Zachary Mudge

Infobox Person
name=Zachary Mudge


image_size=
caption=
birth_name=
birth_date=January 22, 1770
birthplace=Plymouth
death_date=October 22, 1852
death_place=Sydney, Devon, England
death_cause=
resting_place=Newton Ferres church
resting_place_coordinates=
residence=
nationality=
other_names=Zecharia or Zacharia Mudge
known_for=Vancouver Expedition
education=
employer=Royal Navy
occupation=officer
title=
religion=
spouse=Jane Granger
children=Zachary Mudge
parents=Dr. John Mudge and Elizabeth Garrett
relatives=William Mudge, Thomas Mudge


footnotes=

Zachary (variously Zacharia or Zechariah) Mudge (January 22, 1770 – 1852) was an officer in the Royal Navy, best known for serving in the historic Vancouver Expedition.cite book
author=Naish, John
title=The Interwoven Lives of George Vancouver, Archibald Menzies, Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget: The Vancouver Voyage of 1791-1795
publisher=The Edward Mellen Press, Ltd.
year=1996|id=ISBN 0-7734-8857-X]

Early life

Mudge was one of 20 children of a famous physician, Dr. John Mudge, of Plymouth; his mother was John's 3rd wife, Elizabeth. The family included distinguished surveyors and mathematicians. His older half-brother was William Mudge, who developed the Ordnance Survey and was responsible for much of the early detailed mapping of Britain. Uncle Thomas Mudge was a famous horologist. In addition, the family was connected to the politically powerful Pitt family.

In 1780 (aged 10), Mudge joined HMS "Foudroyant" where he served as midshipman on the home and North American stations. He was serving on her when she captured the "Pegase" (April 21, 1782)and was promoted to lieutenant on May 24, 1789. He briefly served on HMS "Europa" until she paid off; on her he met several of his future companions on Vancouver's voyage.

The Vancouver Expedition

"Main article: Vancouver Expedition"

On December 15, 1790, Mudge joined HMS "Discovery" as 2nd Lieutenant; after the Nootka Crisis, he became her 1st Lieutenantcite web
url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mymhiwe:@field(DOCID+@lit(mymhiwef897p9m4div13))
title=Muster Table of His Majesties Sloop The Discovery
year=1791
accessdate=December 15|accessyear=2006
publisher=Admiralty Records in the Public Record Office, U.K.] and George Vancouver captain. In addition to his other duties, Mudge had been asked to look after the 16-year-old (and future Baron) Thomas Pitt, but was compelled to flog him when the latter used ship stores to purchase romantic favours in Tahiti.

In 1791, they voyaged to Tenerife, Cape Town, Australia, New Zealand, Hawai'i and North America.cite web
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rZUdAAAAMAAJ |title=Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound: Portraits and Biographies of the Men|year=1907
author= Edmond S. Meany
accessdate=February 6|accessyear=2008
publisher=The Macmillan Company] In 1792, they spent a season of exploring the west coast of America, and then put into Nootka Sound to implement the Nootka Sound Convention.

The British and Spanish Commanders had been given conflicting instructions, and the primary purpose of the mission could not be completed. Vancouver therefore sent Mudge back to England with dispatches, botanical samples and a request for further orders. He crossed the Pacific to China in the Portuguese-flagged trading vessel "Fenis and St. Joseph", a 50-foot open boat carrying 14 men, and from there proceeded home via East Indiaman.cite book
author=Wing, Robert and Newell, Gordon
title=Peter Puget: Lieutenant on the Vancouver Expedition, fighting British naval officer, the man for whom Puget Sound was named
publisher=Gray Beard Publishing
year=1979|id=ISBN 0-933686-00-5]

In 1795, Mudge joined HMS|Providence|1791|6 as first lieutenant, under William Robert Broughton. They were sent to assist Vancouver but, reaching Monterrey, determined that he had left for England. They then surveyed the east coast of Asia.cite web
url=http://pages.quicksilver.net.nz/jcr/~vancouver2.html
title=A Short Biography of George Vancouver
year=2006
accessdate=February 08|accessyear=2007
author=Robson, John]

Later career

Mudge's career advancement had suffered from being away. However, through the intercession of Lady Camelford (Pitt's mother), he was promoted to Commander on November 24, 1797.cite web
url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mymhiwe:@field(DOCID+@lit(mymhiwef897p9m4div10))
title=Westward by Sea: A Maritime Perspective on American Expansion, 1820-1890
year=2002
accessdate=February 08|accessyear=2007
publisher=Mystic Seaport] . In 1798 he commanded the sloop HMS "Fly", off North America. Promoted to captain on November 15, 1800, he performed convoy duty on HMS "Constance".

In September 1800, he moved to the frigate HMS "Blanche" on the West India station. Starting in 1803 she made many captures, but on July 15, 1805"Blanche" encountered a French squadron. She resisted bravely, but she was reduced to a wreck. Mudge ordered her colours struck and she sunk soon after.Mudge was court-martialled on the question whether he had made his best defence; he was not only acquitted, but complimented for "very able and gallant" conduct.

Mudge commanded HMS "Phoenix" from November 18, 1803, and other ships until 1815. He became a rear-admiral on July 22, 1830; eventually the advancing years brought him promotion to full Admiral in 1849.

Legacy

Point Mudge on Quadra Island is named for Zachary Mudge; he was the first European to sight it from a nearby mountain [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mymhiwe:@field(DOCID+@lit(mymhiwef897p9m4div10))] .

"Mudge's Memoirs" was printed in 1883 in an edition of only 100 copies, edited by Stanford Raffles Fling.

There is a beautiful memorial window (the "Mudge Window") in St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth England.

References

Persondata
NAME=Zachary Mudge
ALTERNATIVE-NAMES=Zechariah Mudge, Zacharia Mudge
SHORT DESCRIPTION=explorer
DATE OF BIRTH=January 22, 1770
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=1852
PLACE OF DEATH=