Thomas McNamara Russell
Encyclopedia
Vice-Admiral Thomas McNamara Russell (died 22 July 1824) was an admiral
in the Royal Navy
. Russell's naval career spanned the American Revolutionary War
, French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War.
Vice-Admiral Russell is best remembered for his command of a squadron in the North Sea
when he took possession of Heligoland
after Denmark came into the war on the side of the French in 1809. His career was also notable due to the single ship action fought between the 20-gun and the 32-gun French frigate Sybille in which he captured the French frigate despite her superior number of men and guns. There is controversy surrounding the event in that the capture happened towards the end of the American Revolution and the British officers claimed that the French were flying false colours
and a distress flag
during the action. Whilst it was common for ships of opposing nations to lure, or escape from, one another with false colours it was considered dishonourable to continue flying false flags once the action had begun. Similarly, the flying of a flag of distress was not an acceptable ruse de guerre, as it would dissuade shipping from approaching a vessel in genuine distress.
. On the death of his father when he was five years old, he is said to have inherited a large fortune, which, by the carelessness or dishonesty of his trustees, disappeared before he was fourteen.
After a short period in the Merchant Navy Russell first appears on the ship's muster
of guardship at Plymouth
in 1766. He was moved as an able seaman
to the 74-gun third-rate
. He served as an able seaman for three years until his promotion to midshipman
in 1769 aboard the cutter employed on "preventive service" in the North Sea
. Russell was promoted master's mate
aboard , guardship at Portsmouth
under Captain Mariot Arbuthnot.
to be lieutenant
of the sloop
, from which he was moved to his first command, the 8-gun brig
. During a cruise off Chesapeake Bay
, Russell engaged and fought the 16-gun privateer
Lady Washington. She was captured and sold for £26,000, of which, as captain, Russell was entitled to two eighths in prize money
. Russell cruised the American coastline and was successful, capturing eight przies in round five weeks. On his return to England he was appointed to the , under Captain James Gambier
, afterwards Lord Gambier, and was present at the relief of Jersey
in May 1779,. Briefly Russell was placed in command of Drake's Island
lying in Plymouth Sound
as a reward for his services on Jersey. Russell was reassigned to the Raleigh when she formed part of the fleet that accompanied Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot's and Sir Henry Clinton's
expedition and Russell was with the Raleigh at the Siege of Charleston
. The siege and capture of Charlestown
saw the biggest surrender of men of the Continental Army
of the entire war. At Charlestown Russell was promoted by Arbuthnot on 11 May 1780 to the command of sloop , from which, on 7 May 1781, he was promoted post-captain
and put in command of the third-rate
. Apparently this was for rank only, and he was almost immediately appointed to of 20 guns. The Hussar had been the 28-gun Protector of the Massachusetts State Navy
but was captured by the British and refitted with just 20-guns, classifying her as a sixth-rate
post ship
, the smallest class of vessel that a post captain could command. Russell cruised in her along the coast of North America with marked success, taking several prizes.
under Captain Thomas Graves. Both ships had fought until they had both been dismasted and were forced to disengage. Sybille made for a French port under a jury rig
and was then caught in a violent storm. Due to this unfortunate series of events Kregarou had been obliged to throw twelve of his guns overboard. When she sighted the Hussar, Kregarou ordered the English flag hoisted over the French, the recognised signal of a prize
, and at the same time, in the shrouds, another English flag, union downwards, the internationally recognised signal of distress. Accordingly, Russell, bore down to her assistance, but as the two ships drew near, Russell became suspicious and bore away. Seeing this, Kregarou fired his broadside
causing some damage but not as much as he could have done had Russell not turned away. Kregarou then attempted to board
and overwhelm the Hussar whilst still flying false colours and the distress flag. The Hussar's crew managed to repel the boarding party. The battle continued with both sides taking damage until a large ship came in sight. She proved to be the 74-gun and another smaller vessel, , also appeared over the horizon. At the approach of two further enemies, Sybille surrendered. The rules of war that were accepted at the time were that a ship might fly a country's flag other than its own in order to escape or lure an enemy but that before the engagement commenced they must remove the decoy flag and replace it with that of their own. Alongside this, ships were expected to only fly a distress flag if they were actually in distress. Luring enemies into a trap using a distress flag was an unacceptable ruse de guerre. The French captain had therefore broken two of the fundamental rules of sea warfare. Kergarou came aboard the Hussar to surrender his sword. the Count handed Russell his sword and complemented the Captain and his crew on the capture of his vessel. Russell took the sword and reportedly said:
When Russell brought the prize into New York
he reported the circumstance, and his officers swore an affidavit
in support of their captain. The Treaty of Paris
was then on the point of being concluded and in consequence the Admiralty Board and British government thought the affair would cause undue scandal and kept the official account from the general public and did not publish Russell's letter. Kergariou sent his subordinate, the Chevalier d'Ecures to see Russell. He threatened that when he should be released, he would, through influence at the French Court, acquire another ship and would obtain the requisite orders he needed to hunt down and capture Russell in retaliation if Russell reported the incident. When Russell failed to be moved, the Count, again through his subordinate issued a challenge to Russell to demand personal satisfaction. Russell considered the challenge and returned with the answer to the Chevalier: "Sir I have considered your challenge maturely...I will fight him, by land or by water, on foot or on horseback, in any part of this globe that he pleases. You will, I suppose, be his second; and I shall be attended by a friend worthy of your sword."
On the declaration of peace, Hussar returned to England for decommissioning, and Russell was offered a knighthood, which he refused, as his income would not have been enough to support the title. Russell was informed that Kregarou had been tried and acquitted of the loss of his ship and the breach of internationally recognised laws and applied to the Admiralty for permission to travel to France. Admiral Arbuthnot accompanied him as his second. Kregarou wrote to Russell and expressed his gratitude of the treatment that he and his crew had received from Russell after they had been captured and informing Russell that he intended to move to the Pyrenees
. Arbuthnot convinced Russell that he should not follow the Count but return to England. Russell returned to England and remained unemployed until 1791.
frigate on the West Indian
station. During his time on the station, Russell made an impact, first with the inhabitants of Jamaica
who highly praised his conduct and secondly with the Spanish Governor in Havana
, Cuba
, Luis de Las Casas
. When Russell refused to have a Spanish guard put aboard the Diana when she was docked in Havana, de Las Casas said "If this McNamara Russell were any thing but the Captain of a British Frigate, violating and opposing the orders of my Sovereign, I never knew a man who I would sooner call my friend.".
had risen in revolt and Admiral Philip Affleck
sent Russell and the Diana with a convoy of supplies to the French authorities. At a dinner held in his honour, he learned that an English officer, Lieutenant John Perkins
, was imprisoned at Jérémie
, on a charge of having supplied the revolting army with arms. Officially Britain and France were not at war and Russell requested that Perkins be released. The French authorities promised that he would be and then later refused. After numerous letters had been exchanged Russell determined that the French had no intention to release Perkins. Russell sailed around Cap-Français to Jérémie and met with the 12-gun under Captain Nowell. It was agreed that Nowell's first lieutenant, an officer named Godby, would go ashore and recover Perkins whilst the two ships remained offshore within cannon shot, ready to land an invasion force if need be. Lieutenant Godby landed and after negotiations Perkins was released.
, he took part in the reduction of Saint Lucia
and Trinidad
under Harvey and Sir Ralph Abercromby
. The Vengeance returned to England in the spring of 1799, and formed part of the Channel fleet
under Admiral Jervis
during the summer, after which she was paid off
, and in the following April Russell was appointed to the 98-gun second-rate
, which he commanded till his promotion to the rank of rear admiral
on 1 Jan 1801. On the renewal of the war with France in 1803 he hoisted his flag on board the . He was placed in command of a division under the orders of Lord Keith in the North Sea Fleet stationed in the Downs
.
, and in 1807 was appointed commander-in-chief
of the squadron
in the North Sea. In September, on the news of war having been declared by Denmark, he took possession of Heligoland
, which during the war continued to be the great depôt of the English trade with Germany. He became an Vice Admiral of the Red on 12 August 1812.
, Dorset
on 22 July 1824.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in 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...
. Russell's naval career spanned 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...
, French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War.
Vice-Admiral Russell is best remembered for his command of a squadron in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
when he took possession of Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
after Denmark came into the war on the side of the French in 1809. His career was also notable due to the single ship action fought between the 20-gun and the 32-gun French frigate Sybille in which he captured the French frigate despite her superior number of men and guns. There is controversy surrounding the event in that the capture happened towards the end of the American Revolution and the British officers claimed that the French were flying false colours
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
and a distress flag
Distress signal
A distress signal is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals take the form of or are commonly made by using radio signals, displaying a visually detected item or illumination, or making an audible sound, from a distance....
during the action. Whilst it was common for ships of opposing nations to lure, or escape from, one another with false colours it was considered dishonourable to continue flying false flags once the action had begun. Similarly, the flying of a flag of distress was not an acceptable ruse de guerre, as it would dissuade shipping from approaching a vessel in genuine distress.
Early life and career
Russell was the son of an Englishman who settled in Ireland, where he married a Miss Macnamara, probably a daughter and coheiress of Sheedy Macnamara of Balyally, County ClareCounty Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. On the death of his father when he was five years old, he is said to have inherited a large fortune, which, by the carelessness or dishonesty of his trustees, disappeared before he was fourteen.
After a short period in the Merchant Navy Russell first appears on the ship's muster
Muster (military)
The term muster designates the process or event for the of accounting for members in a military unit. Within the United States Army Reserve, it is an annual event used for screening purposes.-Historical:...
of guardship at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in 1766. He was moved as an able seaman
Able seaman
An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:...
to the 74-gun third-rate
Third-rate
In the British Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks . Years of experience proved that the third rate ships embodied the best compromise between sailing ability , firepower, and cost...
. He served as an able seaman for three years until his promotion to midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in 1769 aboard the cutter employed on "preventive service" in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. Russell was promoted master's mate
Master's mate
Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master...
aboard , guardship 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...
under Captain Mariot Arbuthnot.
American Revolutionary War
He passed his examination on 2 December 1772, being then described in his certificate as "more than 32." In 1776 he was serving on the coast of North America, and on 2 June was promoted by Rear-Admiral Molyneux ShuldhamMolyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham
Molyneux Shuldham was an officer of the British Royal Navy. He served for a time as colonial governor of Newfoundland.-Family and early life:...
to be lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of the sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
, from which he was moved to his first command, the 8-gun 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...
. During a cruise off 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...
, Russell engaged and fought the 16-gun 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...
Lady Washington. She was captured and sold for £26,000, of which, as captain, Russell was entitled to two eighths in prize money
Prize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
. Russell cruised the American coastline and was successful, capturing eight przies in round five weeks. On his return to England he was appointed to the , under Captain James Gambier
James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier
Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier GCB was an admiral of the Royal Navy, who served as Governor of Newfoundland, and as a Lord of the Admiralty, but who gained notoriety for his actions at the Battle of the Basque Roads.-Early career:Gambier was born in New Providence, The...
, afterwards Lord Gambier, and was present at the relief of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
in May 1779,. Briefly Russell was placed in command of Drake's Island
Drake's Island
Drake's Island is a island lying in Plymouth Sound, the stretch of water south of the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. The rocks which make up the island are volcanic tuff and lava, together with marine limestone of the mid-Devonian period.-Early history:...
lying in Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a bay at Plymouth in England.Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point on Devon, a distance of about 3 nautical miles . Its northern limit is Plymouth Hoe giving a north-south distance of nearly 3 nautical miles...
as a reward for his services on Jersey. Russell was reassigned to the Raleigh when she formed part of the fleet that accompanied Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot's and Sir Henry Clinton's
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
expedition and Russell was with the Raleigh at the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
. The siege and capture of Charlestown
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
saw the biggest surrender of men of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
of the entire war. At Charlestown Russell was promoted by Arbuthnot on 11 May 1780 to the command of sloop , from which, on 7 May 1781, he was promoted 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:...
and put in command of the third-rate
Third-rate
In the British Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks . Years of experience proved that the third rate ships embodied the best compromise between sailing ability , firepower, and cost...
. Apparently this was for rank only, and he was almost immediately appointed to of 20 guns. The Hussar had been the 28-gun Protector of the Massachusetts State Navy
Massachusetts State Navy
The Massachusetts State Navy , a naval militia active during the American Revolutionary War was founded December 29, 1775, to defend the interests of Massachusetts from British forces....
but was captured by the British and refitted with just 20-guns, classifying her as a sixth-rate
Sixth-rate
Sixth rate was the designation used by the Royal Navy for small warships mounting between 20 and 24 nine-pounder guns on a single deck, sometimes with guns on the upper works and sometimes without.-Rating:...
post ship
Post ship
Post ship was a designation used in the Royal Navy during the Age of Sail to describe a ship of the sixth-rate that was smaller than a frigate , but by virtue of being a rated ship , had to have as its captain a post captain rather than a lieutenant or commander...
, the smallest class of vessel that a post captain could command. Russell cruised in her along the coast of North America with marked success, taking several prizes.
Capture of the Sibylle
On 22 January 1783 Hussar sighted the French 32-gun frigate Sybille. The Sybille, commanded by Monsieur le Comte de Kregarou de Soemaria. The French ship had been engaged three weeks previously with the 32-gun British frigate HMS MagicienneFrench frigate Magicienne (1778)
The Magicienne was a frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. The British captured her in 1781 and she served with the Royal Navy until her crew burned her in 1810 to prevent her capture after she grounded at Île de France...
under Captain Thomas Graves. Both ships had fought until they had both been dismasted and were forced to disengage. Sybille made for a French port under a jury rig
Jury rig
Jury rigging refers to makeshift repairs or temporary contrivances, made with only the tools and materials that happen to be on hand. Originally a nautical term, on sailing ships a jury rig is a replacement mast and yards improvised in case of damage or loss of the original mast.-Etymology:The...
and was then caught in a violent storm. Due to this unfortunate series of events Kregarou had been obliged to throw twelve of his guns overboard. When she sighted the Hussar, Kregarou ordered the English flag hoisted over the French, the recognised signal of a prize
Prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. Official prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them...
, and at the same time, in the shrouds, another English flag, union downwards, the internationally recognised signal of distress. Accordingly, Russell, bore down to her assistance, but as the two ships drew near, Russell became suspicious and bore away. Seeing this, Kregarou fired his broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
causing some damage but not as much as he could have done had Russell not turned away. Kregarou then attempted to board
Boarding (attack)
Boarding, in its simplest sense, refers to the insertion on to a ship's deck of individuals. However, when it is classified as an attack, in most contexts, it refers to the forcible insertion of personnel that are not members of the crew by another party without the consent of the captain or crew...
and overwhelm the Hussar whilst still flying false colours and the distress flag. The Hussar's crew managed to repel the boarding party. The battle continued with both sides taking damage until a large ship came in sight. She proved to be the 74-gun and another smaller vessel, , also appeared over the horizon. At the approach of two further enemies, Sybille surrendered. The rules of war that were accepted at the time were that a ship might fly a country's flag other than its own in order to escape or lure an enemy but that before the engagement commenced they must remove the decoy flag and replace it with that of their own. Alongside this, ships were expected to only fly a distress flag if they were actually in distress. Luring enemies into a trap using a distress flag was an unacceptable ruse de guerre. The French captain had therefore broken two of the fundamental rules of sea warfare. Kergarou came aboard the Hussar to surrender his sword. the Count handed Russell his sword and complemented the Captain and his crew on the capture of his vessel. Russell took the sword and reportedly said:
Russell stuck the blade into the deck and broke the blade in half and threw it to the deck. He place the Count under close arrest. The crew of the Hussar discovered £500 in valuables aboard the Sybille which the French officers claimed as theirs and Russell permitted them to keep even though it would have reduced his and his crew's prize money."Sir, I must humbly beg leave to decline any compliments to this ship, her officers, or company, as I cannot return them. She is indeed no more than a British ship of her class should be. She had not fair play; but Almighty God has saved her from the most foul snare of the most perfidious enemy. - Had you, Sir, fought me fairly, I should, if I know my own heart, receive your sword with a tear of sympathy. From you, Sir, I receive it with inexpressible contempt. And now, Sir, you will please observe, that lest this sword should ever defile the hand of any honest French or English officer, I here, in the most formal and public manner, break it."
When Russell brought the prize into New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
he reported the circumstance, and his officers swore an affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
in support of their captain. The Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
was then on the point of being concluded and in consequence the Admiralty Board and British government thought the affair would cause undue scandal and kept the official account from the general public and did not publish Russell's letter. Kergariou sent his subordinate, the Chevalier d'Ecures to see Russell. He threatened that when he should be released, he would, through influence at the French Court, acquire another ship and would obtain the requisite orders he needed to hunt down and capture Russell in retaliation if Russell reported the incident. When Russell failed to be moved, the Count, again through his subordinate issued a challenge to Russell to demand personal satisfaction. Russell considered the challenge and returned with the answer to the Chevalier: "Sir I have considered your challenge maturely...I will fight him, by land or by water, on foot or on horseback, in any part of this globe that he pleases. You will, I suppose, be his second; and I shall be attended by a friend worthy of your sword."
On the declaration of peace, Hussar returned to England for decommissioning, and Russell was offered a knighthood, which he refused, as his income would not have been enough to support the title. Russell was informed that Kregarou had been tried and acquitted of the loss of his ship and the breach of internationally recognised laws and applied to the Admiralty for permission to travel to France. Admiral Arbuthnot accompanied him as his second. Kregarou wrote to Russell and expressed his gratitude of the treatment that he and his crew had received from Russell after they had been captured and informing Russell that he intended to move to the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. Arbuthnot convinced Russell that he should not follow the Count but return to England. Russell returned to England and remained unemployed until 1791.
Command in the West Indies
In 1791 Russell was appointed to the 32-gun fifth-rateFifth-rate
In Britain's Royal Navy during the classic age of fighting sail, a fifth rate was the penultimate class of warships in a hierarchal system of six "ratings" based on size and firepower.-Rating:...
frigate on the West Indian
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
station. During his time on the station, Russell made an impact, first with the inhabitants 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...
who highly praised his conduct and secondly with the Spanish Governor in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Luis de Las Casas
Luis de Las Casas
Luis de las Casas y Aragorri , governor-general of Cuba and the Commander in Chief of the Province of Louisiana and the Floridas.-References:...
. When Russell refused to have a Spanish guard put aboard the Diana when she was docked in Havana, de Las Casas said "If this McNamara Russell were any thing but the Captain of a British Frigate, violating and opposing the orders of my Sovereign, I never knew a man who I would sooner call my friend.".
Rescue of Lieutenant Perkins
At the end of 1791 the slaves of the French colony on Santo DomingoSanto 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...
had risen in revolt and Admiral Philip Affleck
Philip Affleck
Philip Affleck was a British admiral — a younger brother of Sir Edmund Affleck. Although not equally fortunate in having had opportunities afforded to him to win for himself a degree of distinction similar to that which had been acquired by the commodore; still Philip, when serving afloat,...
sent Russell and the Diana with a convoy of supplies to the French authorities. At a dinner held in his honour, he learned that an English officer, Lieutenant John Perkins
John Perkins (Royal Navy officer)
Captain John Perkins, Royal Navy was a British naval officer.Perkins, nicknamed Jack Punch, was the first black commissioned officer in the Royal Navy. He rose from obscurity to be one of the most successful ship captains of the Georgian navy...
, was imprisoned at Jérémie
Jérémie
Jérémie is the capital city of the department of Grand'Anse, in Haiti, with a population of about 31,000 . It is almost isolated from the rest of the country...
, on a charge of having supplied the revolting army with arms. Officially Britain and France were not at war and Russell requested that Perkins be released. The French authorities promised that he would be and then later refused. After numerous letters had been exchanged Russell determined that the French had no intention to release Perkins. Russell sailed around Cap-Français to Jérémie and met with the 12-gun under Captain Nowell. It was agreed that Nowell's first lieutenant, an officer named Godby, would go ashore and recover Perkins whilst the two ships remained offshore within cannon shot, ready to land an invasion force if need be. Lieutenant Godby landed and after negotiations Perkins was released.
French Revolutionary Wars
Russell returned to England in 1792, and in 1796 was appointed to the third-rate, 74-gun , again for service in the West Indies, where, under Rear-admiral Henry HarveyHenry Harvey
Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, KB was a long-serving officer of the British Royal Navy during the second half of the eighteenth century. Harvey participated in numerous naval operations and actions and especially distinguished himself at the Glorious First of June in command of...
, he took part in the reduction of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
under Harvey and Sir Ralph Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
. The Vengeance returned to England in the spring of 1799, and formed part of the Channel fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
under Admiral 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...
during the summer, after which she was paid off
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
, and in the following April Russell was appointed to the 98-gun second-rate
Second-rate
In the British Royal Navy, a second rate was a ship of the line which by the start of the 18th century mounted 90 to 98 guns on three gun decks; earlier 17th century second rates had fewer guns and were originally two-deckers or had only partially armed third gun decks. The term in no way implied...
, which he commanded till his promotion to the rank of rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on 1 Jan 1801. On the renewal of the war with France in 1803 he hoisted his flag on board the . He was placed in command of a division under the orders of Lord Keith in the North Sea Fleet stationed in the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
.
Napoleonic Wars
Russell was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red on 21 April 1804. On 9 November 1805 he was promoted to be vice-admiralVice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
, and in 1807 was appointed commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the squadron
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
in the North Sea. In September, on the news of war having been declared by Denmark, he took possession of Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
, which during the war continued to be the great depôt of the English trade with Germany. He became an Vice Admiral of the Red on 12 August 1812.
Family and death
He married, Miss Phillips, about 1793. His wife died in 1818. He had one daughter and heir, Lucinda Russell born 18 April 1789, presumably from a previous marriage, who married Captain George Patey. Vice-Admiral Russell died suddenly, in his carriage, near PoolePoole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
on 22 July 1824.