Nelson & His World

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 Post subject: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:09 pm 
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Does anyone have a list of the names of the 22 flag officers and 117 captains who received the gold medals for actions fought 1793-1815?

Apparently these are listed in volume 4 of Nicholas Harris Nicolas's "History of the Orders of Knighthood".

Allowing for Nelson's medal for Trafalgar being the only one awarded posthumously, excluding those other captains killed in action, I still can't make my numbers agree with those above.


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:07 pm 
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Hi

You don't say where you got your figures of 22 and 117. I have got a list here which purports to be all the medals awarded and to whom. It is complicated somewhat because the summary actually says:
Gold chains - 7
Large medals - 22
Fireship (small) medal - 1 (with gold chain)
Military (small) medal - 2
Small medals - 112

Then there is the issue of men who received multiple medals
Nelson received 3 large medals
Collingwood received 1 large and 2 small medals
Berry received 3 small medals
3 received 1 large and 1 small
4 received 2 small medals

6 officers who received small medals had not attained the rank of post captain at the time of the action.

It was never going to be easy was it!!

Does this go some way to explaining why you can't balance the numbers?


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:23 pm 
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The numbers come from Nicolas's "History of the Orders of Knighthood", volume 4, somewhere in the introduction/preface.
Flag Officers were presented with the larger gold medals, some of whom also received chains. The smaller medals were presented to Captains of ships-of-the line in the fleet actions, and captains specified in the qualifying frigate actions. I can identify the 22 flag officers, but my "count" for the captains is five too much. Taking the lists that were advertised in the London Gazette for the Naval Medal (some of the names were spelt incorrectly - but not so incorrectly that the officers cannot be identified), I get the following:

22 Flag Officers (large gold medal):

Glorious First of June QUEEN CHARLOTTE – Earl Howe
Glorious First of June ROYAL SOVEREIGN – Admiral Graves
Glorious First of June ROYAL GEORGE – Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Hood
Glorious First of June BARFLEUR – Rear-Admiral Bowyer
Glorious First of June IMPREGNABLE – Rear-Admiral Caldwell
Glorious First of June BELLEROPHON – Rear-Admiral Pasley
Glorious First of June QUEEN – Rear-Admiral Gardner
Glorious First of June GLORY – Rear-Adm. G.K. Elphinstone
St. Vincent VICTORY – Admiral Sir J. Jervis
St. Vincent BRITANNIA – Vice-Admiral C. Thompson
St. Vincent BARFLEUR – Vice-Admiral Hon. W. Waldegrave
St. Vincent PRINCE GEORGE – Rear-Admiral W. Parker
St. Vincent CAPTAIN – Commodore Horatio Nelson
Camperdown VENERABLE – Admiral Duncan
Camperdown MONARCH – Vice-Admiral Onslow
Nile VANGUARD – Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson
Trafalgar VICTORY – Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson
Trafalgar ROYAL SOVEREIGN – Vice-Admiral Collingwood
Trafalgar BRITANNIA – Rear-Admiral Lord Northesk
San Domingo SUPERB – Vice-Admiral Sir J. Duckworth
San Domingo NORTHUMBERLAND – Rear-Admiral Hon. A. Cochrane
San Domingo CANOPUS – Rear-Admiral Louis

7 Captains killed in action (therefore did NOT receive gold medal):

Glorious First of June QUEEN – Captain Hutt.
Glorious First of June MONTAGUE – James Montague.
Glorious First of June BRUNSWICK – J. Hervey.
Camperdown ARDENT – R.R. Burgess.
Nile MAJESTIC – Westcott.
Trafalgar MARS – Duff.
Trafalgar BELLEROPHON – J. Cooke.

123 (by my count, and therefore 5 too many) Captains (smaller gold medal):

Glorious First of June QUEEN CHARLOTTE – 1st Captain, Sir Roger Curtis
Glorious First of June QUEEN CHARLOTTE – 2nd Captain, Sir Andrew Douglas.
Glorious First of June ROYAL SOVEREIGN – Captain H. Nicolls.
Glorious First of June ROYAL GEORGE – Captain Domett.
Glorious First of June BARFLEUR – Captain Cuthbert Collingwood.
Glorious First of June IMPREGNABLE – Captain Westcott.
Glorious First of June BELLEROPHON – Captain W. Hope.
Glorious First of June CÆSAR – Captain Molloy.
Glorious First of June CULLODEN – Captain Schomberg.
Glorious First of June DEFENCE – J. Gambier.
Glorious First of June GIBRALTAR – T. Mackenzie.
Glorious First of June GLORY – J. Elphinstone.
Glorious First of June INVINCIBLE – T. Pakenham.
Glorious First of June LEVIATHAN – Lord Hugh Seymour.
Glorious First of June MAJESTIC – C. Cotton.
Glorious First of June MARLBOROUGH – Hon. G. Berkeley.
Glorious First of June ORION – Duckworth,
Glorious First of June RAMILLIES – Henry Hervey.
Glorious First of June RUSSELL – J. Payne.
Glorious First of June TREMENDOUS – James Pigott.
Glorious First of June THUNDERER – A. Bertie.
Glorious First of June VALIANT – Pringle.
Glorious First of June ALFRED – J. Bazely.
Glorious First of June AUDACIOUS – W. Parker.
St. Vincent VICTORY – 1st Captain, R. Calder
St. Vincent VICTORY – Captain G. Grey.
St. Vincent BRITANNIA – Captain Thomas Foley.
St. Vincent BARFLEUR – Captain R. Dacres.
St. Vincent PRINCE GEORGE – Captain J. Irwin.
St. Vincent BLENHEIM – T.L. Frederick.
St. Vincent NAMUR – J.H. Whitshed.
St. Vincent CAPTAIN – Captain R. W. Miller.
St. Vincent GOLIATH – Sir C. Knowles.
St. Vincent EXCELLENT – Cuthbert Collingwood.
St. Vincent ORION – Sir J. Saumarez.
St. Vincent COLOSSUS – G. Murray.
St. Vincent EGMONT – J. Sutton.
St. Vincent CULLODEN – Trowbridge.
St. Vincent IRRESISTIBLE – George Martin.
St. Vincent DIADEM – G.H. Towry.
Camperdown VENERABLE – Captain Fairfax.
Camperdown MONARCH – Captain E. O’Brien.
Camperdown RUSSELL – H.B. Trollope.
Camperdown MONTAGU – J. Knight.
Camperdown BEDFORD – Sir T. Byard.
Camperdown POWERFUL – O.B. Drury.
Camperdown TRIUMPH – Essington.
Camperdown LANCASTER – J. Wells.
Camperdown BRACKEL – J. Mosse.
Camperdown BELLIQUEUX – Inglis.
Camperdown AGINCOURT – Williamson.
Camperdown VETERAN – G. Gregory.
Camperdown DIRECTOR – Bligh.
Camperdown MONMOUTH – Walker.
Camperdown ISIS – Mitchell.
Camperdown ADAMANT – W. Hotham.
Nile VANGUARD – Captain Berry.
Nile ORION – Sir James Saumarez.
Nile CULLODEN – Captain Troubridge.
Nile BELLEROPHON – Derby.
Nile DEFENCE – J. Peyton.
Nile MINOTAUR – Louis.
Nile ALEXANDER – Captain Ball.
Nile ZEALOUS – S. Hood.
Nile AUDACIOUS – Gould.
Nile GOLIATH – Foley.
Nile SWIFTSURE – Hallowell.
Nile THESEUS – Miller.
Nile LEANDER – Thompson.
Surprise v Hermione SURPRISE – Captain Edward Hamilton.
Trafalgar VICTORY – T.M. Hardy.
Trafalgar ROYAL SOVEREIGN – Captain Rotherham.
Trafalgar BRITANNIA – Captain C. Bullen.
Trafalgar TEMERAIRE – E. Hervey.
Trafalgar NEPTUNE – Fremantle.
Trafalgar LEVIATHAN – Bayntun.
Trafalgar CONQUEROR – Pellew.
Trafalgar AGAMEMNON – Berry.
Trafalgar AFRICA – Digby.
Trafalgar AJAX – Lieutenant Pinfold.
Trafalgar ORION – Codrington.
Trafalgar MINOTAUR – Mansfield.
Trafalgar SPARTIATE – Sir F. Laforey.
Trafalgar BELLEISLE – Hargood.
Trafalgar COLOSSUS – J.N. Morris.
Trafalgar L’ACHILLE – Sir Richard King.
Trafalgar DREADNOUGHT – J. Conn.
Trafalgar POLYPHEMUS – Redmiil.
Trafalgar REVENGE – Moorsom.
Trafalgar SWIFTSURE – G. Rutherford.
Trafalgar DEFIANCE – Durham.
Trafalgar THUNDERER – Lieutenant Stockham.
Trafalgar DEFENCE – G. Hope.
Trafalgar TONANT – Tyler.
Trafalgar PRINCE – R. Grindall.
Strachan's Action CÆSAR – Sir R. Strachan.
Strachan's Action BELLONA – Pater.
Strachan's Action HERO – Hon. A. Gardner.
Strachan's Action NAMUR – Halstead.
Strachan's Action COURAGEUX – R. Lee.
San Domingo SUPERB – Captain Keats.
San Domingo NORTHUMBERLAND – Captain Morrison.
San Domingo SPENCER – Hon. R. Stopford.
San Domingo DONEGAL – Malcolm.
San Domingo ATLAS – Pym.
San Domingo AGAMEMNON – Sir E. Berry.
San Domingo CANOPUS – Captain F. Austen.
Curacoa ARETHUSA – Brisbane.
Curacoa ANSON – Lydiard.
Curacoa FISGARD – Bolton.
Curacoa LATONA – J.A. Wood,
Seahorse v Badere Zaffer SEAHORSE – John Stewart.
Amethyst v Thetis AMETHYST – Sir Michael Seymour.
Bonne Citoyenne v Furieuse BONNE CITOYENNE – Captain Mounsey.
Banda Neira CAROLINE – Christopher Cole.
Lissa AMPHION – Sir W. Hoste.
Lissa ACTIVE – J.A. Gordon.
Lissa CEREBUS – H. Whitby.
Lissa VOLAGE – Phipps Hornby.
Victorious v Rivoli VICTORIOUS – Captain Talbot.
Shannon v Chesapeake SHANNON – Phil. Brooke.
Hebrus v Étoile HEBRUS – E. Palmer.
Endymion v President ENDYMION – H. Hope.


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:03 pm 
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Am I right in thinking that Troubridge was not actually awarded the Nile medal (because he took no part in the action) but that Nelson, annoyed with the Admiralty's decision, gave him Westcott's (who died in the battle)?

Ray


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:47 pm 
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I know Nelson campaigned vigorously for Troubridge to receive the Nile medal and he did, in fact, do so. Whether it was Westcott's medal that he received I can't say; though Nelson gave his own Nile medal to the Westcott family when he called on them as they had not received the medal. Nelson remarked, that they would not think less of the medal for its having been Nelson's.

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Anna


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 11:43 pm 
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Ray and Anna

Sorry I haven't got time to think this through precisely but I think there may be a bit of confusion here with Davison's privately commissioned Nile medal. As far as I know it was a Davison medal that was given to the Westcott family not one of the Naval Gold medals.


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:42 am 
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Thanks for the correction, Mark!

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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 1:55 pm 
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Many thanks for the replies so far. My query relates only to the gold medals issued by the Admiralty, paid for from the public purse, for those actions listed in the Admiralty notice of 1st June 1847, a revised and corrected version of which appeared in the London Gazette, no.20741, pages 2051-2.

The medals were issued to flag officers, captains of the fleet, and captains of ships-of-the-line in the fleet actions; and to captains of frigates in the other actions listed. The medal was issued in two sizes, the larger size to 22 flag officers and captains of the fleet, and the smaller to 117 captains. According to the custom of the day, medals were not issued posthumously, the one exception being Nelson’s medal for Trafalgar, which was presented to his widow. Medals were not issued to lieutenants who succeeded to the command of ships-of-the-line as a consequence of the deaths or wounds of their captains during action. Only three medals were issued to officers below the rank of post captain: Lieut. John Pilfold (Ajax) and Lieut. John Stockham (Thunderer), (who commanded their ships at Trafalgar while their captains were away giving evidence at the court martial of Vice-Adm. Sir Robert Calder); and Cdr. William Mounsey (Bonne Citoyenne) who captured the French frigate La Furieuse in 1809. All gold medals issued were to be worn attached to a ribbon, except the seven flag officer’s medals presented for 1st June 1794, which were to be worn attached to a gold chain, presented by George III to those seven officers when he visited the fleet at Portsmouth shortly after the battle.

I have been doing some more thorough digging since my original post, and working my way down the list in date order, I have got as far as Camperdown.

For the Glorious First of June, seven flag officers' medals with gold chains were given to:
Adm. Richard, Earl Howe (Queen Charlotte);
Captain of the Fleet Sir Roger Curtis (Queen Charlotte);
Vice-Adm. Thomas Graves (Royal Sovereign);
Vice-Adm. Sir Alexander Hood (Royal George);
Rear-Adm. George Bowyer (Barfleur);
Rear-Adm. Alan Gardner (Queen);
Rear-Adm. Thomas Pasley (Bellerophon).

And fourteen captains' medals were given to:
Capt. Sir Andrew Snape Douglas (Queen Charlotte);
Capt. Henry Nichols (Royal Sovereign);
Capt. John Elphinstone (Glory);
Capt. William Hope (Bellerophon);
Capt. Lord Hugh Seymour (Leviathan);
Capt. John Willet Payne (Russell);
Capt. Hon. George Cranfield Berkeley (Marlborough);
Capt. James Gambier (Defence);
Capt. Hon Thomas Pakenham (Invincible);
Capt. Thomas Pringle (Valiant);
Capt. John Thomas Duckworth (Orion);
Capt, Henry Harvey (Ramillies);
Capt. William Parker (Audacious);
Capt. Cuthbert Collingwood (Barfleur).

Collingwood was not included in those captains selected for the medal; he only received one for 1st of June 1794 later when he made it known that he would refuse to accept his medal for St. Vincent unless he also got one for 1st of June 1794.

For the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, six flag officers' medals were given to:
Adm. Sir John Jervis (Victory);
Captain of the Fleet Robert Calder (Victory);
Vice-Adm. Charles Thompson (Britannia);
Vice-Adm. Hon. William Waldegrave (Barfleur);
Rear-Adm. William Parker (Prince George);
Com. Horatio Nelson (Captain).

And fifteen captains' medals were given to:
Capt. George Grey (Victory);
Capt. Thomas Foley (Britannia);
Capt. James Richard Dacres (Barfleur);
Capt. John Irwin (Prince George);
Capt. Thomas Lenox Frederick (Blenheim);
Capt. James Hawkins Whitshed (Namur);
Capt. Ralph Willett Miller (Captain);
Capt. Sir Charles Henry Knowles (Goliath);
Capt. Cuthbert Collingwood (Excellent);
Capt. Sir James Saumarez (Orion);
Capt. George Murray (Colossus);
Capt. John Sutton (Egmont);
Capt. Thomas Troubridge (Culloden);
Capt. George Martin (Irresistible);
Capt. George Henry Towry (Diadem).

For the Battle of Camperdown, two flag officers' medals were given to:
Adm. Adam Duncan (Venerable);
Vice-Adm. Richard Onslow (Monarch).

And fourteen captains' medals were given to:
Capt. William George Fairfax (Venerable);
Capt. Edward O’Brien (Monarch);
Capt. Henry Trollope (Russell);
Capt. John Knight (Montagu);
Capt. Sir Thomas Byard (Bedford);
Capt. William O’Brien Drury (Powerful);
Capt. William Essington (Triumph);
Capt. John Inglis (Belliqueux);
Capt. John Wells (Lancaster);
Capt. George Gregory (Veteran);
Capt. William Bligh (Director);
Capt. James Walker (Monmouth);
Capt. William Mitchell (Isis);
Capt. William Hotham (Adamant).

As he was court-martialled after the battle, and sentenced to be placed permanently at the bottom of the post captains' list, it is unlikely that Capt. John Williamson (Agincourt) was given a medal.

Thus far, that is 15 flag officers' and 43 captains' medals "accounted for", leaving a further 7 and 74 to "find". Next stop … the Nile and Trafalgar!


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 Post subject: Re: Naval Gold Medals 1793-1815 - list of recipients
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:39 pm 
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Some more information: the National Maritime Museum says that 22 flag officers' medals, and 112 captain's medals were issued. See:

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collection ... collection

Also, the National Maritime Museum has a copy of William Beechey's portrait of Thomas Troubridge (object ID: BHC3168) in which he can be seen wearing his gold medals for St. Vincent and the Nile. Both of these medals are beleived to have been lost, along with Troubridge, when the Blenheim was lost without trace in a hurricane in the Indian Ocean in 1807.

Continuing my list of recipients …

For the Battle of the Nile, one flag officers’ medal was given to:
Rear-Adm. Sir Horatio Nelson (Vanguard).

And thirteen captains’ medals were given to:
Capt. Edward Berry (Vanguard);
Capt. Sir James Saumarez (Orion);
Capt. Thomas Troubridge (Culloden);
Capt. Henry D’Esterre Darby (Bellerophon);
Capt. Thomas Louis (Minotaur);
Capt. John Peyton (Defence);
Capt. Alexander John Ball (Alexander);
Capt. Samuel Hood (Zealous);
Capt. Davidge Gould (Audacious);
Capt. Thomas Foley (Goliath);
Capt. Benjamin Hallowell (Swiftsure);
Capt. Ralph Willett Miller (Theseus);
Capt. Thomas Boulden Thompson (Leander).

For the re-capture of Hermione, by Surprise, 25th October 1799, one captains’ medal was given to:
Capt. Edward Joseph Hamilton (Surprise).

For the Battle of Trafalgar, three flag officers’ medals were given to:
Vice-Adm. Lord Nelson (Victory) – presented posthumously to his widow;
Vice-Adm. Cuthbert Collingwood (Royal Sovereign);
Rear-Adm. Earl of Northesk (Britannia).

And twenty-five captains’ medals were given to:
Capt. Thomas Masterman Hardy (Victory);
Capt. Edward Rotherham (Royal Sovereign);
Capt. Charles Bullen (Britannia);
Capt. Eliab Harvey (Temeraire);
Capt. Richard Grindall (Prince);
Capt. Thomas Francis Fremantle (Neptune);
Capt. John Conn (Dreadnought);
Capt. Charles Tyler (Tonnant);
Capt. William Hargood (Belleisle);
Capt. Robert Moorsom (Revenge);
Capt. Sir Francis Laforey (Spartiate);
Capt. Philip Charles Durham (Defiance);
Capt. Israel Pellew (Conqueror);
Capt. George Johnstone Hope (Defence);
Capt. James Nicoll Morris (Colossus);
Capt. Henry William Bayntun (Leviathan);
Capt. Richard King (Achille);
Capt. Charles John Moore Mansfield (Minotaur);
Capt. Edward Codrington (Orion);
Capt. William Gordon Rutherford (Swiftsure);
Lieut. John Pilford (Ajax);
Lieut. John Stockham (Thunderer);
Capt. Robert Redmill (Polyphemus);
Capt. Henry Digby (Africa);
Capt. Sir Edward Berry (Agamemnon).

So far then, up to and including Trafalgar, I count 19 flag officers' and 82 captains' gold medals; leaving a further 3 and 30 to "find". The remaining three flag officers' medals were probably all given for Duckworth's action off San Domingo.

Next stop … Strachan's Action and San Domingo.


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