Peter John Douglas
Encyclopedia
Peter John Douglas was an officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
.
He born at Portsmouth
on 30 June 1787, the son of Admiral William Douglas. He entered the Navy on 17 January 1797 and during the next six years served on a variety of ships, including the 90-gun , commanded by his father.
In March 1804, he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the sloop for his conduct in proceeding up the river Elbe
with the boats of that sloop, and capturing five vessels which had forced the blockade. On 25 October 1805 Douglas, whilst serving on the frigate HMS Franchise
, commanded one of the ship's boats at the capture, on the north side of Jamaica
, of the privateer
General Ferrand, and, on the night of 6 January 1806, he had charge of the barge, and elicited the highest approbation for his promptitude and gallantry at the taking, in the Bay of Campeche
, of the Spanish corvette
Raposa, at which he was wounded. Douglas was subsequently presented by the Patriotic Society with a sword.
Prior to leaving the Franchise, he further served in the boats at the capture of the Spanish schooner
Carmen, and on board that ship he succeeded in making two prizes, and in driving an armed vessel on shore.
In 1808 Douglas was commanding the brig-sloop and captured four privateers within as many months. He subsequently served under Captain Charles Dashwood at the capture, towards the close of 1808, of the town of Samana, St. Domingo
. On his passage to England he captured the French schooner Mouche, on 9 March 1809. He co-operated with Commodore Edward Owen's
advanced division in the East Scheldt
during the Walcheren Campaign
.
Captain Douglas was paid off on 16 November 1812 and was unable to gain employment until 19 January 1836 when he returned to the West Indies.
On 30 March 1838, he was appointed Commodore on the Jamaica station and in the November following he was sent in command of a large squadron to the Gulf of Mexico
, to mediate between the French and Mexican governments. He afterwards, during the intervals occasioned by the eaths of Vice-Admirals Sir Charles Paget and Sir Thomas Harvey
, officiated, from 29 January to 24 May 1839, and from 28 May to 1 October 1841, as Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station.
He was later promoted to rear-admiral
, and died on 17 December 1858 in Southsea
, Hampshire
. He had married on 13 April 1809 in Chatham
, Kent
, Lydia Moriaty, eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Sylverius Moriarty, by whom he had issue, with four daughters, two sons, of whom the eldest, William Manners Wellington, served in the navy. His eldest daughter married Captain W. Campbell Onslow, Superintendent of Coorg, in the East Indies; his second married Robert Pollock, second son of Sir Frederick Pollock
, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer; and his third married Alexander Henry Gordon, of the Indian 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 French Revolutionary
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 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...
.
He born at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
on 30 June 1787, the son of Admiral William Douglas. He entered the Navy on 17 January 1797 and during the next six years served on a variety of ships, including the 90-gun , commanded by his father.
In March 1804, he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the sloop for his conduct in proceeding up the river Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
with the boats of that sloop, and capturing five vessels which had forced the blockade. On 25 October 1805 Douglas, whilst serving on the frigate HMS Franchise
French frigate Franchise (1798)
The Franchise was a 40-gun Coquille class frigate of the French Navy.In 1800, she sailed to South Atlantic to act as a commerce raider, along with the Concorde and Médée...
, commanded one of the ship's boats at the capture, on the north side of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, of the privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
General Ferrand, and, on the night of 6 January 1806, he had charge of the barge, and elicited the highest approbation for his promptitude and gallantry at the taking, in the Bay of Campeche
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
, of the Spanish corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
Raposa, at which he was wounded. Douglas was subsequently presented by the Patriotic Society with a sword.
Prior to leaving the Franchise, he further served in the boats at the capture of the Spanish schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Carmen, and on board that ship he succeeded in making two prizes, and in driving an armed vessel on shore.
In 1808 Douglas was commanding the brig-sloop and captured four privateers within as many months. He subsequently served under Captain Charles Dashwood at the capture, towards the close of 1808, of the town of Samana, St. Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. On his passage to England he captured the French schooner Mouche, on 9 March 1809. He co-operated with Commodore Edward Owen's
Edward Owen (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral Sir Edward William Campbell Rich Owen GCB GCH was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. He was the son of Captain William Owen and elder brother of Vice-Admiral William Fitzwilliam Owen....
advanced division in the East Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
during the Walcheren Campaign
Walcheren Campaign
The Walcheren Campaign was an unsuccessful British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Around 40,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses together with field artillery and two siege trains...
.
Captain Douglas was paid off on 16 November 1812 and was unable to gain employment until 19 January 1836 when he returned to the West Indies.
On 30 March 1838, he was appointed Commodore on the Jamaica station and in the November following he was sent in command of a large squadron to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, to mediate between the French and Mexican governments. He afterwards, during the intervals occasioned by the eaths of Vice-Admirals Sir Charles Paget and Sir Thomas Harvey
Thomas Harvey (Royal Navy officer)
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Harvey, KCB was a senior Royal Navy officer who saw service in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and died as commander-in-chief on the West Indies Station...
, officiated, from 29 January to 24 May 1839, and from 28 May to 1 October 1841, as Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station.
He was later promoted to rear-admiral
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
, and died on 17 December 1858 in Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He had married on 13 April 1809 in Chatham
Chatham
-Places:In England:*Chatham, Kent**Chatham Dockyard, frequently referred to simply as "Chatham"**Chatham Historic Dockyard, a maritime museum that occupies part of the site of Chatham Dockyard...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Lydia Moriaty, eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Sylverius Moriarty, by whom he had issue, with four daughters, two sons, of whom the eldest, William Manners Wellington, served in the navy. His eldest daughter married Captain W. Campbell Onslow, Superintendent of Coorg, in the East Indies; his second married Robert Pollock, second son of Sir Frederick Pollock
Sir Frederick Pollock, 1st Baronet
Sir Frederick Pollock, 1st Baronet PC , was a British lawyer and Tory politician.-Background and education:...
, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer; and his third married Alexander Henry Gordon, of the Indian Navy
Royal Indian Navy
The Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
.