Robert Moorsom
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom KCB
(8 June 1760 – 14 April 1835) was an officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars
. His very active service career was especially highlighted by his actions in 1805 at the battle of Trafalgar
, where his ship HMS Revenge
was severely damaged and Moorsom was himself seriously wounded.
in Yorkshire
in 1760, Moorsom was late to the navy, only joining aged 17, a good four years later than most of his contemporaries. He made up for his late arrival with exhaustive service, which included action at the Great Siege of Gibraltar
and at the battle of Cape Spartel
. He was made lieutenant rapidly in 1784 following commendations from an action against a French convoy to America two years before, and then profited by the build up to war in 1790 when he was granted promotion to Post captain.
His service in the Revolutionary Wars was unremarkable, maintaining position in the blockading fleets of several ports where there was small opportunity for glory or action, especially in ships of the line, which he had soon graduated into. Following the Peace of Amiens, Moorsom took over the newly built Revenge and was placed under Admiral Collingwood's command in the Mediterranean, accompanying his admiral to Cadiz
and thence to the battle of Trafalgar in October 1805.
At the battle, Revenge was situated far to the rear of Collingwood's division, but due to her recent construction she was a very fast and agile ship and thus was able to overtake two ships in front of her, aiming at the Spanish flagship Principe de Asturias
but missing her and becoming embroiled in a duel with the smaller San Ildefonso
which drifted off damaged. The Revenge next engaged the Achille
and dismasted her leaving her vulnerable to attack from following ships who later sank her. The French Aigle
was next, Revenge ramming her and damaging her so she too drifted off from action. Finally reaching the Principe de Asturias, the Revenge was dwarfed by her enormous opponent, and was significantly damaged by the broadsides from the bigger ship, splinters from which badly wounded Moorsom and killed or wounded over 70 of his crew. Asturias was later driven off by the aid of HMS Dreadnought
and HMS Thunderer
, who rescued the badly holed and slowly sinking Revenge.
By a miracle of seamanship, the Revenge was returned to Gibraltar
despite the raging storm and Moorsom was one of the first officers dispatched home, sent to recuperate from his wounds. He was richly rewarded for his heroic actions in the battle but due to the surge in promotions which the battle brought combined with his injuries he was unable to find a ship and never returned to the sea as a captain. He was instead given numerous shore jobs, including carrying the great banner at Lord Nelson's funeral, appointment to rear-admiral and a position with the Lords of the Admiralty and following the end of the war a career in backbench politics (as MP for Queenborough
1812-1820), as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
. Promoted through the rank.
Robert Moorsom died peacefully in 1835 as a full Admiral of the Blue and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and was buried at St Peter’s Church, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, where a memorial plaque to him and his wife Eleanor can still be seen. Robert's legacy included his talent for poetry and drawing which he passed on to his two sons, Vice Admiral Constantine Richard Moorsom
1792-1861 and Captain William Scarth Moorsom
, an early railway engineer.
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...
(8 June 1760 – 14 April 1835) was an officer of 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...
who served during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War 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...
. His very active service career was especially highlighted by his actions in 1805 at 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 ....
, where his ship HMS Revenge
HMS Revenge (1805)
HMS Revenge was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 13 April 1805. She was designed by Sir John Henslow as one of the large class 74s, and was the only ship built to her draught...
was severely damaged and Moorsom was himself seriously wounded.
Life
Born into a sea-going family at WhitbyWhitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1760, Moorsom was late to the navy, only joining aged 17, a good four years later than most of his contemporaries. He made up for his late arrival with exhaustive service, which included action at the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
and at the battle of Cape Spartel
Battle of Cape Spartel
The Battle of Cape Spartel was an indecisive naval battle between a Franco-Spanish fleet under Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova and a British fleet under Admiral Richard Howe...
. He was made lieutenant rapidly in 1784 following commendations from an action against a French convoy to America two years before, and then profited by the build up to war in 1790 when he was granted promotion to Post captain.
His service in the Revolutionary Wars was unremarkable, maintaining position in the blockading fleets of several ports where there was small opportunity for glory or action, especially in ships of the line, which he had soon graduated into. Following the Peace of Amiens, Moorsom took over the newly built Revenge and was placed under Admiral Collingwood's command in the Mediterranean, accompanying his admiral to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and thence to the battle of Trafalgar in October 1805.
At the battle, Revenge was situated far to the rear of Collingwood's division, but due to her recent construction she was a very fast and agile ship and thus was able to overtake two ships in front of her, aiming at the Spanish flagship Principe de Asturias
Spanish ship Principe de Asturias
A number of ships of the Armade España have been named Principe de Astorias, including -...
but missing her and becoming embroiled in a duel with the smaller San Ildefonso
Spanish ship San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso was a ship of the Spanish Navy launched in 1785. She was designed to be lighter than traditional Spanish vessels which had had difficulty matching the speed of ships of the Royal Navy. Though nominally a 74-gun ship the San Ildefonso actually carried 80 cannons and howitzers...
which drifted off damaged. The Revenge next engaged the Achille
French ship Achille (1803)
The Achille was a 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort in 1803 after plans by Jacques-Noël Sané.Under the command of Captain Louis Gabriel Deniéport, she sailed at the vanguard of the French Fleet on 20 October 1805, just before the Battle of Trafalgar, and she was the first...
and dismasted her leaving her vulnerable to attack from following ships who later sank her. The French Aigle
French ship Aigle
The Aigle was a 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort in 1800.In 1805 she sailed to the West Indies with Algésiras where they joined a French fleet under Vice-Admiral Villeneuve....
was next, Revenge ramming her and damaging her so she too drifted off from action. Finally reaching the Principe de Asturias, the Revenge was dwarfed by her enormous opponent, and was significantly damaged by the broadsides from the bigger ship, splinters from which badly wounded Moorsom and killed or wounded over 70 of his crew. Asturias was later driven off by the aid of HMS Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought (1801)
HMS Dreadnought was a Royal Navy 98-gun second rate. This ship of the line was launched at Portsmouth at midday on Saturday, 13 June 1801, after she had spent 13 years on the stocks...
and HMS Thunderer
HMS Thunderer (1783)
HMS Thunderer was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at the Wells brother's shipyard in Rotherhithe and launched on 13 November 1783...
, who rescued the badly holed and slowly sinking Revenge.
By a miracle of seamanship, the Revenge was returned to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
despite the raging storm and Moorsom was one of the first officers dispatched home, sent to recuperate from his wounds. He was richly rewarded for his heroic actions in the battle but due to the surge in promotions which the battle brought combined with his injuries he was unable to find a ship and never returned to the sea as a captain. He was instead given numerous shore jobs, including carrying the great banner at Lord Nelson's funeral, appointment to rear-admiral and a position with the Lords of the Admiralty and following the end of the war a career in backbench politics (as MP for Queenborough
Queenborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Queenborough was a rotten borough situated on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.From 1572 until it was abolished by the great reform act of 1832, it returned two Members of Parliament. The franchise was vested in the freemen of the town, of whom there were more than 300. Its electorate was therefore one...
1812-1820), as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
The Surveyor-General of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance and a member of the Board of Ordnance from its constitution in 1597. Appointments to the post were made by the crown under Letters Patent. His duties were to examine the ordnance received to see that it was...
. Promoted through the rank.
Robert Moorsom died peacefully in 1835 as a full Admiral of the Blue and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and was buried at St Peter’s Church, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, where a memorial plaque to him and his wife Eleanor can still be seen. Robert's legacy included his talent for poetry and drawing which he passed on to his two sons, Vice Admiral Constantine Richard Moorsom
Constantine Richard Moorsom
Constantine Richard Moorsom was a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy. He commanded HMS Fury a Hecla-class bomb vessel which saw wartime service in the Bombardment of Algiers, an attack on Barbary pirates at Algiers in HMS Fury in August, 1816. Moorsom was the son of Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, a...
1792-1861 and Captain William Scarth Moorsom
William Moorsom
Captain William Scarth Moorsom was an English soldier and engineer. He was born in Whitby to a military family, being the son of an admiral, and trained at Sandhurst, becoming a captain in the 52nd regiment...
, an early railway engineer.
Further reading
- The Trafalgar Captains, Colin White and the 1805 Club, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005, ISBN 1-86176-247-X