John William Spranger
Encyclopedia
Rear-Admiral John William Spranger (died 1822) was a Royal Navy
officer active during the French Revolutionary Wars
and Napoleonic Wars
.
He was appointed Lieutenant on 23 August 1790, and Commander on 7 June 1794. In 1795, he commanded the sloop in the expedition to capture Cape Town
. He commanded a battalion of sailors from the fleet at the Battle of Muizenberg
, and was mentioned in both the Army and Navy despatches
from this engagement.
He was later recorded as a captain with seniority from 1795, suggesting his appointment to post was made after this engagement; it is certainly known that the promotion of Temple Hardy
, the commander of the other sloop at the Cape, was made the day before the despatches were published.
On the 2nd December 1796, in command of the frigate , he led a squadron which destroyed a French settlement in Madagascar
and captured five merchant vessels. In 1799 he briefly commanded the before she became a troopship, and in 1801 took command of the newly-commissioned frigate , serving in the Baltic sea
and then to the West Indies.
In May 1805 he was in command of the frigate , cruising off the Texel
, and from the records of one of his crew, it appears he was appointed to the command of , a 74-gun third-rate, with effect from 12 July 1806.. Warrior served first in the Channel squadron and then later in the Mediterranean.
Whilst commanding Warrior in the Mediterranean in 1809, he led the naval portion of the force which captured the Ionian Islands
. After Warrior had returned to Chatham for repairs in 1811, he was given command of (74) in 1812, again operating off the Texel.
On 4 June 1814 he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the Blue. He died on 9 February 1822, at Albany
in Piccadilly
. His will was proven on 2 May 1822, giving his final residence as Pinner
in Middlesex
.
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...
officer active during 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...
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...
.
He was appointed Lieutenant on 23 August 1790, and Commander on 7 June 1794. In 1795, he commanded the sloop in the expedition to capture Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. He commanded a battalion of sailors from the fleet at the Battle of Muizenberg
Battle of Muizenberg
The Battle of Muizenberg was a small but significant military engagement which took place near Muizenberg, South Africa in 1795; it led to the capture of the Cape Colony by Kingdom of Great Britain.- Background :...
, and was mentioned in both the Army and Navy despatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
from this engagement.
He was later recorded as a captain with seniority from 1795, suggesting his appointment to post was made after this engagement; it is certainly known that the promotion of Temple Hardy
Temple Hardy
Captain Temple Hardy was an English naval officer active during the French Revolutionary Wars, perhaps most notable for his role in the capture of the Cape Colony in 1795....
, the commander of the other sloop at the Cape, was made the day before the despatches were published.
On the 2nd December 1796, in command of the frigate , he led a squadron which destroyed a French settlement in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and captured five merchant vessels. In 1799 he briefly commanded the before she became a troopship, and in 1801 took command of the newly-commissioned frigate , serving in the Baltic sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and then to the West Indies.
In May 1805 he was in command of the frigate , cruising off the Texel
Texel
Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark...
, and from the records of one of his crew, it appears he was appointed to the command of , a 74-gun third-rate, with effect from 12 July 1806.. Warrior served first in the Channel squadron and then later in the Mediterranean.
Whilst commanding Warrior in the Mediterranean in 1809, he led the naval portion of the force which captured the Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
. After Warrior had returned to Chatham for repairs in 1811, he was given command of (74) in 1812, again operating off the Texel.
On 4 June 1814 he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the Blue. He died on 9 February 1822, at Albany
The Albany
The Albany or Albany is an apartment complex in Piccadilly, London.-Building:...
in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
. His will was proven on 2 May 1822, giving his final residence as Pinner
Pinner
- Climate :Pinner's geographical position on the far western side of North West London makes it the furthest London suburb from any UK coastline. Hence the lower prevalence of moderating maritime influences make Pinner noticeably warmer in the spring and the summer compared to the rest of the capital...
in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.