VICE-ADMIRALS OF THE WHITE.
CHARLES STIRLING, Esq
Senior Vice-admiral of the White; and Fellow of the Royal Society.
Henry, the third son of David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother to King William the Lion, in 1165 assumed the name of Stirling, the place of his birth. That branch of the family from which Vice-Admiral Stirling is descended, was subsequently seated at Calder, in North Britain.
Sir Walter Stirling, Knt., a Captain R.N., married Dorothy, daughter of Charles Willing, of Philadelphia, Esq., and by that lady had issue, Walter, (who was created a Baronet, Nov. 4, 1800,) Lord of the Honour of Otford, co. Kent, a London banker, &c. &c.; and Charles, the subject of this memoir; who, after passing through the intervening ranks of the naval service, was promoted to that of Commander; and on the 6th Sept. 1781, being on a cruize off Charlestown in the Savage, of 14 guns and 125 men, fell in with and maintained a spirited action with the Congress, American privateer, of 20 guns, and 215 men. Captain Stirling did not surrender his ship until his mizen-mast was shot away, the main-mast tottering, several of the guns rendered useless, 8 men killed, himself, a Lieutenant, 3 Midshipmen, and 12 of the crew, wounded. The enemy’s loss amounted to 11 men slain, and 30 wounded.
For his gallantry in the above action, our officer was made a Post-Captain, by commission, dated Jan. 15, 1783, and appointed to the Unicorn, of 20 guns, stationed in the West Indies. Some time after the commencement of the war with republican France, we find him commanding the Venus frigate, and subsequently the Jason, of 44 guns and 281 men, employed in the Channel, which latter frigate formed part of the expedition to Quiberon, under Sir John Borlase Warren, in the summer of 1795[1].
