little better state, to Rodriguez, where his intimate acquaintance with the Isle of France, his intrepidity and readiness to promote the public service, must render him extremely useful: I am sure I need not recommend him to that attention from you which the army is always anxious to shew their naval brothers in arms. I remain, my dear General, yours most faithfully.
(Signed)“G. Hewett, Lieutenant-General.”
“To the Hon. Lieutenant-General Abercrombie.”
On his arrival at Rodriguez, where an expedition was then preparing for the reduction of the Mauritius, Lieutenant Watling was suffering from fever, which had reduced him so much that he could not quit his cot. When sufficiently recovered to do so, he was sent for by Vice-Admiral Bertie, who, on the quarter-deck of the Africaine frigate, publicly informed him that he much regretted the slate of his health was reported by the medical men to be such as would preclude the possibility of his accompanying the forces, to whom his intimate knowledge of the coast about to be invaded might otherwise prove of great benefit; but that, on the surrender of the French colony, he would promote him to the command of a ship, in testimony of his meritorious conduct. He was then sent to sick-quarters at Bourbon, where Governor Farquhar, in consideration of his former exertions and services, appointed him to the situation of port-captain. He subsequently proceeded to the Mauritius, where the same gentleman gave him the command of a large American prize schooner, destined to convoy important despatches to the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs, and others to the Hon. Court of Directors. During the equipment of this schooner, and while still extremely unwell, he saved from a wreck, near Port Louis, the wife of a major in the army, and fifteen other persons. Being informed that a ship was cast away in approaching that harbour, during a perfect hurricane, and that the senior officer had made the signal for boats, if possible, to render assistance, he quitted his cabin, regardless of illness and debility, and departed in a four-oared gig for the coral reef on which she had grounded, where such a tremendous sea was breaking over her, that not another boat would attempt to approach it. To the astonishment of thousands of persons who lined the shore, he placed his gig in such a situation as to be thrown by the waves over the reef, then pulled up alongside the wreck, and took out the lady, who had been supplicating in the most pathetic manner, amidst universal acclamations. Three times did he return to the wreck before all on board could be rescued; and, singular as it may appear, he never received the least assistance from any other boat. There is in existence a painting of this heroic achievement, copied by Pringle from a drawing by an officer who witnessed the scene; and we need scarcely add, that the conduct of Lieutenant Watling was highly eulogised by all in authority at Port Louis, as well as by the public press. On the 14th Feb. 1811, he was thus officially addressed:–
“Sir,– Previous to your departure for Europe, in command of the Wellesley packet, I am directed to convey to you, in this public document, the entire satisfaction and approbation of His Excellency the Governor, as to the uniform propriety of your conduct, during the time you have acted under his immediate orders and authority.
“In taking charge of the important despatches conveyed to India by the Egremont schooner, immediately after your escape from the disastrous result of the gallant but unsuccessful attack on the enemy’s frigates in Grande Port, you rendered essential service to these colonies and to your country; and your subsequent conduct has been marked with the same spirit of cheerful activity and zeal in the public cause.
“In conveying to you this tribute of the Honorable the Governor’s approbation, as to the general tenor of your conduct, he is happy to do justice at the same time to the particular act of heroism and humanity which has recently distinguished your character, by the hazardous and successful attempt on your part to save the lives of a female passenger and the crew of a vessel that had been wrecked while entering this harbour.
“To the gallant perseverance of yourself, and others of your countrymen, in the cause of humanity, the human beings in question were preserved from apparently inevitable destruction, and conveyed in safety to shore, through a heavy and tremendous surf. The Honorable the Governor has accordingly every satisfaction in thus distinctly recording his public acKnowledgments and approbation on so interesting an occasion. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“A. Barry, Chief Secretary to Government.”
“To Lieutenant J. W. Watling, R.N.,
Commanding the H.C. packet Wellesley.”
This officer’s next appointment was, in Dec. 1811, to the Aquilon 32, Captain William Bowles, under whom he served as first lieutenant, on the North Sea station, until June, 1812; when, on a representation of his services being made to Viscount Melville, he was directed to proceed, on half-pay, to the Cape of Good Hope, where he remained a considerable time without the least prospect of promotion. His commission as commander bears date Dec. 1st, 1813; but even then he was not called into service. In June 1815, we find him fitting out the Volcano bomb, which vessel was paid off in the month of Sept. following, lie then received an appointment to command the Julia sloop, destined to form part of the St. Helena squadron; from which station he was soon obliged to return home, for the recovery of his health, passenger on board an East Indiaman. He was afterwards employed as an inspecting commander of the coast guard; and advanced to the rank of captain, July 22d, 1830. His wife, who died in Mar. 1830, was the daughter of Philip Grubb, of Highgate, co. Middlesex, Esq.
Agent.– Messrs. Goode & Clarke.
- ↑ After the death of Sir Thomas, and the consequent confiscation of his property, his eldest son retired to the neighbourhood of Monmouth; but his descendants settled at and near Hereford.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part II. p. 142 et seq.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part II. p. 153 et seq.
- ↑ See Vol. III. Part I. pp. 238–241.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part II. p. 164 et seq.