A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Maclean, Rawdon

1818364A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Maclean, RawdonWilliam Richard O'Byrne

MACLEAN. (Commander, 1823. f-p., 18; h-p., 31.)

Rawdon Maclean entered the Navy,24 Oct. 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Terpsichore 32, Capt. Wm. Hall Gage, employed in the Mediterranean and then in the Channel, where, from Oct. 1800 until April, 1802, he served as Midshipman in the Atlas 98, Capt. Theophilus Jones. In Oct. 1803 he re-embarked on board the Leopard 50, Capt. Jas. Nicoll Morris; on accompanying whom into the Colossus 74, he received, in the battle of Trafalgar, a wound so severe that he still feels its effects.[1] A gratuity from the Patriotic Fund was his consequent reward. He removed, in Dec. 1805, to the Camilla 20, Capt. John Tower, but had not been many months in that vessel before he was promoted, 7 July, 1806, to the rank of Lieutenant, and re-appointed to the Colossus, commanded at first by Capt. Morris, and subsequently by Capt. Thos. Alexander. In Nov. 1808 we find him serving on shore under the present Earl of Dundonald, at the celebrated defence of the fortress of Rosas, on the north-eastern extremity of Spain. He commanded a gun-boat also during the siege of Cadiz by the French; and on 1 Dec. 1811 he assisted at the capture and destruction of part of an enemy’s convoy, protected by several armed vessels, near Rochelle. His health at length obliging him to leave the Colossus in Sept. 1813, after he had been altogether for nearly nine years attached to her, he was next appointed – 31 Jan. and 31 Oct. 1814, to the Royal Sovereign 100, Capts. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, Chas. Thurlow Smith, and Robt. Lambert, and Stork sloop, Capt. Robt. Lisle Coulson, in which vessels he served in the Mediterranean and North Sea until 18 Sept. 1815 – and, 26 Nov. 1822, as Senior, to the Gloucester 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen in the West Indies. He was there promoted to the command, 1 July, 1823, of the Bustard 10. He removed, in the following Oct., to the Carnation 18, and after cruizing with activity in the suppression of piracy, returned home and was paid off in July, 1825. He has not been since employed.

From 1 Oct. 1841 until 1 Dec. 1843, Commander Maclean was Superintendent of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in the West Indies. He married in Sept. 1829, and has issue one son and a daughter. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1805, p. 1484.