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.
STEWART. (Captain, 1842. f-p., 14; h-p., 6.)
The Honourable Keith Stewart, born 3 Jan. 1814, is second son (by Jane, second daughter of Henry, first Earl of Uxbridge, and sister of the Marquess of Anglesey, K.G., G.C.B.) of George, eighth Earl of Galloway, K.T., Admiral of the Blue;[5] brother of the present peer; brother-in-law of the Duke of Marlborough and of Lord Feversham; nephew of the late Lieut.-General Hon. Wm. Stewart, G.C.B., and the late Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Jas. Henry Keith Stewart, C.B.; and grand-nephew of Admiral Hon. Keith Stewart, who died 5 May, 1795, and of the first Marquis of Stafford, the fourth Earl of Aboyne, the ninth Duke of Hamilton, and the fifth Earl of Dunmore. He is first-cousin of the Right Hon. Sir Jas. Robt. Geo. Graham, Bart., M.P., formerly First Lord of the Admiralty, and late Secretary of State for the Home Department.
This officer entered the Navy 3 April, 1827 fought in the Asia 84, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Codrington, at the battle of Navarin; obtained his first commission 13 June, 1833; was nominated, 17 Aug. following, Supernumerary-Lieutenant of his former ship, the Asia, then bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Wm. Parker at Lisbon; served, from 11 Oct. in the same year until Dec. 1835, in the Stag 46, Capt. Nicholas Lockyer, on the coast of Portugal; and was next, 15 Feb. 1837, appointed to the Cornwallis 74, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Chas. Paget on the North America and West India station, where he was made Commander, 14 Oct. 1838, into the Ringdove 16. He paid that vessel off at the close of 1841, and was advanced to his present rank 1 July, 1842.
Capt. Stewart married, in 1841, at Prince Edward’s Island, Mary Caroline, only daughter of his Excellency Lieut.-Colonel Sir Chas. Augustus FitzRoy, K.C.H., grand-niece of George Henry, fourth Duke of Grafton, and niece of Charles, fourth Duke of Richmond. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
STEWART. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 4.)
Peter Benson Stewart, born 6 Dec. 1808, is fourth son of the late Wm. Stewart, Esq., of Horn Head, co. Donegal. One of his ancestors was a Captain in William III.’s army at the battle of the Boyne.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 April, 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Active 46, Capts. Andrew King and Hon. Robt. Rodney, stationed at first in the Channel and then in the Mediterranean, where, in 1824, he was for six months engaged at the blockade of Algiers, and took part in the demonstration made by Sir Harry Burrard Neale before that place. He coniinued to serve in the Active, in the capacity of Midshipman, until Aug. 1825. Being then paid off, he was next, from March, 1826, until June, 1831, and from July in the latter year until Nov. 1836, employed in the Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Edw. Durnford King and Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie, and Beagle 10, Capt. Robt. FitzRoy. In the former ship he was stationed off Lisbon and again in the Mediterranean; and in the
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ The Earl of Galloway (originally Lord Garlies) was born 24 March, 1768. Entering the Navy at an early age, he served as Midshipman with his uncle, Commodore (afterwards Admiral) Hon. Keith Stewart, in the action off the Doggerbank in 1781, and at the relief of Gibraltar in 1782. He was employed subsequently as Lieutenant in the Aquilon frigate; and, after commanding the Vulcan fire-ship, was advanced to Post-rank 30 April, 1793. During the French revolutionary war he served in the Sheerness 44, Winchelsea 32, Lively 32, Hussar frigate, and Bellerophon 74. In the Winchelsea he assisted at the reduction of the French West India Islands, and was severely contused in the face when covering the landing of the army at Grozier Bay Guadeloupe, 11 April, 1794. In the Lively he was present, 14 Feb. 1797, in the action off Cape St. Vincent, whence he returned to England with Sir Robert Calder, who was charged with the despatches announcing the victory. On the renewal of hostilities he obtained command of the Ajax 74; and during Lord Barbara’s administration he filled a seat at the Board of Admiralty. He became a Rear-Admiral 31 July 1810, a Vice-Admiral 12 Aug. 1819, and a full Admiral 22 July, 1830. He died at Hampstead 27 March, 1834.
