Charles Elers Napier
Encyclopedia
Charles George Elers Napier, born 22 May 1812, drowned 20 December 1847, was a British naval officer who packed much action into a short career.
. In 1830 he was assigned, with the rank of mate, to the frigate HMS Galatea
, then commanded by his stepfather, remaining in her until she paid off in January 1832. Later that year he passed the examination for Lieutenant and was assigned to the gunnery school in HMS Excellent
. When during Portugal's Liberal Wars
his stepfather was appointed Admiral of the navy of Dom Pedro
, he accompanied him as aide-de-camp, with the temporary rank of Captain, and distinguished himself by his bravery in the fourth Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1833)
in which the navy of Dom Miguel was resoundingly defeated. When his stepfather's flagship came alongside the Miguelite ship-of-the-line Rainha, Elers Napier and one other officer were the first to board her and were then cut off as the ships yawed apart. Before reinforcements could come to their aid they were both severely wounded: Elers Napier had five serious and ten minor injuries, and owing to his head injuries from sabre cuts he was rendered partially deaf for the rest of his life. For his gallantry he was made a Knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword
by Dom Pedro. After he recovered he was appointed by his father to command of the sloop Portuense, and then to the corvette Sibylle, in which he sailed to Madeira
to demand the surrender of the Miguelite governor. Subsequently the ship, renamed Eliza in honour of his mother, was engaged in blockade duties off the Portuguese coast.
After his return to England, Elers Napier served from 1836 to 1837 as a Lieutenant in HMS Vernon in the Mediterranean. When the First Anglo-Chinese War broke out he was appointed to the command the brig-sloop HMS Pelican on the China Station. Being superseded in this command he was on shore in China for a period and then became aide-de-camp to Admiral Sir William Parker, taking part with him in the capture of Chinkiang
by scaling the walls on 21 July 1842. In late 1847, having been made Post Captain, he was appointed to the command of the steam frigate HMS Avenger
, joining her at Lisbon, but had been in her only a few weeks when, having left Gibraltar
on course for Malta
, she was wrecked at night in foul weather on the Sorelle Rocks off the island of Galita, with the loss of all but eight of her complement. Elers Napier had just given the order to lower the boats when he was washed overboard; his body was never found.
Career
Born Charles Elers, he was the second son of Lieutenant Edward Elers, RN and his wife Frances Elizabeth, née Younghusband. In 1815 his mother, now widowed, married Captain Charles Napier, the future admiral, who adopted her children as his own and gave them his name in addition to Elers. Charles Elers Napier entered the Royal Navy at the age of 12, his first ship being HMS GangesHMS Ganges (1821)
HMS Ganges was an 84-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 November 1821 at Bombay Dockyard, constructed from teak...
. In 1830 he was assigned, with the rank of mate, to the frigate HMS Galatea
HMS Galatea (1810)
HMS Galatea was an Apollo-class fifth rate of the Royal Navy. The frigate was built at Deptford Dockyard, London, England and launched on 31 August 1810. In 1811 she participated in the Battle of Tamatave, which battle confirmed British dominance of the seas east of the Cape of Good Hope for the...
, then commanded by his stepfather, remaining in her until she paid off in January 1832. Later that year he passed the examination for Lieutenant and was assigned to the gunnery school in HMS Excellent
HMS Excellent (1787)
HMS Excellent was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Harwich on 27 November 1787. She was the captaincy of John Gell before he was appointed an Admiral.Excellent took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797....
. When during Portugal's Liberal Wars
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
his stepfather was appointed Admiral of the navy of Dom Pedro
Dom Pedro
Dom Pedro is the traditional Portuguese appellation of several kings of Portugal:* Peter I of Portugal* Peter II of Portugal* Peter III of Portugal* Pedro IV of Portugal* Pedro V of Portugal...
, he accompanied him as aide-de-camp, with the temporary rank of Captain, and distinguished himself by his bravery in the fourth Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1833)
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1833)
The fourth Battle of Cape St Vincent was fought on 5 July 1833 and was a decisive encounter in Portugal's Liberal Wars. A naval squadron commanded by the British officer Charles Napier, on behalf of Dom Pedro IV, regent for the rightful Queen Maria II, defeated the navy of the usurper Dom...
in which the navy of Dom Miguel was resoundingly defeated. When his stepfather's flagship came alongside the Miguelite ship-of-the-line Rainha, Elers Napier and one other officer were the first to board her and were then cut off as the ships yawed apart. Before reinforcements could come to their aid they were both severely wounded: Elers Napier had five serious and ten minor injuries, and owing to his head injuries from sabre cuts he was rendered partially deaf for the rest of his life. For his gallantry he was made a Knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword
Order of the Tower and Sword
The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
by Dom Pedro. After he recovered he was appointed by his father to command of the sloop Portuense, and then to the corvette Sibylle, in which he sailed to Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
to demand the surrender of the Miguelite governor. Subsequently the ship, renamed Eliza in honour of his mother, was engaged in blockade duties off the Portuguese coast.
After his return to England, Elers Napier served from 1836 to 1837 as a Lieutenant in HMS Vernon in the Mediterranean. When the First Anglo-Chinese War broke out he was appointed to the command the brig-sloop HMS Pelican on the China Station. Being superseded in this command he was on shore in China for a period and then became aide-de-camp to Admiral Sir William Parker, taking part with him in the capture of Chinkiang
Battle of Chinkiang
The Battle of Chinkiang was fought between British and Chinese forces in Chinkiang, China, on 21 July 1842 during the First Opium War. It was the last major battle of the war. The British capture of this stronghold allowed them to proceed forward to Nanking....
by scaling the walls on 21 July 1842. In late 1847, having been made Post Captain, he was appointed to the command of the steam frigate HMS Avenger
HMS Avenger (1845)
HMS Avenger was a wooden paddle wheel frigate of the Royal Navy launched in 1845 and wrecked with heavy loss of life in 1847.-Construction and commissioning:...
, joining her at Lisbon, but had been in her only a few weeks when, having left 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...
on course for Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, she was wrecked at night in foul weather on the Sorelle Rocks off the island of Galita, with the loss of all but eight of her complement. Elers Napier had just given the order to lower the boats when he was washed overboard; his body was never found.
Sources
- Elers Napier, Edward, The Life and Correspondence of Admiral Sir Charles Napier K.C.B. From Personal Recollections, Letters and Official Documents (2 volumes, London: Hurst & Blackett, 1862); reprinted by Elibron Classics, 2005 ISBN 1-4021-7001-7