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Robert Henderson (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Rear-Admiral Robert Henderson (1778 – 14 June 1843) was an officer of the British Royal Navy
who fought in several colonial actions and operations during his service in the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
. Henderson served in small cruising warships in the West Indies during the early years of the Napoleonic Wars and took part in the invasion and capture of Saint Lucia
in 1803 and operations off Trinidad
in 1804. In 1810, Henderson commanded HMS Nereide
at the Invasion of Île de France
and was awarded a pension for his service which he retained until he became a retired admiral in 1838. He died in 1843.
, an important landowner in Forfarshire. Educated at Marischal College
, Henderson followed his father into the British Royal Navy
in 1792 as a midshipman
in HMS Southampton
shortly before the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
. Serving during the war, Henderson became a lieutenant in 1799 aboard the sloop HMS Osprey and was still aboard her during the successful invasion of Saint Lucia
in 1803. Later in the year, Osprey attacked a schooner off Trinidad
and Henderson, who led the boarding party, was very seriously wounded. The following year, still on Osprey, Henderson led another boarding party that captured the French privateer
Resource off Trinidad. For this service, Henderson was awarded a sword by the Patriotic Society of London and moved to the ship of the line
HMS Centaur
.
Centaur was part of the fleet that captured the Dutch colony of Surinam in 1804, Henderson leading a landing party that was caught in an explosion at one of the forts defending the colony and was so badly wounded that he was expected to die. For his services in this engagement, Henderson was promoted to commander
and awarded a pension. Despite his wounds, Henderson returned to service and was promoted to post captain in 1805. In 1810 he took command of the newly captured frigate
HMS Nereide
at Rodriguez
and formed part of the fleet that supported the Invasion of Île de France
, which was successfully concluded on 3 December 1810. Henderson retired at the end of the war to his native Aberdeen but remained on the naval retired list, obtaining promotion to rear-admiral on 28 June 1838. He died in January 1843 aged 65.
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 fought in several colonial actions and operations during his service in 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...
. Henderson served in small cruising warships in the West Indies during the early years of the Napoleonic Wars and took part in the invasion and capture 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...
in 1803 and operations off Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
in 1804. In 1810, Henderson commanded HMS Nereide
French frigate Vénus (1808)
The Vénus was a Junon class frigate of the French Navy.On 10 November 1808, she departed Cherbourg, bound for Île de France, where she served as Hamelin's flagship, leading a squadron also comprising the frigate Manche and the sloop Créole....
at the Invasion of Île de France
Invasion of Île de France
The Invasion of Île de France was a complicated but successful amphibious operation in the Indian Ocean, launched in November 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. During the operation, a substantial British military force was landed by the Royal Navy at Grand Baie on Île de France...
and was awarded a pension for his service which he retained until he became a retired admiral in 1838. He died in 1843.
Military career
Henderson was born in 1778, the son of prominent naval officer Captain William Henderson of AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, an important landowner in Forfarshire. Educated at Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, Henderson followed his father into the British 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 1792 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...
in HMS Southampton
HMS Southampton (1757)
HMS Southampton was the name ship of the 32-gun Southampton-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and served for more than half a century until wrecked in 1812.- Fate :...
shortly before 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...
. Serving during the war, Henderson became a lieutenant in 1799 aboard the sloop HMS Osprey and was still aboard her during the successful invasion 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...
in 1803. Later in the year, Osprey attacked a schooner off Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and Henderson, who led the boarding party, was very seriously wounded. The following year, still on Osprey, Henderson led another boarding party that captured the French privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
Resource off Trinidad. For this service, Henderson was awarded a sword by the Patriotic Society of London and 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...
HMS Centaur
HMS Centaur (1797)
HMS Centaur was a 74-gun third rate of the Royal Navy, launched on 14 March 1797 at Woolwich. She served as Sir Samuel Hood's flagship in the Leeward Islands and the Channel. During her 22-year career Centaur saw action in the Mediterranean, the Channel, the West Indies, and the Baltic, fighting...
.
Centaur was part of the fleet that captured the Dutch colony of Surinam in 1804, Henderson leading a landing party that was caught in an explosion at one of the forts defending the colony and was so badly wounded that he was expected to die. For his services in this engagement, Henderson was promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and awarded a pension. Despite his wounds, Henderson returned to service and was promoted to post captain in 1805. In 1810 he took command of the newly captured frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
HMS Nereide
French frigate Vénus (1808)
The Vénus was a Junon class frigate of the French Navy.On 10 November 1808, she departed Cherbourg, bound for Île de France, where she served as Hamelin's flagship, leading a squadron also comprising the frigate Manche and the sloop Créole....
at Rodriguez
Rodrigues (island)
Rodrigues , sometimes spelled Rodriguez but named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands and a dependency of Mauritius...
and formed part of the fleet that supported the Invasion of Île de France
Invasion of Île de France
The Invasion of Île de France was a complicated but successful amphibious operation in the Indian Ocean, launched in November 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. During the operation, a substantial British military force was landed by the Royal Navy at Grand Baie on Île de France...
, which was successfully concluded on 3 December 1810. Henderson retired at the end of the war to his native Aberdeen but remained on the naval retired list, obtaining promotion to rear-admiral on 28 June 1838. He died in January 1843 aged 65.