Robert Maunsell (Royal Navy officer)
Royal Navy officer, post-captain in 1812 (d. 1845) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Captain Robert Charles[2] Maunsell (1785/6–1845) was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Royal Navy, rising to the rank of post-captain. He was born at Limerick, a son of Archdeacon William Maunsell, in 1785 or 1786.[3][4] He had one brother in the Church, and another in the Army.[5]
Robert Maunsell | |
---|---|
Born | 1785 / May 1786 Limerick, Ireland |
Died | 31 August 1845 (aged 60) London, England |
Buried | |
Allegiance | Great Britain United Kingdom |
Service | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1799–1843 |
Rank | Post-captain |
Commands | HMS Procris (1808–11) HMS Illustrious (1811–12) HMS Chatham (1812–14) HMS Alfred (1831–33) HMS Rodney (1842–43) |
Battles/wars |
He entered the Royal Navy on board the Mermaid, 32 guns, Captain Robert Dudley Oliver, in 1799; and subsequently served under Captains Richard Hussey Moubray and George Elliot, in the Maidstone, 32 guns, on the Mediterranean station.[3] On 11 July 1804, he received a very severe wound in the hip, while assisting at the destruction of about a dozen French settees, at La Vandour, near Toulon, by the boats of the Maidstone and her consorts, under the orders of Lieutenant John Thompson; and for his gallant conduct on that occasion, he was rewarded with a commission as Lieutenant, dated 7 March 1805, the day on which he completed his time.[3] From that period, he served on board the Princess Royal, 98 guns, in the Channel fleet.[3] He was promoted to Commander on 8 March 1808.[3]
Maunsell next commanded the Procris brig, on the East India station, where he destroyed the Dutch Company's vessel Wagster, of 8 guns, 4 swivels, and 86 men, in about 1810.[4][3] At the commencement of the operations against Java, he performed a gallant exploit,[6] leading men of the 14th and 89th regiments ashore to the attack of six of the enemy's gunboats.[4] He was rewarded by an appointment to command the Illustrious, 74 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Broughton; and during the subsequent operations against Batavia, he bore a very distinguished part on shore, under the orders of Captain Sayer; particularly at the assault of Meester Cornelis, on 27 August 1811.[7][8]
On 10 September, Commodore Broughton joined Rear-Admiral Stopford, off Samarang; and in the course of the ensuing night, several of the enemy's gun vessels, lying in-shore, were attacked and destroyed by the boats of the squadron, under the directions of Captain Maunsell; whose post commission was confirmed by the Admiralty, on 7 February 1812.[9] His next appointment was, on 24 or 25 August 1812,[10][5] to the Chatham, 74 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Matthew Henry Scott, on the North Sea station; the command of which ship he retained till July 1814.[5]
After 16 years ashore, he was next, on 22 February 1831, placed in command of the Alfred, 50 guns, and sent to the Mediterranean, where he remained for three years.[10] His last appointment was, on 13 May 1840, to the Rodney, 92 guns, bound for Alexandria, where he opened communications between Commodore Napier and Mehemet Ali.[10] In October 1843 the Rodney was paid off.[10] On 20 July 1838, Captain Maunsell was nominated a C.B.[10] He died on 31 August 1845.[4]