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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Charlewood, Edward Philips

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1653878A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Charlewood, Edward PhilipsWilliam Richard O'Byrne

CHARLEWOOD. (Commander, 1840. f-p., 13; h-p., 7.)

Edward Philips Charlewood, born 14 Nov. 1814, at Oak Hill, co. Stafford, is youngest son of the Rev. C. B. Charlewood, of that place. This officer entered the Royal Naval College 7 June, 1827, and embarked, 12 June, 1829, as Midshipman, on board the Favourite 18, Capt. Joseph Harrison, with whom he served on the coast of Africa until Aug. 1833. Having passed his examination 2 Oct. in that year, he became attached, in Feb. 1834, as Mate, to the Salamander steam-vessel, Capt. Wm. Langford Castle, employed on Channel service, and, in Oct. 1834, joined, as Acting-Lieutenant of the Euphrates steam-vessel, the expedition under Col. Chesney, then preparing for its explorative mission to the celebrated river of that name. Throughout the various details of that arduous undertaking, which only brought itself to an issue in the spring of 1837, Mr. Charlewood repeatedly acquired official praise, but more especially for his active co-operation in the laborious task of originally transporting the Euphrates, and the Tigris, another steam-vessel, from the vicinity of Antioch overland to the town of Bir, a tract of 140 miles, almost impassable for the want of roads; as well as for his subsequent exertions in saving the Euphrates, when her consort the Tigris foundered in a typhoon. On his return to England he joined, in July, 1837, the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, of which we find him appointed a Lieutenant 26 Jan. 1838, exactly a week after his promotion to that rank. Removing, 25 April, 1839, to the Benbow 72, Capt. Houston Stewart, Mr. Charlewood sailed for the Mediterranean, and while on that station took part in the various operations of the Syrian campaign, including the attack on Tortosa and bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre. On the former occasion, 25 Sept. 1840, he landed at the head of a pioneer party, entered a breach in the wall of the castle, and brought off several stores of corn and rice. For his very gallant conduct in this afiair he obtained a Commander’s commission, dated 5 Nov. 1840,[1] but since that date has been on half-pay.

Commander Charlewood married, 18 March, 1841, Sarah Carlton, second daughter of the late W. Willie, Esq., of Kingston, Hants, and has issue. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1840, pp. 2605-6.