Charles Bullen
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Bullen GCB
GCH
(10 September 1769 – 2 July 1853) was a highly efficient and successful naval officer who served in the Royal Navy
during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
and distinguished himself at the Glorious First of June
, the battle of Camperdown
and the battle of Trafalgar
.
in 1769 and entering the navy at just ten years old a decade later, Bullen had a slow progression to lieutenant following the peace after the American War of Independence. Promoted during the build up to war in 1791, Bullen was lieutenant in HMS Ramillies in 1794, when that ship was heavily engaged at the battle of the Glorious First of June. Transferred to HMS Monmouth
, Bullen met for the first time his new commanding officer, William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk
and the two became fast friends. At the height of the Nore mutiny, Bullen was threatened with execution by the rebels, and it was Northesk's intervention which prevented his death and helped end the mutiny, as the rebels used him to take messages to the government.
Following Northesk's resignation following governmental brutality in putting the mutiny down, Bullen remained on board under the new captain, James Walker
and together they fought at the battle of Camperdown later that year, the crew of the Monmouth fighting hard to absolve themselves of their part in mutiny. The ship battled with the Dutch ships of the line Alkmaar and Delft, capturing both in a brutal encounter. Bullen was placed in charge of the Delft, but the rapidly sinking ship was beyond repair, and Bullen was lucky to escape with his life when it went down that evening. He was praised for marshalling the evacuation of the ship and controlling the survivors in the water until they could be rescued by the boats of HMS Veteran
.
Promoted to commander for this service, Bullen was despatched in the sloop HMS Wasp
on a stationing to Sierra Leone
, a miserable and lonely post, which was rewarded on his return in 1802 with a promotion to Post Captain and command of a company of Sea Fencibles
. Protecting the south-east of England from an invasion which never came in 1804 was a boring job, and when Northesk was given the first rate flagship HMS Britannia
in 1805 he asked for Bullen as his flag captain especially.
and so was present on the 21 October for the battle of Trafalgar.
Britannia was quite removed from the action, being towards the rear of Nelson's division and a slow sailor in any case. Despite her captain and admiral's frantic efforts, the ship did not arrive in battle until quite late in the day, yet still managed to engage several ships, including the massive 130 gun Spanish Santissima Trinidad
. After the battle, Britannia was still relatively undamaged despite having suffered 52 casualties, and so she was able to aid other more seriously damaged ships in the storm which followed.
Bullen received the usual awards from the Patriotic Fund of the gold medal and sword given to Trafalgar captains and was also subsequently given the frigates HMS Volontaire
and HMS Cambrian and HMS Akbar
in the hope that with these ships he would be able to collect a decent amount of prize money
sailing on the Mediterranean and North American stations for the remainder of the war.
and then Pembroke Dockyard before being given command of the Royal Yacht
Royal Sovereign in a series of shore appointments which were accompanied by promotion eventually to full Admiral, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order
. Admiral Charles Bullen died aged 84 in 1853, the last surviving captain of the British fleet at Trafalgar.
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 mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
GCH
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(10 September 1769 – 2 July 1853) was a highly efficient and successful naval officer who served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and distinguished himself at the Glorious First of June
Glorious First of June
The Glorious First of June [Note A] of 1794 was the first and largest fleet action of the naval conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars...
, the battle of Camperdown
Battle of Camperdown
The Battle of Camperdown was a major naval action fought on 11 October 1797 between a Royal Navy fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan and a Dutch Navy fleet under Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter...
and the battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
.
Career
Born in NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in 1769 and entering the navy at just ten years old a decade later, Bullen had a slow progression to lieutenant following the peace after the American War of Independence. Promoted during the build up to war in 1791, Bullen was lieutenant in HMS Ramillies in 1794, when that ship was heavily engaged at the battle of the Glorious First of June. Transferred to HMS Monmouth
HMS Monmouth (1796)
HMS Monmouth was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 23 April 1796 at Northfleet. She had been designed and laid down for the Honourable East India Company, but was purchased by the Navy after the start of the French Revolutionary War.She was hulked in 1815, and...
, Bullen met for the first time his new commanding officer, William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk
William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk
Admiral William Carnegie GCB, 7th Earl of Northesk was born in Hampshire to Admiral George Carnegie, 6th Earl of Northesk and Anne Melville.-Naval career:...
and the two became fast friends. At the height of the Nore mutiny, Bullen was threatened with execution by the rebels, and it was Northesk's intervention which prevented his death and helped end the mutiny, as the rebels used him to take messages to the government.
Following Northesk's resignation following governmental brutality in putting the mutiny down, Bullen remained on board under the new captain, James Walker
James Walker (Royal Navy officer)
James Walker CB, CavTe was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of Rear-Admiral....
and together they fought at the battle of Camperdown later that year, the crew of the Monmouth fighting hard to absolve themselves of their part in mutiny. The ship battled with the Dutch ships of the line Alkmaar and Delft, capturing both in a brutal encounter. Bullen was placed in charge of the Delft, but the rapidly sinking ship was beyond repair, and Bullen was lucky to escape with his life when it went down that evening. He was praised for marshalling the evacuation of the ship and controlling the survivors in the water until they could be rescued by the boats of HMS Veteran
HMS Veteran (1787)
HMS Veteran was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 14 August 1787 at East Cowes. She was designed by Sir Edward Hunt, and was the only ship built to her draught....
.
Promoted to commander for this service, Bullen was despatched in the sloop HMS Wasp
HMS Wasp (1800)
HMS Wasp was an 18-gun sloop of the Royal Navy. She was formerly the French privateer Guèpe, captured in 1800. She served with the British during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and was sold out of the service in 1811.-Capture:...
on a stationing to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, a miserable and lonely post, which was rewarded on his return in 1802 with a promotion to Post Captain and command of a company of Sea Fencibles
Sea Fencibles
The original Sea Fencibles were a naval militia established to provide a close-in line of defense to protect the United Kingdom from invasion by France during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars...
. Protecting the south-east of England from an invasion which never came in 1804 was a boring job, and when Northesk was given the first rate flagship HMS Britannia
HMS Britannia (1762)
HMS Britannia was a 100-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was ordered on 25 April 1751 from Portsmouth Dockyard to the draught specified in the 1745 Establishment. Her keel was laid down on 1 July 1751 and she was launched on 19 October 1762. The cost of building and fitting...
in 1805 he asked for Bullen as his flag captain especially.
Battle of Trafalgar
In August the ship was sent to join Nelson's blockade off CadizCádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and so was present on the 21 October for the battle of Trafalgar.
Britannia was quite removed from the action, being towards the rear of Nelson's division and a slow sailor in any case. Despite her captain and admiral's frantic efforts, the ship did not arrive in battle until quite late in the day, yet still managed to engage several ships, including the massive 130 gun Spanish Santissima Trinidad
Spanish Ship Santissima Trinidad
The Santísima Trinidad was the name of several Spanish shipsIt may refer to:* Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad * Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad...
. After the battle, Britannia was still relatively undamaged despite having suffered 52 casualties, and so she was able to aid other more seriously damaged ships in the storm which followed.
Bullen received the usual awards from the Patriotic Fund of the gold medal and sword given to Trafalgar captains and was also subsequently given the frigates HMS Volontaire
French frigate Volontaire (1796)
The Volontaire was a 44-gun Virginie class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806, and was captured by HMS Diadem in March 1806. She was brought into Royal Navy service as HMS Volontaire....
and HMS Cambrian and HMS Akbar
HMS Cornwallis (1801)
HMS Cornwallis was a Royal Navy 54-gun fourth rate. Jemsatjee Bomanjee built the Marquis Cornwallis of teak for the East India Company. The Company sold her to the Royal Navy in 1801 shortly after she returned from an expedition against the Mahe Islands...
in the hope that with these ships he would be able to collect a decent amount of prize money
Prize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
sailing on the Mediterranean and North American stations for the remainder of the war.
Later service
After 1817 he was given the job of commissioner for Chatham DockyardChatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
and then Pembroke Dockyard before being given command of the Royal Yacht
Royal Yacht
A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head...
Royal Sovereign in a series of shore appointments which were accompanied by promotion eventually to full Admiral, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
. Admiral Charles Bullen died aged 84 in 1853, the last surviving captain of the British fleet at Trafalgar.
Further reading
- The Trafalgar Captains, Colin White and the 1805 Club, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005, ISBN 1-86176-247-X