Robert Moorsom

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name = Robert Moorsom


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birth_date = birth date|1760|6|8|df=yes
birth_place = Whitby, Yorkshire , England
death_date = death date and age|1835|4|14|1760|6|8|df=yes
death_place = Cosgrove Priory, Northamptonshire, England
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resting_place = St Peter’s Church, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire
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occupation = Royal Navy Admiral
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footnotes = Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, KCB (8 June 1760 - 14 April 1835) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. His very active service career was especially highlighted by his actions in 1805 at the battle of Trafalgar, where his ship HMS "Revenge" was severely damaged and Moorsom was himself seriously wounded.

Life

Born into a sea-going family at Whitby in Yorkshire in 1760, Moorsom was late to the navy, only joing aged 17, a good four years later than most of his contemporaries. He made up for his late arrival with exhaustive service, which included action at the Great Siege of Gibraltar and at the battle of Cape Spartel. He was made lieutenant rapidly in 1784 [ 5 January 1784 ] following commendations from an action against a French convoy to America two years before, and then profited by the build up to war in 1790 when he was granted promotion to Post captain. [ 22 November 1790 ]

His service in the Revolutionary Wars was unremarkable, maintaining position in the blockading fleets of several ports where there was small opportunity for glory or action, especially in ships of the line, which he had soon graduated into. Following the Peace of Amiens, Moorsom took over the newly built "Revenge" and was placed under Admiral Collingwood's command in the Mediterranean, accompanying his admiral to Cadiz and thence to the battle of Trafalgar in October 1805.

At the battle, "Revenge" was situated far to the rear of Collingwood's division, but due to her recent construction she was a very fast and agile ship and thus was able to overtake two ships in front of her, aiming at the Spanish flagship "Principe de Asturias" but missing her and becoming embroiled in a duel with the smaller "San Ildefonso" which drifted off damaged. The "Revenge" next engaged the "Achille" and dismasted her leaving her vulnerable to attack from following ships who later sank her. The French "Aigle" was next, "Revenge" ramming her and damaging her so she too drifted off from action. Finally reaching the "Principe de Asturias", the "Revenge" was dwarfed by her enormous opponent, and was significantly damaged by the broadsides from the bigger ship, splinters from which badly wounded Moorsom and killed or wounded over 70 of his crew. "Asturias" was later driven off by the aid of HMS "Dreadnought" and HMS "Thunderer", who rescued the badly holed and slowly sinking "Revenge".

By a miracle of seamanship, the "Revenge" was returned to Gibraltar despite the raging storm and Moorsom was one of the first officers dispatched home, sent to recuperate from his wounds. He was richly rewarded for his heroic actions in the battle but due to the surge in promotions which the battle brought combined with his injuries he was unable to find a ship and never returned to the sea as a captain. He was instead given numerous shore jobs, including carrying the great banner at Lord Nelson's funeral, appointment to rear-admiral and a position with the Lords of the Admiralty and following the end of the war a career in backbench politics (as MP for Queensborough 1812-1820), as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance. Promoted through the rank [Promtioned to:-
*Rear Admiral of the Blue 31 July 1810, of the White 1 August 1810, of the Red 12 August 1814
*Vice Admiral of the Blue 4 June 1814, of the White 12 August 1819, of the Red 27 May 1825 ] .

Robert Moorsom died peacefully in 1835 as a full Admiral of the Blue [ 22 July 1830 ] and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath [ 2 January 1815 ] and was buried at St Peter’s Church, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire [ Memorial plaque: St Peter’s Church ] , where a memorial plaque to him and his wife Eleanor can still be seen.

Further reading

*"The Trafalgar Captains", Colin White and the 1805 Club, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005, ISBN 1-86176-247-X

References

External links

* [http://www.nelson-society.org.uk/html/body_robert_moorsom.htm Robert Moorsom bio]
* [http://www.nmm.ac.uk/searchbin/searchs.pl?flashy=et1740z&flash=true Animation of the Battle of Trafalgar]