Royal Naval Biography/Dunlop, Robert Graham

2385776Royal Naval Biography — Dunlop, Robert GrahamJohn Marshall


ROBERT GRAHAM DUNLOP, Esq.
[Commander.]

Passed his examination, at Portsmouth, in the summer of 1810; and was slightly wounded whilst serving as master’s-mate of the Scipion 74, (flag-ship of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Robert Stopford,) and employed on shore at the reduction of Java, in 1811. His first commission bears date Feb. 7th, 1812. In the following year, being then a lieutenant of the Surveillante frigate. Captain Sir George R. Collier, on the north coast of Spain, he was again wounded, in one of the breaching batteries on the Chofre sand-hills, opened against the walls of St. Sebastian. He subsequently joined the Porcupine 22, flag-ship of the late Sir Charles V. Penrose, and was very actively employed in co-operation with Wellington’s army in the neighbourhood of Bayonne and Bourdeaux[1].

On the 2d April, 1814, the advanced boats of the British squadron in the river Gironde, under Lieutenant Dunlop, were despatched in pursuit of a French flotilla, pushing down from Blaye to Talmont. On their approach, the whole of the enemy’s vessels ran on shore near the citadel of Blaye, from whence two hundred soldiers marched out to protect them, although their crews were greatly superior in number to the attacking party. A smart fire was also kept up from the citadel; but nothing could check the ardour of our gallant countrymen, who dashed on, landed, charged the enemy, drove them with great loss into the woods, and kept possession of the beach until the tide allowed the greater part of the vessels to be brought off. They consisted of one brig mounting six long 18-pounders, a fine schooner, six gun-boats, three armed chasse-marées, and an imperial barge, rowing twenty-six oars, which latter trophy was sent home as a present to H.R.H. the Prince Regent. Another brig of the same force as the above, two gun-boats, and one chasse-marée, were set on fire and destroyed. This service was performed with the loss of two seamen missing, and fourteen men wounded.

We soon afterwards find Lieutenant Dunlop rejoining Sir George Collier, in the Leander 58, fitting out for the Halifax station. In this ship he assisted at the capture of the United States’ brig Rattlesnake, pierced for 20 guns, with a complement of 131 men; and the Prince De Neufchatel, a fine American privateer schooner, of 18 guns and 135 men. He likewise assisted at the recapture of H.M. 20-gun ship Levant, near Porto Praya, Mar. 11th, 1815.

From this period we lose sight of Lieutenant Dunlop until his appointment. Mar. 21st, 1821, to the Glasgow 50, Captain (now Sir Bentinck C.) Doyle, fitting out for the East India station; where he was promoted to the command of the Sophie sloop, July 20th, 1822.