Admiral of the Fleet Sir Chaloner Ogle KB (1681 – 11 April 1750) was a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

officer and politician. After serving as a junior officer during the

Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...

, a ship he was commanding was captured by three French ships off

Ostend Ostend ( nl, Oostende, ; french: link=no, Ostende ; german: link=no, Ostende ; vls, Ostende) is a coastal city and municipality, located in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerk ...

in July 1706 in an action during the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

. Ogle was given command of the fourth-rate HMS ''Swallow'' and saw action against the pirate fleet of

Bartholomew Roberts ) , type=Pirate , birth_place = Casnewydd Bach, near Puncheston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, Kingdom of England , death_place = At sea off of Cape Lopez, Gabon , allegiance= , serviceyears=1719–1722 , base of operations= Off the coast of the Americ ...

in the

Battle of Cape Lopez The Battle of Cape Lopez was fought in early 1722 during the Golden Age of Piracy. A Royal Navy man-of-war under Captain Chaloner Ogle defeated the pirate ship of Bartholomew Roberts off the coast of Gabon, West Africa. Background Roberts was t ...

in February 1722. The action was to prove a turning point in the war against the pirates and many consider the death of Roberts to mark the end of the

Golden Age of Piracy The Golden Age of Piracy is a common designation for the period between the 1650s and the 1730s, when maritime piracy was a significant factor in the histories of the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, the Indian Ocean, North America, and West Africa ...

. In December 1741 Ogle was despatched with a fleet of some 30 ships to support Admiral

Edward Vernon Admiral Edward Vernon (12 November 1684 – 30 October 1757) was an English naval officer. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' Ear, in 1 ...

in his engagement with

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

naval forces under Admiral

Blas de Lezo Admiral Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta (3 February 1689 – 7 September 1741) was a Spanish navy officer best remembered for the Battle of Cartagena de Indias (1741) in the Viceroyalty of New Granada, where Spanish imperial forces under his command ...

off the coast of

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

during the

War of Jenkins' Ear The War of Jenkins' Ear, or , was a conflict lasting from 1739 to 1748 between Britain and the Spanish Empire. The majority of the fighting took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea, with major operations largely ended by 1742. It is con ...

. The attack on Fort San Lazaro was a disaster for the British forces and the

Battle of Cartagena de Indias The Battle of Cartagena de Indias ( es, Sitio de Cartagena de Indias, lit=Siege of Cartagena de Indias) took place during the 1739 to 1748 War of Jenkins' Ear between Spain and Britain. The result of long-standing commercial tensions, the war w ...

ultimately proved a decisive Spanish victory: 50 ships were lost, badly damaged or abandoned, and 18,000 soldiers and sailors died. Ogle went on to be

Commander-in-Chief, The Nore The Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, was an operational commander of the Royal Navy. His subordinate units, establishments, and staff were sometimes informally known as the Nore Station or Nore Command. The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the Th ...

Early career

Born to John Ogle, a

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

, and Mary (née Braithwaite) Ogle, Chaloner Ogle came from the

Kirkley Hall Kirkley Hall is a 17th-century historic country mansion and Grade II listed building in Northumberland, England. The estate is over and adjoins the River Blyth at Kirkley, three miles north of Ponteland in the heart of the Northumberland count ...

branch of the prominent Northumbrian

Ogle family The Ogle family were prominent landed gentry in Northumberland, England. The earliest appearances of the family name were written Hoggel, Oggehill, Ogille and Oghill.Burke, B. & Burke, J. B. (1863). ''A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of th ...

of Northumberland. He joined the

as a volunteer in July 1697. He served in the

third-rate In the rating system of the 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 (thus the related term two-decker). Years of experience proved that the third r ...

HMS ''Yarmouth'' and then the third-rate HMS ''Restoration'' in Autumn 1697 during the

and then served in the

fourth-rate In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...

HMS ''Worcester'' followed by the third-rate HMS ''Suffolk'' in 1698.Heathcote, p. 199 Promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on 29 April 1702, he joined the third-rate HMS ''Royal Oak'' later that month. General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates - Captain Bartholomew Roberts with two Ships

General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates - Captain Bartholomew Roberts with two Ships

Promoted to

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

on 24 November 1703, Ogle was given command of the

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...

HMS ''San Antonio'' which had been captured from Captain

William Kidd William Kidd, also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd ( – 23 May 1701), was a Scottish sea captain who was commissioned as a privateer and had experience as a pirate. He was tried and executed in London in 1701 for murder a ...

. He transferred to the command of

sixth-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a sixth-rate was the designation for small warships mounting between 20 and 28 carriage-mounted guns on a single deck, sometimes with smaller guns on the upper works and ...

HMS ''Deal Castle'' in April 1705; his ship was captured by three French ships off

in July 1706 in an action during the

but he was acquitted at the subsequent

court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

and he was then given command of the sixth-rate HMS ''Queenborough''. Promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 14 March 1708, Ogle was given command of the

fifth-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a fifth rate was the second-smallest class of warships in a hierarchical system of six " ratings" based on size and firepower. Rating The rating system in the Royal ...

in the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

where he took several prizes. He then transferred to the fourth-rate HMS ''Plymouth'' and then to the fourth-rate HMS ''Worcester'' both in the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...

. Ogle was given command of the fourth-rate HMS ''Swallow'' in March 1719 and saw action against the pirate fleet of

in the

in February 1722. Ogle spotted three of Roberts' ships at anchor and initially pretended to flee: the pirate ship ''Ranger'' under Captain James Skyrme gave pursuit and was captured by HMS ''Swallow''. Ogle then went after Roberts' flagship ''Royal Fortune'' which was anchored at

Cape Lopez Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...

: Roberts tried to escape but ''Royal Fortune'' received a

broadside Broadside or broadsides may refer to: Naval * Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare Printing and literature * Broadside (comic ...

from HMS ''Swallow'' as she passed and Roberts was killed in the action. Ogle was appointed a

Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as on ...

in April 1723, the only British naval officer to be honoured specifically for his actions against pirates.Cawthorne p. 135 The action was to prove a turning point in the war against the pirates and many consider the death of Roberts to mark the end of the

. Ogle was given command of the third-rate HMS ''Burford'' in the

Channel Fleet The Channel Fleet and originally known as the Channel Squadron was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915. History Throughout the course of Royal Navy's history the ...

in 1729 and of third-rate HMS ''Edinburgh'' in the Mediterranean in 1732. Promoted to

commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore ...

later that year he became Commander-in-Chief of the

Jamaica Station Jamaica station is a major train station of the Long Island Rail Road located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. With weekday ridership exceeding 200,000 passengers, it is the largest transit hub on Long Island, the fourth-busiest rail station ...

with his

broad pennant A broad pennant is a triangular swallow-tailed naval pennant flown from the masthead of a warship afloat or a naval headquarters ashore to indicate the presence of either: (a) a Royal Navy officer in the rank of Commodore, or (b) a U.S. Nav ...

in the fourth-rate HMS ''Kingston''.Cundall, p. xx

Senior command

Defensa de Cartagena de Indias por la escuadra de D

Promoted to

rear-admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...

on 11 July 1739, Ogle became second-in-command in the Mediterranean under Admiral

Nicholas Haddock Admiral Nicholas Haddock (1686 – 26 September 1746) was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Commander-in-Chief of Britain's naval forces in the Mediterranean between 1738 and 1742. Despite an active and successful early and middle career, his re ...

, with his flag in the fourth-rate HMS ''Augusta'' later that year, but then transferred to become third-in-command in the Channel under Sir John Norris, still with his flag in HMS ''Augusta'', in 1740Heathcote, p. 200 In December 1741 Ogle was despatched with a fleet of some 30 ships to support Admiral

in his engagement with

naval forces under Admiral

off the coast of

during the

. Ogle arrived in April 1742 and, after a week of bombardment of the City of Cartagena, the British made preparations to land near an access channel, Boca Chica, with 300 grenadiers. The Spanish defenders of two small, nearby forts, San Iago and San Philip, were driven off by a division of three ships of the fleet under Ogle but the British naval force suffered some 120 casualties with the third-rate HMS ''Shrewsbury'' alone losing 100 killed and wounded as well as taking serious damage from cannon fire from Fort San Luis. Although the grenadiers landed, the subsequent attack on Fort San Lazaro was a disaster for the British forces and the

ultimately proved a decisive Spanish victory: 50 ships were lost, badly damaged or abandoned, and 18,000 soldiers and sailors died. In the recriminations after the battle Ogle was accused of an assault upon Edward Trelawny,

Governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jamai ...

in August 1742; he was tried in court but no judgement was given. Vernon was recalled and Ogle became Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station again. Promoted to vice-admiral on 11 August 1743, Ogle presided at the courts-martial of the captains accused of cowardice at the Battle of Toulon in February 1744. Promoted to full

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

on 23 June 1744, he became

in September 1745. He was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

in November 1746 and promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 1 July 1749. In retirement he lived at Gifford Lodge in

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

. He died in London on 11 April 1750 and was buried at St Mary's, Twickenham. The monument was sculpted by

John Michael Rysbrack Johannes Michel or John Michael Rysbrack, original name Jan Michiel Rijsbrack, often referred to simply as Michael Rysbrack (24 June 1694 – 8 January 1770), was an 18th-century Flemish sculptor, who spent most of his career in England where h ...

.Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.338

Family

In October 1714, Ogle married Henrietta Isaacson. After the death of his first wife, he married Jane Isabella Ogle (a cousin) in October 1737; there were no children from either marriage.

References

Sources

* * * * * * *

External links

Chaloner Ogle
Three Decks , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ogle, Chaloner 1681 births 1750 deaths Royal Navy admirals of the fleet People involved in anti-piracy efforts British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British military personnel of the War of the Spanish Succession Royal Navy personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession British military personnel of the Nine Years' War