Joseph Needham Tayler
Encyclopedia
Joseph Needham Tayler CB
was an officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
.
Tayler was the youngest son of Samuel Tayler, a wealthy merchant who was five times mayor of Devizes
in Wiltshire
and captain of the Devizes Loyal Volunteers. Sponsored by Viscount Sidmouth
, Joseph Needham Tayler entered the navy as a midshipman
at the age of 11 and was given his first commission as lieutenant in April 1802. He soon established a reputation for heroism and served with distinction on several ships before being given his first command in 1811. It was as commander of that his most dramatic adventures were undertaken. His determination to put himself in danger and lead from the front finally spelt the end of his front line naval career when he was seriously injured at the siege of San Sebastian
in 1813. As a result of his heroism that day he was advanced to Post-Captain
, made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
, in 1815 and given the freedom of the Borough of Devizes
.
In 1838 he used his considerable experience as a gunner and established a naval gunnery school at Plymouth
, where he later captained the guard ship
.
His adventures as captain of HMS Sparrow suggests that Needham Tayler may have been one of the
inspirations for C. S. Forester's
fictional hero Horatio Hornblower
.
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...
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 served during the French Revolutionary
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...
.
Tayler was the youngest son of Samuel Tayler, a wealthy merchant who was five times mayor of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and captain of the Devizes Loyal Volunteers. Sponsored by Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, PC was a British statesman, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804....
, Joseph Needham Tayler entered the navy as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
at the age of 11 and was given his first commission as lieutenant in April 1802. He soon established a reputation for heroism and served with distinction on several ships before being given his first command in 1811. It was as commander of that his most dramatic adventures were undertaken. His determination to put himself in danger and lead from the front finally spelt the end of his front line naval career when he was seriously injured at the siege of San Sebastian
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
in 1813. As a result of his heroism that day he was advanced to Post-Captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
, made a 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...
, in 1815 and given the freedom of the Borough of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
.
In 1838 he used his considerable experience as a gunner and established a naval gunnery school at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, where he later captained the guard ship
Guard ship
A guard ship is a warship stationed at some port or harbour to act as a guard, and in former times in the Royal Navy to receive the men impressed for service...
.
His adventures as captain of HMS Sparrow suggests that Needham Tayler may have been one of the
inspirations for C. S. Forester's
C. S. Forester
Cecil Scott "C.S." Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith , an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of naval warfare. His most notable works were the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic era, and The African Queen...
fictional hero Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
.