Zachary Mudge
Encyclopedia
Zachary Mudge (January 22, 1770 – 1852) was an officer in the Royal Navy
, best known for serving in the historic Vancouver Expedition
.
, of Plymouth
; his mother was John's third wife, Elizabeth. Mudge's grandfather was clergyman Zachariah Mudge
. The family included distinguished surveyors and mathematicians. His older half-brother was William Mudge
, who developed the Ordnance Survey
and was responsible for much of the early detailed mapping of Britain. Uncle Thomas Mudge
was a famous horologist. In addition, the family was connected to the politically powerful Pitt family.
In 1780 (aged 10), Mudge joined HMS Foudroyant where he served as midshipman on the home and North American stations.
He was serving on her when she captured the Pegase (April 21, 1782)
and was promoted to lieutenant on May 24, 1789. He briefly served on HMS Europa
until she paid off; on her he met several of his future companions on Vancouver's voyage.
as 2nd Lieutenant; after the Nootka Crisis
, he became her 1st Lieutenant and George Vancouver
captain. In addition to his other duties, Mudge had been asked to look after the 16-year-old (and future Baron) Thomas Pitt
, but was compelled to flog him when the latter used ship stores to purchase romantic favours in Tahiti
.
In 1791, they voyaged to Tenerife
, Cape Town
, Australia
, New Zealand
, Hawai'i and North America. In 1792, they spent a season of exploring the west coast of America, and then put into Nootka Sound
to implement the Nootka Sound Convention
.
The British and Spanish Commanders had been given conflicting instructions, and the primary purpose of the mission could not be completed. Vancouver therefore sent Mudge back to England with dispatches, botanical samples and a request for further orders. He crossed the Pacific to China in the Portuguese-flagged trading vessel Fenis and St. Joseph
, a 50-foot open boat carrying 14 men, and from there proceeded home via East Indiaman.
In 1795, Mudge joined as first lieutenant, under William Robert Broughton
. They were sent to assist Vancouver but, reaching Monterrey
, determined that he had left for England.
They then surveyed the east coast of Asia
.
intercession of Lady Camelford (Pitt's mother), he was promoted to Commander on November 24, 1797. In 1798 he commanded the sloop HMS Fly, off North America.
Promoted to captain on November 15, 1800, he performed convoy duty on HMS Constance.
In September 1800, he moved to the frigate HMS Blanche on the West Indies station.
Starting in 1803 she made many captures, but on July 15, 1805
Blanche encountered a French squadron. She resisted bravely, but she was reduced to a wreck. Mudge ordered her colours struck and she sunk soon after.
Mudge was court-martialled on the question whether he had made his best defence;
he was not only acquitted, but complimented for "very able and gallant" conduct.
Mudge commanded HMS Phoenix
from November 18, 1803, and other ships until 1815.
He became a rear-admiral on July 22, 1830;
eventually the advancing years brought him promotion to full Admiral in 1849.
is named for Zachary Mudge; he was the first European to sight it from a nearby mountain http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mymhiwe:@field(DOCID+@lit(mymhiwef897p9m4div10)).
Memoirs of the Mudge family: being a record of Zachariah Mudge, and some members of his family... was printed in 1883 in an edition of only 100 copies, edited by Stamford Raffles Flint. Mainly about Mudge's grandfather, theologian Zachariah Mudge
, it has several pages about Zachary Mudge's naval career.
A memorial window to Zachary Mudge (the "Mudge Window") was placed in St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth, England.
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...
, best known for serving in the historic Vancouver Expedition
Vancouver Expedition
The Vancouver Expedition was a four-and-a-half-year voyage of exploration and diplomacy, commanded by Captain George Vancouver. The expedition circumnavigated the globe, touched five continents and changed the course of history for the indigenous nations and several European empires and their...
.
Early life
Mudge was one of 20 children of a famous physician, Dr. John MudgeJohn Mudge
John Mudge was an English physician and amateur creator of telescope mirrors. He won the Copley Medal in 1777 for a paper on reflecting telescopes.-Life:...
, of 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...
; his mother was John's third wife, Elizabeth. Mudge's grandfather was clergyman Zachariah Mudge
Zachariah Mudge (clergyman)
Zachariah Mudge was an English clergyman, known for his sermons, and his deist or Platonist views.-Life:He was born at Exeter, and after attending its grammar school was sent in 1710 to the nonconformist academy of Joseph Hallett III. When there he fell in love with a certain Mary Fox, who...
. The family included distinguished surveyors and mathematicians. His older half-brother was William Mudge
William Mudge
William Mudge was an English artillery officer and surveyor, an important figure in the work of the Ordnance Survey.-Life:He was a son of Dr. John Mudge of Plymouth, by his second wife, and grandson of Zachariah Mudge, and was born at Plymouth on 1 December 1762...
, who developed the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
and was responsible for much of the early detailed mapping of Britain. Uncle Thomas Mudge
Thomas Mudge (horologist)
Thomas Mudge was an English horologist who invented the lever escapement, the greatest single improvement ever applied to pocket watches.-Early life:...
was a famous horologist. In addition, the family was connected to the politically powerful Pitt family.
In 1780 (aged 10), Mudge joined HMS Foudroyant where he served as midshipman on the home and North American stations.
He was serving on her when she captured the Pegase (April 21, 1782)
and was promoted to lieutenant on May 24, 1789. He briefly served on HMS Europa
HMS Europa (1765)
HMS Europa was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 21 April 1765 at Lepe, Hampshire. She was renamed HMS Europe in 1778, and spent the rest of her career under this name....
until she paid off; on her he met several of his future companions on Vancouver's voyage.
Vancouver Expedition
On December 15, 1790, Mudge joined HMS DiscoveryHMS Discovery (1789)
HMS Discovery was a Royal Navy ship launched in 1789 and best known as the lead ship in George Vancouver's exploration of the west coast of North America in his famous 1791-1795 expedition. She was converted to a bomb vessel in 1798 and participated in the Battle of Copenhagen. Thereafter she...
as 2nd Lieutenant; after the Nootka Crisis
Nootka Crisis
The Nootka Crisis was an international incident and political dispute between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Spain, triggered by a series of events that took place during the summer of 1789 at Nootka Sound...
, he became her 1st Lieutenant and George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
captain. In addition to his other duties, Mudge had been asked to look after the 16-year-old (and future Baron) Thomas Pitt
Thomas Pitt, 2nd Baron Camelford
Thomas Pitt, 2nd Baron Camelford was a British peer, naval officer and wastrel, best known for bedevilling George Vancouver during and after the latter's great voyage of exploration.-Early life:...
, but was compelled to flog him when the latter used ship stores to purchase romantic favours in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
.
In 1791, they voyaged to Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, 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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Hawai'i and North America. In 1792, they spent a season of exploring the west coast of America, and then put into Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound is a complex inlet or sound of the Pacific Ocean on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Historically also known as King George's Sound, as a strait it separates Vancouver Island and Nootka Island.-History:The inlet is part of the...
to implement the Nootka Sound Convention
Nootka Convention
The Nootka Conventions were a series of three agreements between the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Great Britain, signed in the 1790s which averted a war between the two empires over overlapping claims to portions of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America.The claims of Spain dated back...
.
The British and Spanish Commanders had been given conflicting instructions, and the primary purpose of the mission could not be completed. Vancouver therefore sent Mudge back to England with dispatches, botanical samples and a request for further orders. He crossed the Pacific to China in the Portuguese-flagged trading vessel Fenis and St. Joseph
Fenis and St. Joseph
Fenis and St. Joseph, also known as the Sao Jao y Fenix or the San José el Fénix, was a 50 foot brig that visited Nootka Sound in 1792. It bore a Portuguese flag of convenience, possibly out of Macau and had a Portuguese captain, João de Barros Andrade, but had the Englishman Robert Duffin on board...
, a 50-foot open boat carrying 14 men, and from there proceeded home via East Indiaman.
In 1795, Mudge joined as first lieutenant, under William Robert Broughton
William Robert Broughton
William Robert Broughton was a British naval officer in the late 18th century. As a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, he commanded HMS Chatham as part of the Vancouver Expedition, a voyage of exploration through the Pacific Ocean led by Captain George Vancouver in the early 1790s.-With Vancouver:In...
. They were sent to assist Vancouver but, reaching Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, determined that he had left for England.
They then surveyed the east coast of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Later career
Mudge's career advancement had suffered from being away. However, through theintercession of Lady Camelford (Pitt's mother), he was promoted to Commander on November 24, 1797. In 1798 he commanded the sloop HMS Fly, off North America.
Promoted to captain on November 15, 1800, he performed convoy duty on HMS Constance.
In September 1800, he moved to the frigate HMS Blanche on the West Indies station.
Starting in 1803 she made many captures, but on July 15, 1805
Blanche encountered a French squadron. She resisted bravely, but she was reduced to a wreck. Mudge ordered her colours struck and she sunk soon after.
Mudge was court-martialled on the question whether he had made his best defence;
he was not only acquitted, but complimented for "very able and gallant" conduct.
Mudge commanded HMS Phoenix
HMS Phoenix (1783)
HMS Phoenix was a 36-gun Perseverance-class fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. The shipbuilder George Parsons built her at Bursledon and launched her on 15 July 1783. She served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and was instrumental in the events leading up to the battle of Trafalgar...
from November 18, 1803, and other ships until 1815.
He became a rear-admiral on July 22, 1830;
eventually the advancing years brought him promotion to full Admiral in 1849.
Legacy
Point Mudge on Quadra IslandQuadra Island
Quadra Island is an island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, part of the Discovery Islands. It is separated from Vancouver Island by Discovery Passage, and from Cortes Island by Sutil Channel...
is named for Zachary Mudge; he was the first European to sight it from a nearby mountain http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mymhiwe:@field(DOCID+@lit(mymhiwef897p9m4div10)).
Memoirs of the Mudge family: being a record of Zachariah Mudge, and some members of his family... was printed in 1883 in an edition of only 100 copies, edited by Stamford Raffles Flint. Mainly about Mudge's grandfather, theologian Zachariah Mudge
Zachariah Mudge (clergyman)
Zachariah Mudge was an English clergyman, known for his sermons, and his deist or Platonist views.-Life:He was born at Exeter, and after attending its grammar school was sent in 1710 to the nonconformist academy of Joseph Hallett III. When there he fell in love with a certain Mary Fox, who...
, it has several pages about Zachary Mudge's naval career.
A memorial window to Zachary Mudge (the "Mudge Window") was placed in St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth, England.