John William Spranger

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Rear-Admiral John William Spranger (d. 1822) was a Royal Navy officer active during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars.

He was appointed Lieutenant on 23rd August 1790, and Commander on 7th June 1794.[1] In 1795, he commanded the sloop HMS Rattlesnake in the expedition to capture Cape Town. He commanded a battalion of sailors from the fleet at the Battle of Muizenberg[2], and was mentioned in both the Army and Navy despatches from this engagement.[3][4]

He was later recorded as a captain with seniority from 1795, suggesting his appointment to post was made after this engagement[5]; it is certainly known that the promotion of Temple Hardy, the commander of the other sloop at the Cape, was made the day before the despatches were published.

On the 2nd December 1796, in command of the frigate Crescent, he led a squadron which destroyed a French settlement in Madagascar and captured five merchant vessels.[6] In 1799 he briefly commanded the Stately (64) before she became a troopship[7], and in 1801 took command of the newly-commissioned frigate Aeolus, serving in the Baltic and then to the West Indies.[8]

In May 1805 he was in command of the frigate Amethyst, cruising off the Texel[9], and from the records of one of his crew, it appears he was appointed to the command of Warrior, a 74-gun third-rate, with effect from 12th July 1806.[10]. Warrior served first in the Channel squadron and then later in the Mediterranean.

Whilst commanding Warrior in the Mediterranean in 1809, he led the naval portion of the force which captured the Ionian Islands.[11] After Warrior had returned to Chatham for repairs in 1811[12], he was given command of Barham (74) in 1812, again operating off the Texel.[13]

On June 4th 1814 he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the Blue.[1] He died on February 9th 1822, at Albany in Picadilly.[14] His will was proven on May 2nd 1822, giving his final residence as Pinner in Middlesex.[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815, vol. 3. ed. David Syrett
  2. ^ Naval History of Great Britain, vol.1 p.300
  3. ^ Despatches of Major-General Craig, September 21, 1795. Printed in The Times, November 25, 1795
  4. ^ Despatches of Admiral Elphinstone, September 23, 1795. Printed in The Times, November 25, 1795
  5. ^ The Universal Scots almanack, for the year 1800. Robert Allan, Edinburgh. 1800. Online extract
  6. ^ Despatches of Rear-Admiral Pringle, January 15, 1797. Printed in The Times, April 5, 1797
  7. ^ Sailing ships of the Royal Navy, S2
  8. ^ Sailing ships of the Royal Navy, A1
  9. ^ HM Ships employed on crusing duty - May 1805
  10. ^ Survey of the career of Frederick Franks
  11. ^ Naval History of Great Britain, vol.5 p.146
  12. ^ Sailing ships of the Royal Navy, V
  13. ^ Sailing ships of the Royal Navy, B1
  14. ^ The Gentleman's Magazine, January 1822 p.284
  15. ^ Will of John William Spranger, Rear Admiral in His Majesty's Navy at the National Archives, catalogue reference PROB 11/1657