James Robert Drummond

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Admiral Sir James Robert Drummond (1812-1895) was a British naval officer, who was captain of HMS Retribution, HMS Tribune, and HMS Albion as part of the Mediterranean/Black Sea Fleet during the Crimean War, and who as an admiral commanded the Mediterranean Fleet from 13 January 1874 to 15 January 1877. He was a Commissioners of the Admiralty as Fourth Naval Lord from 8 March 1858 to 28 January 1859, and from 15 June 1861 to 13 July 1866.

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[edit] Family

The Hon. James Robert Drummond was born on 15 September 1812, the second of the eight children of James Andrew John Laurence Charles Drummond, 8th Viscount Strahallan and Lady Amelia Sophia Drummond (nee Murray).[1]

Drummond married Catherine Francis Elliot, daughter of Admiral Sir George Elliott and Eliza Cecilia Ness, on 5 February 1856. They had one child, Laurence George Drummond, who was born on 13 March 1861.[1]

Admiral Drummond died on 7 October 1895 aged 83. His wife Catherine died on 20 April 1914.[1]

[edit] Career

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Drummond joined the Royal Navy on 2 February 1826. He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 December 1832, and to commander on 9 June 1838.[2]

From 18 December 1841 to 1845 Commander Drummond was captain of the 18-gun sailing sloop Scout. The Scout served in the Mediterranean.[3] On 8 June 1846 he was promoted to captain.[2]

On 10 June 1852, Drummond was appointed captain of the 1st-Class wooden paddle-frigate Retribution, which had 10-guns and also served in the Mediterranean. [4] During his captainancy, the Retribution participated in the first bombardment of Sevastapol on 17 October 1854 during the Crimean War. During the bombardment, Retribution towed or was coupled broadside to the 120-gun sailing line-of-battle ship Trafalgar. Retribution at this time was listed as having 28 guns.[5]

On 11 December 1854, Drummond was appointed captain of the 31-gun wooden screw-corvette Tribune, serving in the Mediterranean/Black Sea Fleet, during the Crimean War. [6]

On 7 July 1855, Drummond was appointed captain of the 2nd rate, 2-decker 90-gun sail line-of-battle ship Albion, serving in the Mediterranean/Black Sea Fleet, during the Crimean War. [7]

From 7 March 1856 to 21 August 1856 he was Captain of the Victory, flagship of Vice-Admiral George Francis Seymour, Portsmouth.[8]

On 2 December 1856, Drummond was appointed captain of the 5th-rate 44-gun sailing frigate Maeander, for coast guard service.[9]

He was Fourth Naval Lord from 8 March 1858 to 28 January 1859.[1][2][10] Whilst there, on 20 December 1858 he was appointed as Commodore in Fisgard, as Commander-in-Chief, Woolwich.[2] Fishguard was an old 5th-rate 46-gun sailing frigate, which had been hulked in 1847. [11] Drummond's appointment as Commodore in Fisguard, as Commander-in-Chief, Woolwich may have lasted until 18 February 1863 when Captain Frederick Archibald Campbell was appointed captain of Fisguard.[12]

Captain Drummond was again Fourth Naval Lord from 15 June 1861 to 13 July 1866, and was promoted to Rear Admiral on 11 January 1864.[13]

He was awarded the Knight Commander of the Bath on 24 May 1873, and was promoted to Vice-Admiral on 2 June 1877.[2]

He commanded the Mediterranean Fleet from 13 January 1874 to 15 January 1877. [14] His flagship was initially the Lord Warden and later Hercules.[2]

He was promoted to Admiral on 22 January 1877, and retired on 16 September 1877, the day after his 65th birthday. He was awarded the G.C.B. (Knight Grand Cross of the Bath) on 23 April 1880.[2]

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d The Peerage.Com
    Drummond family
  2. ^ a b c d e f g James Robert Drummond on-line biography.
  3. ^ HMS Scout
  4. ^ HMS Retribution
  5. ^ Account of Naval Operations in the Russian War.
  6. ^ HMS Tribune
  7. ^ HMS Albion
  8. ^ HMS Victory
  9. ^ HMS Meander
  10. ^ List of Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
  11. ^ p119 Lyon, David, The Sailing Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy - Built, Purchased and Captured - 1688-1850, pub Conway, 1993. ISBN 0-85177-617-5
  12. ^ HMS Fisguard
  13. ^ James Robert Drummond on-line biography which says 15 June 1861 to 9 May 1866.
    List of Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the dates in the latter have been preferred.
    Drummond family
  14. ^ Principal Royal Navy Commanders-in-Chief 1830-1899