Hugh Cloberry Christian
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian KB
(1747 – 23 November 1798) was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary Wars
.
Details of his early life are obscure, but he appears to have served initially in the English Channel
and the Mediterranean, before obtaining the rank of captain and going out to North America with Commodore Joshua Rowley
. Christian was Rowley's flag-captain on for several years, and saw action in several of the naval engagements of the American War of Independence.
Returning to Britain at the end of the war, he spent a period without active employment, before receiving a post as second captain aboard Lord Howe's
flagship, the 100-gun , during the Spanish Armament. He temporarily left her when the crisis abated, but the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars led to his return to Queen Charlotte. Christian stepped down from her in 1794 to join the Transport Board
, and in 1795 was promoted to rear-admiral.
He was made commander-in-chief in the West Indies and given the task of transporting a large troop convoy. Twice he attempted the crossing of the Atlantic, and twice he was forced back by severe gales which ravaged his fleet and wrecked a number of the merchant ships in the convoy. He made a third attempt in 1796, and succeeded in shepherding the fleet to its destination. He was then active in using the troops and his naval forces to capture the islands of Saint Lucia
, Saint Vincent
and Grenada
, before returning to England. He was made second in command at the Cape of Good Hope
in 1797, succeeding to commander-in-chief the following year, and he died while in command there in November 1798.
, was born at Hook Norton
, Oxfordshire
in 1747. He followed his father into the navy in 1761, spending time in the English Channel
and the Mediterranean, but few details of his early service survive, other than that he took his lieutenant's examination in 1767, and received his commission on 21 January 1771. He married Ann Leigh, resident of the Isle of Wight
on 6 March 1775, and was promoted to master and commander in 1778.
. Rowley sailed from Spithead
on 25 December in command of a squadron of seven ships of the line, which was part of the fleet under the overall command of Lord Shuldham
escorting the trade convoys to the colonies. Rowley and the Suffolk were assigned to the West Indies-bound convoy. The Suffolk arrived in the Leeward Islands
on 12 February 1779, and Christian remained with Rowley in the West Indies, serving with Vice-Admiral John Byron
at the Battle of Grenada
on 6 July 1779. Christian led the van of the British attack, and the Suffolk lost seven killed and 25 wounded. Byron returned to England after this, being replaced by Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker
, with Rowley retaining Suffolk as his flagship. Towards the end of 1779 intelligence reached Parker that three French ships had been sighted from Morne Fortune
, sailing northward. Parker sent Rowley to intercept them, and after chasing them for several hours, all three were captured. They were revealed to be the 42-gun Fortunée, the 36-gun Blanche and the 28-gun Ellis, with all three being added to the Royal Navy.
Christian was again in action on 18 December, helping to capture and destroy a large French convoy off Martinique
, and took part in the engagements off Martinique
under Admiral George Rodney
in April 1780. Over the three engagements that took place, Suffolk lost one man killed, and 33 wounded. Rowley shifted his flag to the 74-gun after these clashes, and Christian was transferred to command the 38-gun , the frigate he had helped to capture in 1779. He was present at the Battle of the Chesapeake
on 5 September 1781, after which he returned to the West Indies. He and Fortunee formed part of Sir Samuel Hood's
fleet, with Christian being present at the Battle of St. Kitts
on 25 and 26 January 1782, attached to the centre division. He was still with Rodney's fleet when the Battle of the Saintes
was fought against the Comte de Grasse
on 9 to 12 April 1782.
on 21 July 1782 with Admiral Hugh Pigot's fleet, arriving at New York
on 5 September. Returning to Port Royal
with Hood's fleet in February the following year, he spent several months cruising in the area. He returned to England with Hood in April 1783, and left active service following the end of the war with the signing of the Treaty of Paris
. He presumably did not receive any further employment until the Spanish Armament in 1790, when he is recorded as being appointed as second captain aboard Lord Howe's
flagship, the 100-gun . The easing of tensions meant that Queen Charlotte was paid off at the end of the year, and Christian again found himself without a ship.
and Bridport
.
Christian shifted his flag to the 90-gun , after deeming the Prince George to be too badly damaged to take to sea, and after gathering his fleet again, set sail on another attempt to cross the Atlantic on 9 December. Again the ships encountered severe gales that caused considerable damage, forcing nine of the warships and fifty of the merchants to struggle back to port on 29 January. Some of the convoy successfully made the crossing, while others were wrecked, or captured by enemy ships. The storms were afterwards alluded to as 'Christian's Gales'. Christian again shifted his flag, this time to the 74-gun while he waited for repairs to his ships to be completed, and the merchants gathered to make a third attempt to reach the West Indies. While ashore he was invested as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
on 17 February 1796, and on 20 March he left Spithead again, bound for the West Indies. The third voyage was successful, and he arrived at Carlisle Bay, Barbados
on 21 April. He joined with the forces of the station's current commander, Sir John Laforey
several days later, and took over the command from him. Christian assembled his forces, and on 26 April sailed to invade St Lucia, with a detachment of troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby
. The invasion was successful and the island was surrendered to the British on 25 May. Christian went on to use his naval forces to support the reduction and capture of the islands of Saint Vincent
and Grenada
.
, who had arrived in late June, and Christian returned to England in October aboard . He was advanced to rear-admiral of the white on 20 February 1797, and was appointed as second in command of the Cape of Good Hope
station later in the year and duly sailed to take up the post on the 44-gun HMS Virginie. He succeeded Admiral Thomas Pringle
as the station commander in 1798, but died on 23 November that year at the age of 51. His wife, who had been seriously ill for sometime, died two months later, without having heard of her husband's death. Hugh Cloberry Christian had been created a peer, and chose the title of Lord Ronaldsway to honor his ancestor, Manx politician Illiam Dhone
, but died before the patent reached him. He was buried at the Cape. Of the two sons and three daughters he had had with his wife, one became a rear-admiral, Hood Hanaway Christian.
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...
(1747 – 23 November 1798) was an officer of 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...
who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
.
Details of his early life are obscure, but he appears to have served initially in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and the Mediterranean, before obtaining the rank of captain and going out to North America with Commodore Joshua Rowley
Sir Joshua Rowley, 1st Baronet
Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley was the eldest son of Admiral Sir William Rowley. Sir Joshua was probably born on 1 May 1730 at the family home of Tendring Hall in Suffolk. Rowley served with distinction in a number of battles throughout his career and was highly praised by his contemporaries...
. Christian was Rowley's flag-captain on for several years, and saw action in several of the naval engagements of the American War of Independence.
Returning to Britain at the end of the war, he spent a period without active employment, before receiving a post as second captain aboard Lord Howe's
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
flagship, the 100-gun , during the Spanish Armament. He temporarily left her when the crisis abated, but the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars led to his return to Queen Charlotte. Christian stepped down from her in 1794 to join the Transport Board
Transport Board
The Transport Board was the British Royal Navy organisation responsible for the transport of supplies and military. It is also referred to as the Board of Transport and Transport Office....
, and in 1795 was promoted to rear-admiral.
He was made commander-in-chief in the West Indies and given the task of transporting a large troop convoy. Twice he attempted the crossing of the Atlantic, and twice he was forced back by severe gales which ravaged his fleet and wrecked a number of the merchant ships in the convoy. He made a third attempt in 1796, and succeeded in shepherding the fleet to its destination. He was then active in using the troops and his naval forces to capture the islands of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
and Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, before returning to England. He was made second in command at the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
in 1797, succeeding to commander-in-chief the following year, and he died while in command there in November 1798.
Family and early life
Christian, descended from residents of the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, was born at Hook Norton
Hook Norton
Hook Norton is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is northeast of Chipping Norton.-Toponym and early history:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
in 1747. He followed his father into the navy in 1761, spending time in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and the Mediterranean, but few details of his early service survive, other than that he took his lieutenant's examination in 1767, and received his commission on 21 January 1771. He married Ann Leigh, resident of the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
on 6 March 1775, and was promoted to master and commander in 1778.
American War of Independence
Christian received a further promotion to flag-captain on 8 December 1778 and took command of the 74-gun , flying the broad pennant of Commodore Joshua RowleySir Joshua Rowley, 1st Baronet
Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley was the eldest son of Admiral Sir William Rowley. Sir Joshua was probably born on 1 May 1730 at the family home of Tendring Hall in Suffolk. Rowley served with distinction in a number of battles throughout his career and was highly praised by his contemporaries...
. Rowley sailed from Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
on 25 December in command of a squadron of seven ships of the line, which was part of the fleet under the overall command of Lord Shuldham
Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham
Molyneux Shuldham was an officer of the British Royal Navy. He served for a time as colonial governor of Newfoundland.-Family and early life:...
escorting the trade convoys to the colonies. Rowley and the Suffolk were assigned to the West Indies-bound convoy. The Suffolk arrived in the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
on 12 February 1779, and Christian remained with Rowley in the West Indies, serving with Vice-Admiral John Byron
John Byron
Vice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...
at the Battle of Grenada
Battle of Grenada
The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Origins:...
on 6 July 1779. Christian led the van of the British attack, and the Suffolk lost seven killed and 25 wounded. Byron returned to England after this, being replaced by Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker
Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet
Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet was a British naval commander.Parker was born at Tredington, Gloucestershire. His father, a clergyman, was a son of Sir Henry Parker. His paternal grandfather had married a daughter of Alexander Hyde, Bishop of Salisbury. He began his career at sea in the...
, with Rowley retaining Suffolk as his flagship. Towards the end of 1779 intelligence reached Parker that three French ships had been sighted from Morne Fortune
Morne Fortune
Morne Fortune is a hill and residential area located south of Castries, Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Originally it was a fort constructed by the French, it was captured by the British on 24th May 1796. A memorial to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers still stands commemorating the battle...
, sailing northward. Parker sent Rowley to intercept them, and after chasing them for several hours, all three were captured. They were revealed to be the 42-gun Fortunée, the 36-gun Blanche and the 28-gun Ellis, with all three being added to the Royal Navy.
Christian was again in action on 18 December, helping to capture and destroy a large French convoy off Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
, and took part in the engagements off Martinique
Battle of Martinique (1780)
The Battle of Martinique, also Combat de la Dominique, took place on April 17, 1780 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Origins:...
under Admiral George Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
in April 1780. Over the three engagements that took place, Suffolk lost one man killed, and 33 wounded. Rowley shifted his flag to the 74-gun after these clashes, and Christian was transferred to command the 38-gun , the frigate he had helped to capture in 1779. He was present at the Battle of the Chesapeake
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...
on 5 September 1781, after which he returned to the West Indies. He and Fortunee formed part of Sir Samuel Hood's
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
fleet, with Christian being present at the Battle of St. Kitts
Battle of St. Kitts
The Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, was a naval battle that took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse.-Background:When Hood...
on 25 and 26 January 1782, attached to the centre division. He was still with Rodney's fleet when the Battle of the Saintes
Battle of the Saintes
The Battle of the Saintes took place over 4 days, 9 April 1782 – 12 April 1782, during the American War of Independence, and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse forcing the French and Spanish to abandon a planned...
was fought against the Comte de Grasse
François Joseph Paul de Grasse
Lieutenant Général des Armées Navales François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse was a French admiral. He is best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake, which led directly to the British surrender at Yorktown...
on 9 to 12 April 1782.
End of the war
Christian sailed north from JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
on 21 July 1782 with Admiral Hugh Pigot's fleet, arriving at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 5 September. Returning to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
with Hood's fleet in February the following year, he spent several months cruising in the area. He returned to England with Hood in April 1783, and left active service following the end of the war with the signing of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
. He presumably did not receive any further employment until the Spanish Armament in 1790, when he is recorded as being appointed as second captain aboard Lord Howe's
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
flagship, the 100-gun . The easing of tensions meant that Queen Charlotte was paid off at the end of the year, and Christian again found himself without a ship.
French Revolutionary Wars
The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in early 1793 provided Christian with further employment. Queen Charlotte was recommissioned, and he again became her second captain, still under Lord Howe. He stepped down from his post in August the following year, becoming a commissioner of the Transport Board, and on 1 June 1795 he was advanced to rear-admiral of the blue. He was then appointed commander-in-chief of the West Indies station, and was instructed to take a fleet out with a convoy of transports, carrying soldiers for operations against the French and Dutch colonies there. He duly hoisted his flag aboard the 98-gun and assembled his squadron and the transports, numbering over two hundred merchants carrying 16,000 men, and making up the largest troop convoy to leave England to that date.Attempts to cross the Atlantic
The fleet did not leave Spithead until 16 November, the departure having been delayed until late in the season. The delay proved disastrous: two days after departing, a westerly gale blew up, dispersing the fleet and driving the ships back to port. Several of the merchants were wrecked with heavy loss of life; over 200 bodies were washed up on the coastline between PortlandIsle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
and Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
.
Christian shifted his flag to the 90-gun , after deeming the Prince George to be too badly damaged to take to sea, and after gathering his fleet again, set sail on another attempt to cross the Atlantic on 9 December. Again the ships encountered severe gales that caused considerable damage, forcing nine of the warships and fifty of the merchants to struggle back to port on 29 January. Some of the convoy successfully made the crossing, while others were wrecked, or captured by enemy ships. The storms were afterwards alluded to as 'Christian's Gales'. Christian again shifted his flag, this time to the 74-gun while he waited for repairs to his ships to be completed, and the merchants gathered to make a third attempt to reach the West Indies. While ashore he was invested as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
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...
on 17 February 1796, and on 20 March he left Spithead again, bound for the West Indies. The third voyage was successful, and he arrived at Carlisle Bay, Barbados
Carlisle Bay, Barbados
Carlisle Bay is a small natural harbor located in the southwest region of Barbados. The island nation's capital, Bridgetown, is situated on this bay, which has been turned into a marine park. Carlisle Bay's marine park is a popular spot on the island for scuba diving...
on 21 April. He joined with the forces of the station's current commander, Sir John Laforey
John Laforey
Sir John Laforey, 1st Baronet was a senior and controversial British naval officer of the 18th century whose extensive career was spent mainly on the North American and West Indian stations...
several days later, and took over the command from him. Christian assembled his forces, and on 26 April sailed to invade St Lucia, with a detachment of troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
. The invasion was successful and the island was surrendered to the British on 25 May. Christian went on to use his naval forces to support the reduction and capture of the islands of Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
and Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
.
Later years
Christian was succeeded as commander in the West Indies by Rear-Admiral Henry HarveyHenry Harvey
Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, KB was a long-serving officer of the British Royal Navy during the second half of the eighteenth century. Harvey participated in numerous naval operations and actions and especially distinguished himself at the Glorious First of June in command of...
, who had arrived in late June, and Christian returned to England in October aboard . He was advanced to rear-admiral of the white on 20 February 1797, and was appointed as second in command of the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
station later in the year and duly sailed to take up the post on the 44-gun HMS Virginie. He succeeded Admiral Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle (Royal Navy officer)
Vice-Admiral Thomas Pringle was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.-Family and early life:...
as the station commander in 1798, but died on 23 November that year at the age of 51. His wife, who had been seriously ill for sometime, died two months later, without having heard of her husband's death. Hugh Cloberry Christian had been created a peer, and chose the title of Lord Ronaldsway to honor his ancestor, Manx politician Illiam Dhone
Illiam Dhone
Illiam Dhône or Illiam Dhôan was a famous Manx nationalist and politician. He was a son of Ewan Christian, a deemster. In Manx, Illiam Dhône literally translates to 'Brown William' - a name he received due to his dark hair, and in English he was called Brown-haired William...
, but died before the patent reached him. He was buried at the Cape. Of the two sons and three daughters he had had with his wife, one became a rear-admiral, Hood Hanaway Christian.