Captain Peter Rainier and other random ramblings

[anteros_lmc]

I have a horrible cold at the moment and had to take yesterday afternoon off work. I couldn't sleep and was too unfocused to read or write so I spent most of the afternoon rambling around online maritime history sites (as you do). Here's a random selection of things I discovered.

The Trafalgar Woods Project
I vaguely remember hearing about this in 2005. It's a lovely project that involved primary school children planting 27 native woods to commemorate the battle of Trafalgar. Each wood is named after one of the ships of the British fleet. Five Scottish captains took part in the battle and so there are five woods in Scotland named after their ships: Defiance, Defence, Naiad, Swiftsure and mylodon's favourite, Pickle. The website is lovely and contains lots of interesting information about the woods themselves, the ships they're named after and their captains. And this is also where I learned about .....

James Spratt
Master’s Mate of HMS Defiance who, during the battle, swam across to the French ship L’Aigle to lead a boarding party, as all of Defiance's boats had been destroyed.

Spratt was well known on Defiance as an excellent swimmer, who had saved two men from drowning, and a fighter of some reputation, who had been appointed by Captain Durham to lead any boarding party and swim across to L’Aigle. Armed only with a cutlass, Spratt climbed the rudder chain, entered through the stern ports, and was engaged in cutting down the French ensign on the stern before the crew of L’Aigle realised who he was. There was a short sharp fight but Defiance managed to draw alongside and L’Aigle surrendered, though not before Spratt was severely wounded in one leg.

That's really just a bit mad isn't it?

Over at the ever wonderful National Maritime Museum website I discovered the following:

British Maritime History Seminars 2009-10: War and Peace in the Eighteenth Century
This looks to have been a fascinating series of lectures which I would have loved to attend. There is an abstract of the lectures here (this opens a word doc) and Dr Michael Duffy's lecture on the Battle of Quiberon Bay is available to listen to here. Sadly Julia Banister's seminar on "Masculinity and military professionalism" isn't available online. Scunner!

And talking of masculinity look at this lovely young gentleman.

Captain Peter Rainier, 1784-1836


(Catalogue number BHC2962)
This portrait was painted by the Irish artist Thomas Hickey in 1806 when Rainier had just been made captain, aged only 21, by none other that Admiral Edward Pellew under whom he was serving. Does thinking that sea captains look like school boys mean that I'm getting old? Not that I would dare to question Admiral Pellew's judgment but I mean to say, he doesn't look old enough to sail a toy boat, never mind captain a ship of war!

But just to prove that he could and did here's Captain Rainier's ship Britannia, 120 guns, entering Portsmouth in 1835, after spending five and a half years in the Mediterranean.


(Catalogue number BHC3245)
You can view these images and lots of other amazing things at the NMM Picture Library

Comments

[kittycallum.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that you're sick -- but I am also (selfishly) grateful to see all these neat facts and stories! I will have to check out those links when I have a moment; they look fascinating.

Rainier looks not 21 but 12. Probably just one of those permanently youthful faces, but ... ! Doesn't look nearly old enough to be a captain! (Good Lord, he was the same age when he became captain as my sister is now! That's a weird thought!) But naturally, Admiral Pellew's judgement is usually sound, so I won't question it ... much ... ;)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that you're sick
Och, not really, just an annoying cold.

Rainier looks not 21 but 12
He really does doesn't he? What a cutie though!

Admiral Pellew's judgement is usually sound, so I won't question it ... much ... ;)
Just what exactly are you implying Ms Callum??

[kittycallum.livejournal.com]

Just what exactly are you implying Ms Callum??

Well, I had in mind the particular time he gave his favourite protege a boat with a massive hole in it ... :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Ah right. Yes. You have a point. Still, it's an easy mistake to make. I mean just because you fired a broadside at a little boat doesn't mean it's actually going to have a hole in it does it?!

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

Admiral Edward Pellew under whom he was serving.

That explains why he was made Captain at 21 then.

I am currently reading a biography of Thomas Cochrane, who is absolutely brilliant, he's a stroppy tactical genius who's his own worst enemy. Someone should write a series of books or something. :P

[kittycallum.livejournal.com]

stroppy tactical genius who's his own worst enemy

Hmm, never heard that before ... :D

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

That explains why he was made Captain at 21 then.
My dear, what are you implying??

I am currently reading a biography of Thomas Cochrane
Good on you, I've had a biography or Cochrane on my reading list for ages and haven't got near it. He was fabulously bonkers wasn't he?

Someone should write a series of books or something.
That's a good idea! What should we call our hero? Horatio perhaps? Nah too much like Nelson. I know! What about Jack? Jack's a nice name... ;)

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

He was fabulously bonkers wasn't he?

He was quite the character all right, it's wrong I want to read RPF with him and Emma Hamilton now, isn't it?

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

it's wrong I want to read RPF with him and Emma Hamilton now, isn't it?
RPF?? Eh?

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

Real Person Fiction. :P

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha :) Cochrane and Hamilton are both such extraordinary individuals that I find it hard to think of them as real people!

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

He does look remarkably young, but I suppose a) people grew up fast, especially on board ship; b) he's got that sort of baby face going. Wonder if CSF was inspired by that picture in particular when creating Hornblower? (Young, smart, determined, and just a bit crazy. Oh, and Pellew's favorite.)

Great to hear about the Trafalgar Woods project - in a time of global climate change, we can always do with more greenwoods.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Wonder if CSF was inspired by that picture in particular when creating Hornblower?
I wonder? I have no idea how well known this portrait is. I searched the NMM Picture Library for Pellew and turned up this young lad!

(Young, smart, determined, and just a bit crazy. Oh, and Pellew's favorite.)
You're not questioning the good Admiral's impartiality are you now? And yes he does look just a little crazy :D

Great to hear about the Trafalgar Woods project
Isn't it a lovely idea?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_likimeya/]

It's a great season for colds.. :( Hope you get well soon! *brews you some peppermint tea*

I like the Trafalgar Woods Project. Making up for all the trees that were cut down to build the fleet, hmm? :p

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tea missy!

I like the Trafalgar Woods Project. Making up for all the trees that were cut down to build the fleet, hmm?
I have a vague recollection of listening to a radio programme about this project in 2005 as part of the Trafalgar commemoration series and I think they did mention something about re planting the type of native trees that would have been used to build the ships. It's a lovely idea.

[sarlania.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that you aren't feeling too well. Hope you get better soon!

Rainer does look young! (Any relation to the Admiral Rainer who had the East Indian command before Pellew?)... Nelson was 21 when he was made Post, and Jessica Watson's only 16 now.

Pretty painting! I have a distinct weakness for naval paintings

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Hope you get better soon!
"You see? Better already." ;)

Any relation to the Admiral Rainer who had the East Indian command before Pellew?
Hey, you're very good aren't you??! Young Peter is indeed the nephew of Admiral Rainier and this portrait was painted in India, presumably after Pellew succeeded Uncle Pete. Young Peter also had a son, another Peter who served in the Navy. They weren't very creative with names were they? ;) You can view their entries at the utterly wonderful Sailing Navies website here.

Admiral Peter Rainier isn't quite as cute as his nephew however:

[sarlania.livejournal.com]

Hey, you're very good aren't you??!
It's only because I'm rather obsessed with Pellew that I know of Rainer. =) I find the time Pellew spent in the East Indian command utterly fascinating, I'm actually thinking of making a discussion post about it on my LJ (or following_sea, whatever). Have you read Storm and Conquest by Stephen Taylor? It talks mainly about the islands of Mauritius and Réunion and the events leading to their capture by the British including the Battle of Grand Port, but there's a whole heap of info about Pellew's time in the India.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I'm rather obsessed with Pellew
I was just coming to that conclusion!

Have you read Storm and Conquest by Stephen Taylor?
No I haven't but it sounds fascinating so I'll add it to my exponentially growing reading list!