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Robert Gambier Middleton (November 1774-21 August 1837)[1] was an officer in the Royal Navy who distinguished himself in the Napoleonic Wars.
Early Life
[edit]His father was Collector of the Customs in Leith [2]. In 1786 he was adopted by his uncle Charles Middleton who at the time was Comptroller of the Navy and went on to be First Naval Lord and then First Lord of the Admiralty.
Naval Career
[edit]He may have served as a lieutenant in Lord Hood's fleet at the occupation and evacuation of Toulon in 1793[3]. He served as a second lieutenant on HMS Aquilon(1786) in 1793[4] and commander and commanding officer on HMS Eclair in 1794[5]. On the 11th of August 1794 he obtained the rank of Post-Captain, commanding HMS Ariadne.
In June 1795 he took command of HMS Lowestoffe (1761)[6] and took part in the Action of 24 June 1795.
In October of the same year, he took command of HMS Flora(1780) and on the 10th of July 1796 the ship was involved in the occupation of Portoferraio[7] by British troops. During his command, HMS Flora was involved in capturing many enemy privateers and merrchantmen[8]. In the case of the French brig Le Mondovi, which had sought shelter in the harbour of Cerigo this involved sending boats into the harbour to cut her out, an operation which succeeded despite heavy fire from two batteries at the harbour entrance[9].
On the 8th of March 1801
- ^ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N66-X3H : 31 December 2014), Robert Gambier Middleton, 1837; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Godstone, Surrey, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
- ^ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Biography/Middleton,_Robert_Gambier
- ^ Royal Naval Biography op.cit.
- ^ https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_crewman&id=9376: ADM 6/24/270 Commission and Warrant Book 1789 Sep.-1793
- ^ Three Decks op.cit.: ADM 6/25/94 Commission and Warrant Book 1794-1796 Apr.
- ^ Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships of the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-295-5.
- ^ Royal Naval Biography op.cit.
- ^ https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=7652
- ^ Royal Naval Biography op.cit.