A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stewart, James Pattison
STEWART, C.B. (Rear-Admiral, 1846.)
James Pattison Stewart entered the Navy, in March, 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Emerald 36, Capt. Thos. Moutray Waller, attached to the fleet in the Mediterranean. He served next, on the latter station and in the Channel, from Nov. 1798 until Jan. 1800, in the Queen Charlotte 100 and Barfleur and Téméraire 98’s, flag-ships of Admirals Sir Chas. Thompson and Jas. Hawkins Whitshed; and he then went back, in the capacity of Midshipman, to the Emerald, in which frigate, commanded for some time by Lord Jas. O’Bryen, he proceeded to the West Indies, where he removed to the Centaur 74, Commodore Sir Sam. Hood, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 21 March, 1805, and, after serving in the Beaulieu 44, Capt. Chas. Ekins, Dolphin, Capt. Isaac Ferrieres, and Northumberland 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Hon. Alex. Cochrane (under whom he fought in the action off St. Domingo), was nominated, 15 April, 1806, Acting-Commander of the Port d’Espagne brig. In that vessel, to which he was confirmed 15 Feb. 1808, he made prize, 18 Aug. 1807, of La Maria Spanish privateer of 1 long 18-pounder gun and 74 men. From the Port d’Espagne he removed, in Nov. 1808, to the Snap brig, in which vessel (part ot the force employed at the reduction of Martinique), and in the Epervier, he continued to serve in the West Indies, we believe, until Sept. 1809. Being next, 7 July, 1810, appointed to the Sheldrake 16, he was afforded an opportunity of co-operating, in March, 1811, in the defence of the island of Anholdt, when attacked by a Danish flotilla and army consisting in all of nearly 4000 men. On that occasion he distinguished himself by the intrepidity and skill with which he gave chase to 16 of the enemy’s gun-boats and armed vessels, two of the former of which (the one carrying 2 long 18-pounders, 4 brass howitzers, and 65 men – the other 2 long 24-pounders, 4 howitzers, and 60 men) he succeeded in capturing – the rest effecting their escape. The gallantij he thus displayed called forth the praise of Capt. Joseph Baker of the Tartar frigate, his senior officer, as well as the warm thanks of Capt. Jas. Wilkes Maurice, the Governor of Anholdt, and was reported in very favourable terms to the Admiralty hy the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Jas. Saumarez.[1] On 5 July, 1811, the Sheldrake, in company at the time with the Cressy and Defence 74’s, Dictator 64, and Bruiser gun-brig, contributed to the capture of four gun-vessels, each mounting 1 long 24-pounder and 4 howitzers, part of a Danish flotilla, consisting of 17 gun-vessels and 10 heavy row-boats, which had attacked a fleet of merchantmen under the protection of the above ships; and on 8 of the same month she made prize, after a close combat, of two gun-boats, each carrying 1 long 24-pounder, 1 32-pounder carronade, and 35 men, the rearmost of another flotilla. Including the affairs we have already noticed, she appears to have been altogether four times in action with the enemy’s gun-boats, and to have herself captured and destroyed five of them. As a reward for his meritorious services Capt, Stewart was advanced to Post-rank by a commission bearing date 1 Feb. 1812. He continued in the Sheldrake until the following March; and was afterwards, from May to Nov. 1812, and from May, 1813, until July, 1815, employed, on the Baltic and North Sea stations, in the Dictator 64 and Amphion 32. In the former ship, supported by the Calypso 18,[2] he succeeded, at the end of a long conflict, productive of a loss to the Dictator of 5 killed and 24 wounded, in accomplishing the destruction, within the rocks of Mardoe, on the coast of Norway, of the Danish frigate Nayaden of 48 guns (24-pounders on her main-deck), and the capture of the 18-gun brigs Laaland, Samsoe, and Kiel, and several gun-boats. The Samsoe, although she struck her colours, was not taken possession of. Before they could bring the enemy to action the British had had to run 12 miles through a passage in some places scarcely wide enough to admit the Dictator’s studding-sail booms to be out. On their way back they were assailed by a division of gunboats from behind the rocks, so situated that not a gun could be brought to bear on them. At this juncture the Laaland and Kiel, already complete wrecks, grounded; and, notwithstanding every exertion on the part of the Lieutenants and men placed in them, they were abandoned – the number of wounded on board not permitting of their being burnt. The Danes, during the proceedings which we have here detailed, and which took place on the night of 6 July, 1812, sustained a loss, as admitted by themselves, of 300 killed and wounded. In transmitting the narrative to the Admiralty, Sir Jas. Saumarez declared it was not possible to express in an adequate manner the undaunted spirit displayed by Capt. Stewart and all the officers and men under his orders.[3] On 26 Nov. 1813 Capt. Stewart, then in the Amphion, and attached to the in-shore squadron off Walcheren, volunteered to command the boats of the fleet under Admiral Young, and to attempt the capture, by a coup de main, of four French frigates at Flushing. Although he received “with great pleasure this proof of his zeal and good spirit,” the Commander-in-Chief differed from him as to the practicability of the enterprise. In Dec. of the same year we find Capt. Stewart displaying equal ardour while serving under Lord Geo. Stuart at the capture of the islands of Sohouwen and Tholen.[4] He was nominated a C.B. 8 Dec. 1815; and advanced to his present rank 1 Oct. 1846. Agent – J. Hinxman.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 650.
- ↑ The Podargus 14, and Flamer gun-brig, were also in company, but the former unfortunately took the ground at too great a distance to be of any service. The Flamer was left to assist her.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1812, p. 1361, where the Nayaden is represented as mounting 50 guns. Mr. James, whom we have followed, arms her with 48.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 2551.