Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many 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. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Sir Richard John Strachan, 6th Baronet, GCB (27 October 1760 – 3 February 1828) was a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
officer who served in the
American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
and
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (sometimes called the Great French War or the Wars of the Revolution and the Empire) were a series of conflicts between the French and several European monarchies between 1792 and 1815. They encompas ...
, eventually rising to the rank of admiral. "Sir Dicky", as his friends referred to him, was the last chief of Clan Strachan. His baronetcy became dormant in 1854 as he died without a male heir.
Childhood
Strachan was born in
Devon
Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
on 27 October 1760, the eldest son of Lieutenant Patrick Strachan RN and a daughter of Captain Pitman RN. His uncle was Sir John Strachan, fifth
baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
. Strachan entered the Royal Navy in 1772 at the age of twelve, serving first aboard HMS ''Intrepid''. He sailed with ''Intrepid'' to the
East Indies
The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in Eastern world, the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainl ...
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
Strachan went on to serve aboard HMS ''Actaeon'' off the coast of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
, and in the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
. On the death of his uncle on 26 December 1777, he succeeded to the baronetcy. He was promoted to
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
on 5 April 1779 and was then appointed to HMS ''Hero'' in early 1781, under the command of Captain James Hawker. Aboard ''Hero'' Strachan was part of Commodore George Johnstone's squadron, and was present at the
Battle of Porto Praya
The Battle of Porto Praya was a naval battle that took place during the American Revolutionary War on 16 April 1781 between a British squadron under Commodore George Johnstone and a French squadron under Pierre André de Suffren.
Both squadr ...
against the Bailli de Suffren on 16 April 1781. After this action, ''Hero'' moved on to the
East Indies
The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in Eastern world, the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainl ...
, where Strachan moved to take up a post, first aboard HMS ''Magnanime'' and then aboard HMS ''Superb''. It was whilst aboard ''Superb'' that Strachan was present at the first of four actions that took place between Sir Edward Hughes and de Suffren, the Battle of Sadras on 17 February 1782.
First commands
After acquitting himself well, Strachan was promoted by Hughes in January 1783 to the command of the cutterHMS ''Lizard'', and then again on 26 April 1783 to be captain of the
corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...
''Naiad''. Strachan's next appointment was in 1787 to HMS ''Vestal''. He sailed in the spring of 1788 for
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, carrying the
ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
, the Hon. Charles Alan Cathcart. Cathcart died during the journey, as ''Vestal'' passed through the Strait of Banca, and the ship returned to England. Strachan and ''Vestal'' were then ordered to the East Indies again, to join a squadron under the command of Commodore William Cornwallis. On arrival, Strachan was reassigned to HMS ''Phoenix''. In November 1791 she was ordered to stop and search the French frigate ''Résolue'', which was escorting a number of merchant ships believed to be carrying military supplies to support
Tippu Sultan
Tipu Sultan (, , ''Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu''; 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799) commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore or "Tiger of Mysore", was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery ...
. ''Résolue'' resisted ''Phoenix'' and a brief fight ensued before ''Résolue'' struck her colours. Trublet de Villejégu, captain of ''Résolue'', insisted on considering his ship as a British prize, so Cornwallis ordered Strachan to tow her into Mahé and return her to the French commodore.
Off the French coast
Strachan returned to England in 1793, and was appointed to command the frigate HMS ''Concorde'' and in spring 1794 joined a squadron patrolling off Brest, under the command of Sir
John Borlase Warren
Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet (2 September 1753 – 27 February 1822) was a Royal Navy officer, diplomat and politician who sat in the British House of Commons between 1774 and 1807.
Early life
Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamshir ...
. The squadron engaged a rival squadron of four French frigates on 23 April 1794 and succeeded in capturing three of them. Strachan and ''Concorde'' had forced the surrender of one of them, the frigate ''L'Engageante''. Strachan was then appointed to the 42-gun HMS ''Melampus'' which was attached in the summer to the main British fleet. In spring 1795 Strachan was dispatched in command of a squadron of five frigates to cruise off the
Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
and
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
coasts. He was highly successful at this, capturing or destroying a considerable number of French coastal craft, many laden with military stores and conveyed by armed French warships. On 9 May 1795, he captured ''Crache-feu'', a French three-gun vessel.
Command of the ''Diamond'' and the ''Captain''
In 1796 Strachan was appointed to command HMS ''Diamond'', after her previous captain, Sir Sidney Smith had been captured during a cutting-out expedition. On 31 December 1796, Strachan captured the French 12-gun brig ''Amaranthe'', which the Royal Navy took into service as HMS ''Amaranthe''.
Strachan commanded ''Diamond'' until 1799, when he took command of the 74-gun
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).
Rating
When the rating system was f ...
HMS ''Captain''. He took her off the west coast of France, at times operating as part of a squadron, and at other times alone. On 5 November 1800 he came to the assistance of the stranded and sinking HMS ''Marlborough'', which had struck a ledge of rocks near Isle Grouat during the previous night's gale. ''Captain''s boats were pushed through the surf and were able to take off ''Marlborough's'' officers and crew.
Later that month, on 17 November, ''Captain'' chased a French convoy through the Teignouse Passage between
Quiberon
Quiberon (; , ) is a commune in the French department of Morbihan, administrative region of Brittany, western France.
It is on the southern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon. It is ...
and the Ile de Houat, and tried to keep them from reaching safety in the
Gulf of Morbihan
The Gulf of Morbihan (, ; ) is a natural harbour on the coast of the departments of France, department of Morbihan in southern Brittany, France. Its English name is taken from the French language, French version, ''le golfe du Morbihan'', t ...
. Despite his efforts, the convoy reached the cover of a 20-gun
corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...
, and a number of coastal forts the next day. The situation changed when the hired armedcutter''Nile'' attacked the corvette and forced her aground in Port Navalo. The corvette struck her colours, at which point boats from HMS ''Magicienne'' attempted to board and capture her. They were driven off by fire from the corvette and returned to ''Magicienne''. Strachan meanwhile devised a plan to attack the French.
Later that day, ''Magicienne'' was ordered to approach, to draw the fire of the batteries. Strachan ordered Lieutenant Hannah and a party of seamen and marines into four boats, which were towed into the harbour by ''Suwarrow''; while ''Nile'' and HMS ''Lurcher'' towed another four more boats manned by ''Marlborough''s men who had been rescued by Strachan three weeks previously. Under heavy fire of
grape
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
, round and musket-balls from the shore battery high above, they boarded the corvette, and set her on fire. They then re-embarked and began heading back towards ''Captain'', when the corvette blew up with a tremendous explosion. The British lost only one man killed, when a shot hit the fluke of ''Suwarrow''s anchor, ricocheted, and struck the head of a sailor. Seven others were injured.
In January 1801, Strachan almost died when ''Captain'' struck a rock off
Ushant
Ushant (; , ; , ) is a French island at the southwestern end of the English Channel which marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and in medieval times, Léon. In lower tiers of government, it is a commune in t ...
with such force that she started taking on water at almost 3 inches a minute, which constantly increased. The damage was so severe that the incoming water nearly overloaded the pumps. She eventually made it into the Sound on 11 January attended by HMS ''Fisgard'' and the cutter from HMS ''Lord Nelson''. ''Captain'' fired distress guns until she reached the narrows, when all the boats from the dock and the fleet came out to assist her. ''Captain'' eventually made it to the Hamoaze, and went back into
Cawsand Bay
Cawsand Bay is a bay on the southeast coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
The bay takes its name from the village of Cawsand at , to the northeast of the Rame Peninsula. Cawsand Bay is oriented north–south, opening eastward into Plym ...
on 5 May.
Command of the ''Donegal''
In 1802 Strachan was appointed to command HMS ''Donegal''. Whilst serving aboard her, he was made senior officer at
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
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 countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
. Whilst on this station, she spotted and gave chase to the large 42-gun Spanish frigate ''Amfitrite'' in November 1804. After pursuing her for 46 hours, ''Amfitrite'' lost her mizzen-top-mast and was subsequently overhauled by ''Donegal''.
A boat was dispatched from ''Donegal'' and the Spanish captain was brought aboard. Strachan did not speak Spanish and the captain did not speak English, so it was with difficulty that Strachan attempted to inform him that his orders were to return the ''Amfitrite'' back to Cadiz. Strachan allowed the captain three minutes to decide whether he would comply with the order, but after waiting for six minutes without an answer, opened fire on ''Amfitrite''. The engagement lasted only eight minutes, and resulted in a number of deaths, including the Spanish captain, who fell to a
musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually dis ...
ball. ''Amfitrite'' surrendered and after being searched, was found to be laden with stores and carrying dispatches from Cadiz to
Tenerife
Tenerife ( ; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands, an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. With a land area of and a population of 965,575 inhabitants as of A ...
and
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.HMS ''Amfitrite''. ''Donegal'' would later make another capture off Cadiz, taking a Spanish vessel carrying a cargo reputed to be worth £200,000.
After Trafalgar
On 23 April 1804 Strachan was made a
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
of
marines
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included Raid (military), raiding ashor ...
, and returned to England in HMS ''Renown''. On arrival he was immediately appointed to HMS ''Caesar'' and placed in command of a detached squadron including three
ships of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which involved the two column ...
and four frigates in the
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay ( ) is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc'h to the Spanish border, and along the northern coast of Spain, extending westward ...
. Whilst sailing off
Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre (, also ; ; ) is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain.
In Roman times it was believed to be an end of the known world. The name Finisterre, like that of Finistère in France, derives from the Latin , mean ...
on 2 November 1805, the squadron encountered four French ships of the line that had escaped from the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval engagement that took place on 21 October 1805 between the Royal Navy and a combined fleet of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish navies during the War of the Third Coalition. As part of Na ...
under the command of Rear-Admiral Dumanoir le Pelley. Strachan pursued them, bringing them to battle on 4 November. After a short engagement, known as the Battle of Cape Ortegal, he captured all of them, completing the destruction of the French fleet. Strachan was promoted to the rank of
Rear-Admiral of the Blue
Rear-Admiral of the Blue was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Rear-Admiral of the White. Royal Navy officers currently holding the ranks of commodore, rear admiral, vice admiral and admira ...
on 9 November 1805. When, on 28 January 1806, the thanks of both
Houses of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...
were voted to those who had fought at Trafalgar, Strachan and his command was specially included. He was also, by special act of Parliament, the ( 46 Geo. 3. c. 5), rewarded with a
pension
A pension (; ) is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be either a " defined benefit plan", wh ...
of £1,000 a year. On 29 January he was created a
Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...
(KB), and the
City of London
The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...
voted him the freedom of the city, and awarded him a sword of honour.
Later career
Strachan was soon back in service, being dispatched early in 1806 to search for a French squadron reported to have sailed for America. After searching for some time, he failed to locate it and instead returned to watch the port of Rochefort. Thick fog and poor weather covered the port in January 1808, and allowed the French to sail out undetected and escape to 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 east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
. Strachan gave chase, joining Admiral Collingwood's forces, but the French were able to gain the safety of
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department.
The Commune of Toulon h ...
. Strachan was ordered to return home, where, in 1809, he became Commander-in-Chief, North Sea, watching the Dutch coast.
On 9 June 1809, he was appointed as the naval commander of an expedition, consisting of 264 warships and 352 transports carrying 44,000 troops, to attack the island of
Walcheren
Walcheren () is a region and former island in the Dutch province of Zeeland at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Eastern Scheldt in the north and the Western Scheldt in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus. The two ...
and destroy the French arsenals in the
Scheldt
The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...
. Strachan was ill-qualified for the position, lacking both the experience and the temperament to hold a joint command in such a complex combined operation. Whilst he was careful to attend to the details of the problems that the Navy might encounter, he failed to consider the army's problems. Relations with the army's commander, Lord Chatham, quickly became strained and the ambitious
Walcheren Campaign
The Walcheren Campaign () was an unsuccessful United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British expedition to the Kingdom of Holland in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with First French Empire, France ...
ended up being abandoned, having only achieved the capture of Flushing. A period of angry recriminations followed the withdrawal, with Chatham presenting a narrative to
King George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
in 1810, blaming Strachan for the expedition's failure. Strachan defended himself, declaring that the ships had done all that had been required of them. He nevertheless became the
scapegoat
In the Bible, a scapegoat is one of a pair of kid goats that is released into the wilderness, taking with it all sins and impurities, while the other is sacrificed. The concept first appears in the Book of Leviticus, in which a goat is designate ...
for the failure, and was not given any more assignments.
The confusion and conflicting accounts led to the following doggerel verse:
Great Chatham, with his sabre drawn,
Stood waiting for Sir Richard Strachan;
Sir Richard, longing to be at 'em,
Stood waiting for the Earl of Chatham.
Later life
Despite these controversies, promotion being entirely on the basis of seniority, he was made a Rear-Admiral of the Red on 25 October 1809, a Vice-Admiral of the Blue on 31 July 1810, Vice-Admiral of the White on 12 August 1812, Vice-Admiral of the Red on 4 June 1814, and Admiral of the White on 19 July 1821. After the defeat of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, and his temporary incarceration aboard HMS ''Bellerophon'' in 1815, Strachan set out to see the man he had spent most of his career fighting to defeat. Napoleon himself was apparently aware of Strachan's deeds.
On Thursday he apoleon Bonapartegratified the spectators with his appearance frequently on the poop and gangway, on which occasions the British, as well as the French officers, stood uncovered and apart! One of his officers intimating to him, that Sir Richard Strachan was in a barge alongside, Bonaparte instantly took off his hat, and bowed to him with a smile.
The
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...
was reorganised on 2 January 1815, with surviving Knights Companion becoming the first Knights Grand Cross (GCB). Strachan died at his house in
Bryanston Square
Bryanston Square is an garden square in Marylebone, London. Terraced buildings surround it — often merged, converted or sub-divided, some of which remain residential. The southern end has the William Pitt Byrne memorial fountain. Next to ...
, London, on 3 February 1828. He had married Louisa Dillon, Marchioness of Salsa, in 1812, and together they had three daughters, but no son. The baronetcy became extinct upon his death.
Assessment
Strachan became famous during his career for his ungovernable temper and violent cursing. This eventually earned him the nickname of 'Mad Dick' among his men, but he remained a popular and sought-after commander. Captain Graham Moore, the brother of Sir John Moore, described him on the eve of the Walcheren expedition as
one of those in our service whom I estimate the highest. I do not believe he has his fellow among the Admirals, unless it be Pellew, for ability, and it is not possible to have more zeal and gallantry.(Maxwell, Vol 1, No. 95)
Despite the failure of the venture, he was later to declare that
It is my wish to serve with Strachan, as I know him to be extremely brave and full of zeal and ardour, at the same time that he is an excellent seaman, and, tho' an irregular, impetuous fellow, possessing very quick parts and an uncommon share of sagacity and strong sense.
Notes
a. Some confusion over which baronet he was exists. The ''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...
'' lists him as the 4th, but both
Debrett's
Debrett's () is a British professional coaching company and publisher and authority on etiquette and behaviour, founded in 1769 with the publication of the first edition of ''The New Peerage''. The company takes its name from its founder, John ...
and
Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...
list him as the 6th.
Footnotes
Literature
*Thomas A. Wise, ''Life and Naval Career of Admiral Sir Richard J. Strachan, Baronet, G.C.B.'' in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society', Vol. 2. (1873), pp. 32–53.
* ''The Creevey papers'', ed. H. Maxwell, 2nd edn, 2 vols. (1904)