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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stanton, James

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1953936A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Stanton, JamesWilliam Richard O'Byrne

STANTON. (Retired Commander, 1835. f-p., 16; h-p., 38.)

James Stanton died about the commencement of 1848, aged upwards of 80.

This officer entered the Navy, 1 July, 1793, as a Volunteer, on board the Queen Charlotte 100, Capt. Sir Andw. Snape Douglas, successive flag-ship of Admirals Lord Howe, Sir Roger Curtis, Lord Keith, Sir Chas. Thompson, and Sir Jas. Hawkins Whitshed; the last-mentioned of whom he followed as Master’s Mate, in June and Oct. 1799, into the Barfleur and Téméraire 98’s. During the six years he continued in the Queen Charlotte he was employed chiefly on the Home station, took part in the actions of 28 and 29 May and 1 June, 1794, and was present in 1797 at the mutiny at Spithead. His zealous exertions on the latter occasion were conspicuous in the extreme and nearly cost him his life. In the Barfleur he made a voyage to the Mediterranean; and in the Téméraire[1] (attached to the Channel fleet) he was confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted in that capacity, 5 Oct. 1802. His last appointments were – 2 Nov. 1802, to the Lynx sloop, Capt. John Willoughby Marshall, employed in the North Sea and on the coast of France – 7 Feb. 1804, for rather more than a year, to the Vesuvius bomb, Capts. Robt. O’Brien and Jas. Lillicrap, also on the Home station – and, in Oct. 1805, to the Belliqueux 64, Capt. Hon. Geo. Byng, afterwards Viscount Torrington. While in the latter ship, of which he became Senior Lieutenant, he commanded a party of seamen on shore at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope in Jan. 1806; he likewise contributed, 27 Nov. following, to the capture and destruction of a Dutch frigate, seven brigs of war, and about 20 armed and other merchant-vessels lying in Batavia Roads; and he was present at the occupation of the island of Rodriguez. He invalided home in Nov. 1809, and was placed on the list of Retired Commanders 18 April, 1835.

He married in early life, and has left an only daughter, Charlotte Howe Stanton, so named from the circumstance of her having been born on board the Queen Charlotte.


  1. Flag-ship for some time of Rear-Admiral Geo. Campbell.