with the rating of Master’s Mate, placed under the orders of Capt. Whitby on board the Cerberus 32. While attached to that ship he saw a vast deal of active service in the Adriatic, He assisted at the capture of Cortelazzo, of a convoy of 25 vessels near the town of Groa 29 June, 1810, and of four Venetian trabaccolos protected by a heavy fire of musketry at Pestichi, 3 Feb. 1811. He was also, on 12 of the month last mentioned, present with the boats of the Cerberus and Active 38 under Lieut. Jas. Dickinson at the cutting out, near the town of Ortano, of a convoy of 10 sail, defended by a trabaccolo of 6 guns, full of men, as well as by the fire of a body of troops posted on the beach and hills. On that occasion, having in the barge, in unison with Lieut. Dickinson in the gig, boarded and carried the trabaccolo, he landed at the head of the small-arm men (as did Lieut. Peter Mears with the marines), scaled a rocky eminence, threw up a breastwork (which kept the enemy in check for three hours and enabled the seamen to secure the vessels), aided in destroying two large magazines, and with his own hands planted the British colours at the very gates of the town. During these proceedings the two frigates, unable to distinguish friend from foe, had opened a heavy fire upon both, which lasted until the union-jack was hoisted by Mr. Kennie on the summit of a hill.[1] On 13 March, 1811, the Cerberus, with a loss to herself of 13 killed and 41 wounded, took part in the celebrated action off Lissa, where a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, completely routed, after a conflict of six hours, a Franco-Venetian armament consisting of 284 guns and 2655 men. On 15 of the following June Mr. Rennie was at the boarding and capture of four gun-boats under a heavy fire in the Zara Channel. For his conduct at Lissa he was presented, in June, 1812, with a commission dated back to the day of the action. Being at the same time appointed to the Edinburgh 74, Capts. Robt. Rolles and Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, he again proceeded to the Mediterranean, and, while on that station, was present at the capture of Port d’Anzo (where a convoy of 29 vessels fell into the hands of the British), also of the town of Reggio, and of Santa Maria, and the enemy’s forts and defences in the Gulf of Spezia. At the taking of Genoa in April, 1814, he had command of two pieces of ordnance and was stationed in advance of the army. He left the Edinburgh 17 Dec. 1814; and was lastly, from Feb. to Dec. 1815, employed in the Redpole 10, Capt. Edm. Denman, under whom he escorted Napoleon Buonaparte to St. Helena.
Lieut. Rennie during the war in China commanded the Hon.E.I.Co.’s steam-ship Sesostris, and served on shore in the operations at Tsekee in March,.1842.[2] He married 2 June, 1825. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
RENOU. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 31; h-p., 13.)
Timothy Renou was born 3 June, 1789. He is nephew of Capt. Adrian Renou, R.N., who served as First-Lieutenant in the Barfleur 98, under the late Lord Collingwood, in Lord Howe’s action 1 June, 1794, and, after an active career of 36 years, died in command of the Zealand 64 at the Nore in 1805.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 June, 1803, as Midshipman, on board the Victor sloop, commanded by his uncle, Capt. Adrian Renou, on the Guernsey station; and from March, 1804, until Dec. 1805, was employed with Capt. Jas. Nicoll Morris in the Leopard 50 and Colossus 74. In the former ship he served off Boulogne; and in the Colossus, after blockading Brest and Rochefort, he fought and was wounded at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805.[3] In consideration of the injury he sustained on that occasion he was presented with a donation from the Patriotic Fund. After serving for 12 months in the Terrible 74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet, part of the force employed in pursuit of the celebrated Rochefort squadron, he was again, in Jan. 1807, placed under the orders of Capt. Morris in his former ship the Colossus, commanded subsequently by Capt. Thos. Alexander, by whom, for his conduct as Master’s Mate at the siege of Cadiz, he was recommended to the notice of Rear-Admiral Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats. He was in consequence nominated, 12 Dec. 1810, Acting-Lieutenant of the Norge 74, Capt. John Sprat Rainier; in which ship he continued at Cadiz until Feb. 1811. Being sent out in the following summer to the Mediterranean on the Admiralty List for promotion in the Repulse 74, Capt. Rich. Hussey Moubray, he was again, on his arrival, ordered, 1 Aug. 1811, to act as Lieutenant in the Acorn 18, Capt. Geo. Miller Bligh. From that vessel he was detached for the purpose of conveying despatches from the late Sir Murray Maxwell, senior officer at Lissa, to the late Sir Chas. Rowley off Corfu, and also to the Admiral at Malta. In Nov. of the same year he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Merope sloop, Capts. Edw. Flin, John Chas. Gawen Roberts, and Benj. Wm. Suckling; in which vessel (being confirmed to her by commission dated 2 Jan. 1812) he continued until Sept. 1814- At the commencement of 1812, when an attack by storm was contemplated upon Tarragona by the Baron d’Eroles and General Sarsfield, Mr. Renou was intrusted with the charge of the scaling-ladders to be employed. He subsequently, in an armed boat belonging to the Bustard sloop, succeeded in cutting out two feluccas, well armed, from St. Philon, on the coast of Catalonia; and in 1813 he witnessed Sir John Murray’s unsuccessful attempt upon Tarragona. During the period which elapsed between the resignation of Capt. Roberts and the arrival of Capt. Suckling we find him acting as Commander of the Merope. With the exception of a command which he held, from March, 1831, until March, 1834, of the Wickham Revenue-vessel, on the coast of Ireland, he had charge, from May, 1822, until Aug. 1841, of a station in the Coast Guard. He was then under the necessity of surrendering his appointment from the effects of rheumatism, induced by long exposure and night-duty.
Lieut. Renou married, 18 May, 1818, Miss Sarah Ann Ashley, of Molescroft, co. York, by whom he has issue six children.
RENWICK. (Captain, 1817. f-p., 21; h-p., 37.)
Thomas Renwick entered the Navy, in 1789, as a Volunteer, on board the Colossus 74, Capt. Hugh Cloberry Christian, guard-ship at Portsmouth. In Jan. 1791 he was received on board the Brunswick 74, Capts. Sir Roger Curtis and John Harvey, attached to the Channel fleet; and on 29 May and 1 June, 1794, he fought in Lord Howe’s actions with Admiral Villaret Joyeuse. On the latter occasion the Brunswick was opposed by the Vengeur 74; and so fierce was the contest that raged between these two ships that the former was quite disabled, and the latter, who, towards the close of the conflict, received half a broadside from the Ramillies 74, went down. After serving for about 15 months on board the Minotaur 74, and Prince George 98, flag-ships of Rear-Admirals John M‘Bride and Hood Hanway Christian, he was placed, 14 Nov. 1795, in command, with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant, of L’Éclair 12, lying at Portsmouth. On 17 of the same month he was confirmed a Lieutenant; and on 7 of the ensuing Dec. he received an appointment to the St. Fiorenzo of 42 guns, Capts. Sir Harry Burrard Neale and Wm. Chas. Paterson. In that ship he assisted, in company with La Nymphe 36, and was warmly recommended for his conduct, at the capture of La Résistance of 48 guns, and La Constance of 24 guns, 9 March, 1797.[4] He was on board of her when, to her honour, she passed, uncontaminated, through the mutinous fleet at the Nore; and also, 9 April, 1799, in a very warm action of nearly two hours, in which, with her con-
