CHARLES JOHN AUSTEN. [1]Born June 23rd 1779, at Steventon. From O'Byrne's Naval Biographical Dictionary: For his conduct in the 'Endymion', in driving into Helvoetsluys the 'Brutus', a Dutch line-of-battle ship, he was promoted to a Lieutenancy, December 13th 1797, in the 'Scorpion' of 16 guns – Capt. John Tremayne Rodd. After assisting at the capture of the Dutch brig 'Courier', carrying six guns and several swivels, Mr. Austen removed, in December 1798, to the 'Tamar' frigate – Capt. Thos. Western. On February 16th 1799 he was re-appointed to the 'Endymion'; in which frigate, commanded successively by Capts. Sir Thos. Williams, Phillip Chas. Durham, Henry Garrett and John Fermour, he came into frequent contact with the enemy's gunboats off Algeciras and assisted in making prizes of several privateers. On the occasion particularly of the capture of the 'Scipio' of 18 guns and 140 men, which surrendered during a violent gale – he very intrepidly put off in a boat with only four men, and, having boarded the vessel, succeeded in retaining possession of her until the following day. In April 1803 he again joined the 'Endymion', which frigate had been paid off at the peace, and continued to serve as her First Lieutenant until promoted, on the recommendation of his Captain, the Hon. Charles Paget, for his conduct at the capture of three men of war and two privateers - to the command, October 10th 1804, of the 'Indian' sloop. After a successful service of more than five years on the North American station, Capt. Austen was posted, May 10th 1810, into the 'Swiftsure' of 74 guns – Sir John Borlase Warren's flag-ship, from which he removed, September 25th following, to the 'Cleopatra' of 32 guns. From November 20th 1811 until September 30th 1814 he was employed discharging the arduous duties, in the 'Namur' of 74 guns, of Flag Captain to his patron Sir Thos. Williams, Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. Being then appointed to the 'Phoenix' of a 36 guns, he proceeded to the Mediterranean where, on the renewal of hostilities consequent on Buonaparte's escape from Elba, he was sent, with the 'Undaunted' of 38 guns and the 'Garland' of 22 guns under his orders,in pursuit of a Neapolitan squadron supposed to be in the Adriatic. Subsequently to the surrender of Naples Capt. Austen, who had detached the 'Undaunted' to scour the coast, instituted a close blockade of the harbour of Brindisi – and soon induced both the castle and two of the enemy's largest frigates, then lying in the port, to hoist the colours of their restored monarch. Having acquired the unqualified approval of Lord Exmouth throughout the whole of these operations, he was next despatched in search of a French squadron; but a cessation of of hostilities intervening, he turned his attention to the suppression of piracy in the Archipelago – which he effected completely by the capture of two pirate vessels in the port of Paros. On February 20th 1816 the 'Phoenix' was unavoidably wrecked near Smyrna, a disaster solely attributable to the ignorance of her pilots; Capt. Austen, who was therefore fully acquitted of all blame on the occasion, afterwards joined, June 2nd 1826, the 'Aurora' of 46 guns – in which frigate he proceeded, as second-in-command, to the Jamaica station – where his efforts in crushing the slave trade were most successful. On the paying off of the 'Aurora', in December 1828, it was found that during the two years and a half of her service under Capt. Austen's command, she had not lost a single man, by sickness or for any other reason – and so favourable was the official report of her state of discipline and efficiency that Capt. Austen was at once nominated by Sir Edward Griffith Colpoys to be his Flag Captain in the 'Winchester' of 52 guns, on the North America and West India station. Here he continued to serve until obliged to invalid, from the effects of a very severe accident, in December 1830. His next appointment was, on April 14th 1838, to the 'Bellerophon' of 80 guns – in which ship he returned to the Mediterranean where his exertions at the bombardment of St. Jean d'Acre, November 3rd 1840, procured him the Companionship of the Order of the Bath. On December 2nd following, the 'Bellerophon' was attacked by a violent storm and nothing but the unparalleled exertions of the officers and crew, guided by Capt. Austen's able management, preserved her from being cast away, on the iron-bound shore of Syria, where, had she been wrecked, not a soul could have been saved. The Good Service Pension was awarded to Capt. Austen on August 28th 1840. The 'Bellerophon' was paid off in June 1841. He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on November 9th 1846. On January 14th 1850, Rear-Admiral Austen was appointed, without solicitation on his part, to the Chief Command of the East India and China Station; where he hoisted his flag in the 'Hastings' of 72 guns. In April 1852, with his flag on board the 'Rattler' steam sloop, he commanded the Naval forces at the capture of Martaban and Rangoon, during the Burmese war. After the fall of the latter place he was compelled, by a severe attack of cholera, to leave the Irrawaddy. In the following summer, contrary to the advice of his medical attendant, and to the urgent wish of the Governor-General that he would not expose his life to the baneful influence of the climate, he returned in the 'Hastings' to Rangoon. After effecting a reconnaissance of Prome, with his flag in the East India Company's steam sloop 'Pluto', and while awaiting the arrival of the land forces, he was again attacked by cholera – which carried him off on October 7th 1852 in the 74th year of his age, beloved and respected by all under his command. The following is an extract from an order of the Governor'General in Council bearing on the melancholy event – 'The Governor-General in Council feels it to be due to the memory of an old and gallant sailor, that he should add a public expression of the deep regret with which he has received intimation of the death of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of her Majesty's ships in the Indian seas. Although Admiral Austen did not survive to witness the successful conclusion of the operations in which he had shared, the Governor-General in Council desires to record his admiration of the staunch, high spirit which, not-withstanding his age and previous suffering, had led the Admiral to take his part in the trying service which has closed his career. His Excellency Rear-Admiral Austen has afforded to the Government of India at all times, a cordial and constant aid, and the Governor-General in Council has been grateful for his services, and laments his death.' In addition to the Companionship of the Order of the Bath, he was awarded the Naval General Service medal with two bars, 'Unicorn, 8th June 1796' and 'Syria' (inscribed 'Mid. C.J. Austen) and the Order of the Medjidie and the St. Jean d'Acre medal in gold (both awarded by the Sultan of Turkey.) Charles John Austen married, first, May 1st 1807, Frances Fitzwilliam, younger daughter of John Grove Palmer, Attorney-General of Bermuda. She was born in 1790, and died September 6th 1814 (Epitaph page 260) having had issue [as follows on page 183, Cassandra Esten Austen]: previous page [178-183] |