Robert Calder
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Robert Calder, 1st Baronet, KCB
(13 July 1745 – 1 September 1818) was a British
naval officer who served in the Seven Years' War
, the American Revolutionary War
, the French Revolutionary Wars
and the Napoleonic Wars
.
, Scotland
, the third son of Sir James Calder and Alice Hughes. His father was the 3rd Baronet
Calder of Muirton, who had been appointed Gentleman Usher
of the Privy chamber
to the queen
by Lord Bute
in 1761. His elder brother, who succeeded to his father's baronetcy, was Major General Sir Henry Calder.
of Elgin, and entered the Royal Navy
in 1759 at the age of fourteen. As a Midshipman he received £1,800 in prize money for his part in the capture of the Spanish treasure ship Hermione on 21 May 1762, and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant. At that rank he served aboard the Essex
, under Captain the Hon. George Faulkner
, in the Caribbean. Promotion came slowly, and it was not until 1780 that he attained the rank of Post-Captain
. He commanded the frigate
HMS Diana
under Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
, and acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called, but for a long time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself.
In 1796 he was appointed Captain of the Fleet
to Admiral John Jervis
, and saw action at the battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. After the battle he was selected to carry the dispatches announcing the victory back to Britain, and was knighted by George III
on 3 March 1797 for his services. He also received the thanks of Parliament, and was created 1st Baronet Calder of Southwick
on 22 August 1798.
In 1799 he was promoted to Rear-Admiral; and in 1804, now a Vice-Admiral, was despatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force under Admiral Gantheaume, conveying supplies to the French in Egypt. In this he was unsuccessful, and returning home at the peace he struck his flag.
In the War of the Third Coalition (1805–1806) he was in command of the squadrons blockading the ports of Rochefort
and Ferrol, in which (amongst others) ships were being prepared for the invasion of England by Napoleon I
. Calder held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, and refused to be enticed out to sea.
On its becoming known that Napoleon intended to break the blockade of Ferrol, as a prelude to his invasion, the Admiralty ordered Rear-Admiral Charles Stirling
to join Calder and intercept the Franco-Spanish fleet on their passage to Brest
. The approach of the enemy was concealed by fog; finally on the 22 July 1805 the fleets came into sight. The allies outnumbered the British; but Calder ordered his fleet into action. The ensuing battle was battle of Cape Finisterre
: fifteen British ships had engaged twenty French and Spanish ships and captured two. The British losses were 39 officers and men killed and 159 wounded; the allies lost 158 dead and 320 wounded. After four hours, as night fell, Calder gave orders to discontinue the action. Over the following two days the fleets remained close to one another, but did not engage again. Calder decided to protect his newly won prizes, while the French Admiral Villeneuve
declined to force another engagement. Villenueve left the area on the 24th, sailing to Ferrol, and eventually Cádiz, instead of resuming his course to Brest. Villeneuve had failed in all his objectives: he had landed no troops in Ireland, and the plan of linking with the fleet at Brest
, driving off the British Channel squadrons, and supporting Napoleon
's invasion of Britain came to nothing: the Armée d'Angleterre waited uselessly at Boulogne
as before. In the judgment of Napoleon, his scheme of invasion was baffled by this day's action; but much indignation was felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a complete victory.
In consequence of the strong feeling against him Calder demanded a court-martial. Nelson
was ordered to send Calder home, and allowed him to return in his own 98-gun ship the Prince of Wales
, even though battle was imminent. Calder left in early October 1805, missing the battle of Trafalgar
. The court-martial was held on the 23 December 1805, and resulted in a severe reprimand for Calder for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement, at the same time acquitting him of cowardice and disaffection. Calder never served at sea again. In the natural course of events he was promoted to Admiral on 31 July 1810, and by way of public testimony to his services, and of acquittal of the charge made against him, was created a Knight Commander, Order of the Bath
on 2 January 1815. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
in 1810. He died at Holt, near Bishop's Waltham
, in Hampshire, in 1818.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(13 July 1745 – 1 September 1818) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naval officer who served in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Early life
He was born in ElginElgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the third son of Sir James Calder and Alice Hughes. His father was the 3rd Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
Calder of Muirton, who had been appointed Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
of the Privy chamber
Privy chamber
A Privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The gentlemen of the Privy chamber were servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King and Queen at court during their various activities, functions and entertainments....
to the queen
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
by Lord Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
in 1761. His elder brother, who succeeded to his father's baronetcy, was Major General Sir Henry Calder.
Career
Calder was educated at the grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
of Elgin, and entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1759 at the age of fourteen. As a Midshipman he received £1,800 in prize money for his part in the capture of the Spanish treasure ship Hermione on 21 May 1762, and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant. At that rank he served aboard the Essex
HMS Essex
HMS Essex may refer to one of these ships of the British Royal Navy named after the county of Essex:, a 60-gun ship launched in 1653 and captured in the Four Days' Battle of 1666, a 70-gun third-rate launched in 1679, rebuilt 1700 and 1740, and wrecked at the battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, an...
, under Captain the Hon. George Faulkner
George Faulkner
George Faulkner was one of the most important Irish printers and booksellers. He forged a publishing relationship with Jonathan Swift and parlayed that fame into an extensive trade...
, in the Caribbean. Promotion came slowly, and it was not until 1780 that he attained the rank of Post-Captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
. He commanded the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
HMS Diana
HMS Diana (1757)
HMS Diana was one of the four 32-gun Southampton-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and served through the American Revolutionary War before being broken up in 1793.- References :...
under Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt was a British rear-admiral who gained a reputation as a naval innovator. He is best known for his victory against the French at the Second Battle of Ushant and for his death when the HMS Royal George accidentally sank at Portsmouth the following year.He was born at Westminster...
, and acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called, but for a long time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself.
In 1796 he was appointed Captain of the Fleet
Captain of the fleet
In the Royal Navy of the 18th and 19th centuries a Captain of the Fleet could be appointed to assist an admiral when the admiral had ten or more ships to command....
to Admiral John Jervis
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
, and saw action at the battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. After the battle he was selected to carry the dispatches announcing the victory back to Britain, and was knighted by George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
on 3 March 1797 for his services. He also received the thanks of Parliament, and was created 1st Baronet Calder of Southwick
Southwick, Hampshire
Southwick is a village in the English county of Hampshire, situated north of Portsmouth, and is occupied entirely by tenants in the style of the Middle Ages, where the entirety is wholly owned by the Southwick Estate. Oddly, there is one exception to this and that is Church Lodge which is in...
on 22 August 1798.
In 1799 he was promoted to Rear-Admiral; and in 1804, now a Vice-Admiral, was despatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force under Admiral Gantheaume, conveying supplies to the French in Egypt. In this he was unsuccessful, and returning home at the peace he struck his flag.
In the War of the Third Coalition (1805–1806) he was in command of the squadrons blockading the ports of Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
and Ferrol, in which (amongst others) ships were being prepared for the invasion of England by Napoleon I
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
. Calder held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, and refused to be enticed out to sea.
On its becoming known that Napoleon intended to break the blockade of Ferrol, as a prelude to his invasion, the Admiralty ordered Rear-Admiral Charles Stirling
Charles Stirling
Sir Charles Stirling was a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy.-Early life and career:Charles Stirling was born in London on 28 April 1760 and baptised at St. Albans on 15 May. The son of Admiral Sir Walter Stirling, he was born into a family with a long and proud naval tradition. Stirling joined the...
to join Calder and intercept the Franco-Spanish fleet on their passage to Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
. The approach of the enemy was concealed by fog; finally on the 22 July 1805 the fleets came into sight. The allies outnumbered the British; but Calder ordered his fleet into action. The ensuing battle was battle of Cape Finisterre
Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805)
In the Battle of Cape Finisterre off Galicia, Spain, the British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder fought an indecisive naval battle against the Combined Franco-Spanish fleet which was returning from the West Indies...
: fifteen British ships had engaged twenty French and Spanish ships and captured two. The British losses were 39 officers and men killed and 159 wounded; the allies lost 158 dead and 320 wounded. After four hours, as night fell, Calder gave orders to discontinue the action. Over the following two days the fleets remained close to one another, but did not engage again. Calder decided to protect his newly won prizes, while the French Admiral Villeneuve
Pierre-Charles Villeneuve
Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve was a French naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He was in command of the French and Spanish fleets defeated by Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar....
declined to force another engagement. Villenueve left the area on the 24th, sailing to Ferrol, and eventually Cádiz, instead of resuming his course to Brest. Villeneuve had failed in all his objectives: he had landed no troops in Ireland, and the plan of linking with the fleet at Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, driving off the British Channel squadrons, and supporting Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's invasion of Britain came to nothing: the Armée d'Angleterre waited uselessly at Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
as before. In the judgment of Napoleon, his scheme of invasion was baffled by this day's action; but much indignation was felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a complete victory.
In consequence of the strong feeling against him Calder demanded a court-martial. Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
was ordered to send Calder home, and allowed him to return in his own 98-gun ship the Prince of Wales
HMS Prince of Wales (1794)
HMS Prince of Wales was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 June 1794 at Portsmouth.She was present at the Battle of Groix in 1795, and served as the flagship of Admiral Robert Calder at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805. Prince of Wales was not present at...
, even though battle was imminent. Calder left in early October 1805, missing the battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. The court-martial was held on the 23 December 1805, and resulted in a severe reprimand for Calder for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement, at the same time acquitting him of cowardice and disaffection. Calder never served at sea again. In the natural course of events he was promoted to Admiral on 31 July 1810, and by way of public testimony to his services, and of acquittal of the charge made against him, was created a Knight Commander, Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
on 2 January 1815. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
in 1810. He died at Holt, near Bishop's Waltham
Bishop's Waltham
Bishop's Waltham is a small town in Hampshire, England situated at the head of the River Hamble. It is home to the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace, an English Heritage monument.-History:...
, in Hampshire, in 1818.