George Cadogan: An Overview
Jan. 30th, 2011 11:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anteros_lmcAs part of on going research into the famous naval engagement between the frigates Indefatigable, Captain Pellew, and Amazon, Captain Reynolds and the French 74 gun ship of the line the Droits de L’Homme, Captain de Lacrosse, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nodbear and I have been following up the lives and careers of some of the officers and men who lived through this extraordinary action.
One of the first young men to come to our attention was George Cadogan who captured our imagination when nodbear discovered an angelic portrait of him as a fair young gentleman. Initially we knew little of Cadogan other than that he was highly praised by Pellew for his conduct during the Droit de L’Homme action. We later learned that he accompanied Pellew when he was “promoted” to the mutinous ship of the line Impetueux in 1799. Cadogan also survived to become one of oldest veterans of the Droit de L’Homme engagement. He received the Naval General Service Medal with three clasps in 1847, achieved the rank of Admiral in retirement and lived to the ripe old age of 81.
So far so heroic. Our interest was piqued and we were both eager to find out more about gallant little George. However the picture that has emerged from the archives is not at all what we expected.
On the face of it George Cadogan lived up to Pellew’s early commendation and had a successful and distinguished career. Entering the Royal Navy in 1795 at just 12, George made lieutenant at the age of 19, commander at 21 and post captain at 24. He retired from active service in 1814 having served with distinction at Zara in the Mediterranean and died many years later in 1864 having achieved the rank of Admiral of the Red. George outlived seven elder brothers to inherit the title of 3rd Earl Cadogan. He married Honoria Blake, the sister of an Irish peer, in 1810 and the couple had two daughters and four sons.
However as we delved a little deeper into George’s history a disturbing picture emerged of a turbulent career and a troubled personal life. By the time George retired from active naval service he had survived three mutinies, been held as a French prisoner of war and courtmartialed on charges relating to the death of a 17 year old midshipman. Though acquitted of all charges, accusations of tyranny and brutality dogged George Cadogan throughout his career.
George’s personal life was also marred by a series of scandals. His parents separated publicly and acrimoniously and his sister Charlotte followed suit when she abandoned her husband Henry Wellesley, brother of the Duke of Wellington, and eloped with Lord Paget, the gallant cavalry commander of the Peninsular War. George became embroiled in this very public scandal and fought an aborted duel with Paget in an attempt to restore the family’s honour. In later life, much to George’s consternation and disapproval, his eldest son Henry fell in love with his first cousin and married her against his father’s express wishes. Henry went on to inherit title and entail to become the 4th Earl Cadogan but it is not clear if he was ever fully reconciled with his father.
The more we have dug into the archives the more complicated and unsettling the picture that has emerged and the more we have realised how little we actually know of the harsh realities of life for naval captains and commanders at this time of war. In particular we have been reminded how rare and exceptional commanders like Pellew and Collingwood were who could lead men by example while rarely, if ever, resorting to punitive measures.
nodbear and I are going to post what we have learned of George Cadogan’s life and career to our journals over the next few months because we believe it’s a story that deserves to be told. Much of our research is based on contemporary documents, including George’s own letters and log books, some of which, as far as we know, have rarely if ever been studied.
Cross posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
following_sea.
nodbear and I have been following up the lives and careers of some of the officers and men who lived through this extraordinary action.One of the first young men to come to our attention was George Cadogan who captured our imagination when nodbear discovered an angelic portrait of him as a fair young gentleman. Initially we knew little of Cadogan other than that he was highly praised by Pellew for his conduct during the Droit de L’Homme action. We later learned that he accompanied Pellew when he was “promoted” to the mutinous ship of the line Impetueux in 1799. Cadogan also survived to become one of oldest veterans of the Droit de L’Homme engagement. He received the Naval General Service Medal with three clasps in 1847, achieved the rank of Admiral in retirement and lived to the ripe old age of 81.So far so heroic. Our interest was piqued and we were both eager to find out more about gallant little George. However the picture that has emerged from the archives is not at all what we expected.
On the face of it George Cadogan lived up to Pellew’s early commendation and had a successful and distinguished career. Entering the Royal Navy in 1795 at just 12, George made lieutenant at the age of 19, commander at 21 and post captain at 24. He retired from active service in 1814 having served with distinction at Zara in the Mediterranean and died many years later in 1864 having achieved the rank of Admiral of the Red. George outlived seven elder brothers to inherit the title of 3rd Earl Cadogan. He married Honoria Blake, the sister of an Irish peer, in 1810 and the couple had two daughters and four sons.
However as we delved a little deeper into George’s history a disturbing picture emerged of a turbulent career and a troubled personal life. By the time George retired from active naval service he had survived three mutinies, been held as a French prisoner of war and courtmartialed on charges relating to the death of a 17 year old midshipman. Though acquitted of all charges, accusations of tyranny and brutality dogged George Cadogan throughout his career.
George’s personal life was also marred by a series of scandals. His parents separated publicly and acrimoniously and his sister Charlotte followed suit when she abandoned her husband Henry Wellesley, brother of the Duke of Wellington, and eloped with Lord Paget, the gallant cavalry commander of the Peninsular War. George became embroiled in this very public scandal and fought an aborted duel with Paget in an attempt to restore the family’s honour. In later life, much to George’s consternation and disapproval, his eldest son Henry fell in love with his first cousin and married her against his father’s express wishes. Henry went on to inherit title and entail to become the 4th Earl Cadogan but it is not clear if he was ever fully reconciled with his father.
The more we have dug into the archives the more complicated and unsettling the picture that has emerged and the more we have realised how little we actually know of the harsh realities of life for naval captains and commanders at this time of war. In particular we have been reminded how rare and exceptional commanders like Pellew and Collingwood were who could lead men by example while rarely, if ever, resorting to punitive measures.
nodbear and I are going to post what we have learned of George Cadogan’s life and career to our journals over the next few months because we believe it’s a story that deserves to be told. Much of our research is based on contemporary documents, including George’s own letters and log books, some of which, as far as we know, have rarely if ever been studied.Cross posted to
following_sea.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2011-01-31 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 01:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 01:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 08:01 am (UTC)We think -and for reasons we will show - that George continued to do well in those early years and that indeed it may well be that he was at his happiest ever at least in his ealry years while on the Indy where he was clearly loved.
The portrait perhaps reflects that time .
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Date: 2011-01-31 01:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 01:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 08:06 am (UTC)We keep chugging away at it all though!
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Date: 2011-01-31 01:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 10:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-31 01:32 pm (UTC)introductory wave
Date: 2011-01-31 01:16 pm (UTC)Re: introductory wave
Date: 2011-01-31 02:26 pm (UTC)Re: introductory wave
Date: 2011-02-01 04:40 am (UTC)Re: introductory wave
Date: 2011-01-31 05:17 pm (UTC)Re: introductory wave
Date: 2011-01-31 05:38 pm (UTC)Re: introductory wave
Date: 2011-01-31 06:25 pm (UTC)