Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Captain Sir Peter Parker, 2nd Baronet (England
, 1785 – August 31, 1814, Fairlee, Maryland
) was an English naval officer, the son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker and Augusta Byron.
Parker was the descendant of several Royal Navy
flag officers. His father was the son of Admiral Sir Peter Parker
, and his mother the daughter of Vice-Admiral John Byron
. Educated at Westminster School
, he entered the Royal Navy in 1798, serving under his grandfather and his grandfather's friend, Lord Nelson in HMS Victory
. He rapidly rose through the ranks, and was promoted to Commander and given command of the armed brig
HMS Weazel
. The Weazel was the first British vessel to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet leaving Cádiz
, an action that precipitated the Battle of Trafalgar
. For this service he was promoted Captain.
Parker was briefly a Member of Parliament
. He was returned unopposed as a Tory for the Irish borough constituency of Wexford
at a by-election held on 3 March 1810. He resigned the seat in 1811 and was replaced at a by-election on 1 July 1811.
In 1810, he was given command of the frigate
HMS Menelaus. He was sent to Bermuda
in 1814, and from thence to join the British forces in the Chesapeake Bay
under Admiral Sir George Cockburn
and took part in the blockade of Baltimore
. A bold and efficient commander, he became known for his ferocity in destroying American farms and property along the Chesapeake. Having for several days raided Kent County, Maryland
, he landed a shore party and attempted a night attack on a detachment of Maryland militia at Fairlee, Maryland
on the night of August 30, 1814. Unexpected resistance from the militia precipitated the Battle of Caulk's Field
; while British and American sources differ on the result of the battle, Parker was one of the casualties. Leading his Marines, he was hit in the thigh (as his grandfather had been at the Battle of Sullivan's Island
), but unlike his grandfather, Parker died on the field of a severed femoral artery
before he could be aided. His body was sent to Bermuda, and subsequently interred at the family vault at St Margaret's, Westminster
, a public funeral with military honors being held on both occasions. He was eulogized by his first cousin, Lord Byron.
He married Marianne Dallas, daughter of Sir George Dallas, 1st Bt.
. They had three sons:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 1785 – August 31, 1814, Fairlee, Maryland
Fairlee, Maryland
Fairlee, Maryland is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...
) was an English naval officer, the son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker and Augusta Byron.
Parker was the descendant of several 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...
flag officers. His father was the son of Admiral Sir Peter Parker
Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet was a British naval officer.-Naval career:Peter Parker was born probably in Ireland. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1743 and captain in 1747. In 1761, he took command of HMS Buckingham and helped cover operations on Belle Île...
, and his mother the daughter of Vice-Admiral John Byron
John Byron
Vice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...
. Educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, he entered the Royal Navy in 1798, serving under his grandfather and his grandfather's friend, Lord Nelson in HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
. He rapidly rose through the ranks, and was promoted to Commander and given command of the armed brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
HMS Weazel
HMS Weazel (1805)
HMS Weazel was a Royal Navy 18-gun , launched in 1805 at Topsham, Devon. She saw active service in and around the Mediterranean during the Napoleonic Wars, was decommissioned in 1815 and was sold for breaking in 1825.-Service:Weazel entered service in 1805, under the command of Commander Peter...
. The Weazel was the first British vessel to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet leaving Cádiz
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....
, an action that precipitated 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 ....
. For this service he was promoted Captain.
Parker was briefly a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He was returned unopposed as a Tory for the Irish borough constituency of Wexford
Wexford Borough (UK Parliament constituency)
Wexford Borough was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament . It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801....
at a by-election held on 3 March 1810. He resigned the seat in 1811 and was replaced at a by-election on 1 July 1811.
In 1810, he was given command of 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 Menelaus. He was sent to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in 1814, and from thence to join the British forces in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
under Admiral Sir George Cockburn
George Cockburn
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet GCB was a British naval commander of the late 18th through the mid-19th centuries. He held important commands during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 and eventually rose to become Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord.-Naval...
and took part in the blockade of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. A bold and efficient commander, he became known for his ferocity in destroying American farms and property along the Chesapeake. Having for several days raided Kent County, Maryland
Kent County, Maryland
Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2010, the county population was 20,197...
, he landed a shore party and attempted a night attack on a detachment of Maryland militia at Fairlee, Maryland
Fairlee, Maryland
Fairlee, Maryland is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...
on the night of August 30, 1814. Unexpected resistance from the militia precipitated the Battle of Caulk's Field
Battle of Caulk's Field
The Battle of Caulk’s Field occurred during the War of 1812. Similar to the Battle of Craney Island a year earlier, American militia units were able to repulse a British landing attempt along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.-Background:...
; while British and American sources differ on the result of the battle, Parker was one of the casualties. Leading his Marines, he was hit in the thigh (as his grandfather had been at the Battle of Sullivan's Island
Battle of Sullivan's Island
The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence. It took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American rebels...
), but unlike his grandfather, Parker died on the field of a severed femoral artery
Femoral artery
The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament and end just above the knee at adductor canal or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the femur bone....
before he could be aided. His body was sent to Bermuda, and subsequently interred at the family vault at St Margaret's, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
, a public funeral with military honors being held on both occasions. He was eulogized by his first cousin, Lord Byron.
He married Marianne Dallas, daughter of Sir George Dallas, 1st Bt.
Sir George Dallas, 1st Baronet
Sir George Dallas, 1st Baronet was a British politician and poet. He was created baronet, of Harley Street in the County of Middlesex, on 31 July 1798. He succeeded William Hamilton Nisbet as Member of Parliament for Newport, Isle of Wight in 1800, holding the position until 1802...
. They had three sons:
- Commander Sir Peter Parker, 3rd Baronet (1809–1835), promoted commander March 3, 1834, then of HMS Vernon
- ? Parker (d. bef. 1835)
- George Parker (February 1815 – November 23, 1817), died of croupCroupCroup is a respiratory condition that is usually triggered by an acute viral infection of the upper airway. The infection leads to swelling inside the throat, which interferes with normal breathing and produces the classical symptoms of a "barking" cough, stridor, and hoarseness...
.