John Surman Carden
Encyclopedia
Admiral John Surman Carden (15 August 1771 – 22 April 1858) was an officer of the British Royal Navy
in the early nineteenth century. Although the majority of his service was against the French during the Napoleonic Wars
, he is best remembered for the Action of 25 October 1812, an engagement against a larger American frigate during the War of 1812
in which his ship was captured. Carden was criticised for the loss of his ship, specifically his handling of the vessel during the action. Following his defeat in October 1812 he never served again in an active capacity, but he remained in the Navy and continued to gradually rise though the ranks in retirement, eventually becoming a full admiral before his death in 1858.
. Carden spent his childhood at home, his mother refusing to allow him to become a pageboy in the household of Queen Charlotte
and also resisted orders to enlist him in his father's regiment at the age of eight. Both his parents died while he was young: his mother died aged only 26, while his father was killed in action during the American Revolutionary War
. Carden was educated privately until he was 17, when he enlisted in the Royal Navy
in 1788, joining under Captain Charles Thompson
and later moving to the frigate under Captain Isaac Smith. In 1790 he became a midshipman and in 1793, at the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
, he moved to the ship of the line
under Captain George Cranfield Berkeley.
Marlborough served in the Channel Fleet
, and in 1794 was heavily engaged at the battle of the Glorious First of June
, at which Carden was badly wounded in an ammunition explosion, suffering permanent damage to his eyesight. In March 1795 he moved to and 1797 to under Captain James Richard Dacres
. In 1798 he briefly moved to Thompson's flagship before becoming a lieutenant in the frigate under Captain Thomas Byam Martin
. Fisgard was employed in the aftermath of the Battle of Tory Island
, successfully engaging and capturing the off Brest
, for which Carden was promoted to commander.
In 1799, Carden took command of the armed storeship , operating off the Netherlands and subsequently the Vendée
region of France. He later convoyed troopships to the Red Sea
in support of the Egyptian campaign, and was commended for clearing a gunpowder store on the burning transport Bombay, saving many lives. During the Peace of Amiens he served with the sea fencibles at the Firth of Forth
and returned to sea in 1804 as the commander of . In 1806, Carden became a post captain, but was not given command of a ship until August 1808, when he took over the massive 110-gun . In Ville de Paris he assisted in the evacuation of the British army from Spain, following the Battle of Corunna
in January 1809. In April 1809 he took over and the following year moved to before gaining a permanent command in the frigate .
In October 1812, not long after the breakout of the War of 1812
, Macedonian was intercepted in the mid-Atlantic by , a much larger American frigate. In the ensuing battle, Macedonian was severely damaged and suffered 104 casualties before Carden surrendered to the American ship. Macedonian was taken back to the United States, and on his return to Britain Carden was subject to the usual court martial for the loss of his ship. Although acquitted of any culpability for the loss of his frigate, Carden was criticised for his handling of the ship during the battle and did not serve at sea again.
Very little is known of Carden's life beyond that he was once married and had a daughter. He remained in the Navy despite the lengthy period of inaction and in 1836 was superannuated, a form of retirement. He was promoted to rear-admiral the same year and although he was subsequently reinstated in the Navy and continued to receive promotions based on his seniority, he did not hold any further naval position. He died in Antrim
in 1858, at the age of 86 with the rank of full admiral.
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...
in the early nineteenth century. Although the majority of his service was against the French during the 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...
, he is best remembered for the Action of 25 October 1812, an engagement against a larger American frigate during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
in which his ship was captured. Carden was criticised for the loss of his ship, specifically his handling of the vessel during the action. Following his defeat in October 1812 he never served again in an active capacity, but he remained in the Navy and continued to gradually rise though the ranks in retirement, eventually becoming a full admiral before his death in 1858.
Life
Carden was born in 1771, the son of Army officer Major Carden of Teddington Court in TewkesburyTewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
. Carden spent his childhood at home, his mother refusing to allow him to become a pageboy in the household of Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
and also resisted orders to enlist him in his father's regiment at the age of eight. Both his parents died while he was young: his mother died aged only 26, while his father was killed in action during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Carden was educated privately until he was 17, when he enlisted 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...
in 1788, joining under Captain Charles Thompson
Sir Charles Thompson, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Thompson, 1st baronet Thompson was a British naval officer. After long service in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and War of the First Coalition, he was Admiral John Jervis's second in command at the battle of Cape St Vincent...
and later moving to the frigate under Captain Isaac Smith. In 1790 he became a midshipman and in 1793, at the outbreak of 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...
, he moved to the ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
under Captain George Cranfield Berkeley.
Marlborough served in the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
, and in 1794 was heavily engaged at the battle of 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...
, at which Carden was badly wounded in an ammunition explosion, suffering permanent damage to his eyesight. In March 1795 he moved to and 1797 to under Captain James Richard Dacres
James Richard Dacres (1749–1810)
James Richard Dacres was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars...
. In 1798 he briefly moved to Thompson's flagship before becoming a lieutenant in the frigate under Captain Thomas Byam Martin
Thomas Byam Martin
Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, GCB was a highly influential British Royal Navy officer who served at sea during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and then as a naval administrator until his death in 1854...
. Fisgard was employed in the aftermath of the Battle of Tory Island
Battle of Tory Island
The Battle of Tory Island, was a naval action of the French Revolutionary Wars, fought on 12 October 1798 between French and British squadrons off the northwest coast of Donegal, then in the Kingdom of Ireland...
, successfully engaging and capturing the off Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, for which Carden was promoted to commander.
In 1799, Carden took command of the armed storeship , operating off the Netherlands and subsequently the Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
region of France. He later convoyed troopships to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
in support of the Egyptian campaign, and was commended for clearing a gunpowder store on the burning transport Bombay, saving many lives. During the Peace of Amiens he served with the sea fencibles at the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
and returned to sea in 1804 as the commander of . In 1806, Carden became a post captain, but was not given command of a ship until August 1808, when he took over the massive 110-gun . In Ville de Paris he assisted in the evacuation of the British army from Spain, following the Battle of Corunna
Battle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
in January 1809. In April 1809 he took over and the following year moved to before gaining a permanent command in the frigate .
In October 1812, not long after the breakout of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Macedonian was intercepted in the mid-Atlantic by , a much larger American frigate. In the ensuing battle, Macedonian was severely damaged and suffered 104 casualties before Carden surrendered to the American ship. Macedonian was taken back to the United States, and on his return to Britain Carden was subject to the usual court martial for the loss of his ship. Although acquitted of any culpability for the loss of his frigate, Carden was criticised for his handling of the ship during the battle and did not serve at sea again.
Very little is known of Carden's life beyond that he was once married and had a daughter. He remained in the Navy despite the lengthy period of inaction and in 1836 was superannuated, a form of retirement. He was promoted to rear-admiral the same year and although he was subsequently reinstated in the Navy and continued to receive promotions based on his seniority, he did not hold any further naval position. He died in Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
in 1858, at the age of 86 with the rank of full admiral.