Robert Stopford (naval officer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Robert Stopford, born 5 February 1768, died 25 June 1847, was a distinguished officer in the Royal Navy whose career spanned over 60 years, from the first war with revolutionary France to the Syrian War.

He was the second son of the Second Earl of Courtown and became a Lieutenant in 1785. He was promoted to captain at the age of 22 and fought at the Battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794, commanding the frigate HMS Aquilon (32). He became a Colonel of Marines in November 1805 and received a gold medal for his conduct at the Battle of San Domingo in 1806, when he commanded the ship of the line HMS Spencer (74). He took part in the Rio and Copenhagen expeditions of 1806-07, attacked Rochefort in 1808, was Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope in 1808 and reduced Java in 1811. He became a Rear-Admiral in 1830. His last active post, in his early seventies, was as commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet during the Syrian War against the forces of Mehemet Ali. As Vice-Admiral on board HMS Princess Charlotte (100) and, subsequently, Phoenix he was in command of the combined fleet (British, Turkish, and Austrian ships) during the bombardment of Acre on 3 Nov 1840. The following year he became Governor of the Royal Naval Hospital at Greenwich, with the rank of Admiral. His eldest son, Robert Fanshawe Stopford, 1811-1891, also rose to the rank of Admiral; and his second son James John Stopford, 1817-1868, became a Vice-Admiral.