55-508: Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm GCB GCMG (20 February 1768 – 20 July 1838) was a British naval officer. He was born at Douglan, near Langholm , Scotland , on 20 February 1768, the third son of George Malcolm of Burnfoot, Langholm, in Dumfriesshire , a sheep farmer, and his wife Margaret, the sister of Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley . His brothers were Sir James Malcolm , Sir John Malcolm , and Sir Charles Malcolm . He entered
110-825: A Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy . She was renamed Pégase in October 1795, and Hoche in December 1797. The British Royal Navy captured her at the Battle of Tory Island on 12 October 1798 and recommissioned her as HMS Donegal . Hoche took part in the French attempt to land in County Donegal , in the west of Ulster , to support the Irish Rebellion of 1798 . She formed
165-511: A broad band with three narrower bands. In 2001 the number of stars on the shoulder board was increased to four, reflecting the equivalence to the OF-9 four-star ranks of other countries. Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path. The command flags flown by an Admiral changed a number of times during this period, there was no Admiral of
220-536: A few broadsides into the Jupiter before sending a boarding party aboard her. The crew of Jupiter then surrendered her. Captain Malcolm then directed the frigate HMS Acasta to take possession of Brave . After the battle, Donegal had lost her fore-yard and had 12 killed and 33 wounded. She remained under the command of Pulteney Malcolm, and was stationed off Finisterre throughout 1807. She then became
275-405: A fleet of larger ships under the command of Commodore Sir John Borlase Warren . Both sides were hampered by the heavy winds and gales they encountered off the west coast of Ireland , and Hoche lost all three of her topmasts and had her mizzensail shredded, causing her to fall behind. The French were finally brought to battle off Tory Island on 12 October 1798. The battle started at 07:00 in
330-521: A hurried refit. On 20 October Malcolm learnt that the combined fleet was coming out of Cadiz. His ship was then in the Mole, nearly dismantled; but by the greatest exertions he got her out that night, and on 22 October she sailed from Gibraltar with her foreyard towing alongside. It was blowing a gale from the westward, but she succeeded in getting through the Straits, and on the morning of 24 October re-joined
385-592: Is general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air chief marshal . The title admiral was not used in Europe until the mid-13th century and did not reach England before the end of that century. Similarly, although some royal vessels are attested under King John , the English long depended upon levies of their subjects' vessels for any major naval expeditions. Nonetheless, historians have sometimes extended
440-679: The Victorious . He continued to serve in this capacity during the war. On her homeward passage, in 1803, the Victorious proved exceedingly leaky, and, meeting with heavy weather in the North Atlantic, was with difficulty kept afloat till she reached the Tagus , where she was run ashore and broken up. Malcolm, with the officers and crew, returned to England in two vessels which he chartered at Lisbon. In February 1804 Malcolm went out to
495-579: The Donegal's boats succeeded in saving a considerable number of her men. She afterwards took charge of the Spanish prize Bahama , and brought her to Gibraltar. Writing to Sir Thomas Pasley on 16 December Collingwood said: "Everybody was sorry Malcolm was not there [sc. at Trafalgar], because everybody knows his spirit, and his skill would have acquired him honour. He got out of the Gut when nobody else could and
550-663: The Thames to Scotland. This was part of an effort by Edward I to establish a permanent official staff, even if a permanent naval force was not yet considered necessary. Leybourne's immediate purview was subsequently divided into the roles of Admiral of the West and Admiral of the South while Botetourt's became the Admiral of the North ; the first and last merged as the Admiral of
605-477: The flagship of an expedition under Commodore Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart , consisting of Hoche and eight frigates , and transporting 3,000 French troops. Aboard Hoche was Wolfe Tone , the leading figure in the Society of United Irishmen . The ships were chased by a number of British frigates after they had left the port of Brest on 16 September. Despite throwing them off, they were then pursued by
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#1732775882216660-877: The gold medal for St. Domingo, and was presented by the Patriotic Fund with a vase valued at a hundred guineas. In 1808 he was engaged in convoying troops to the Peninsula, and in 1809, still in the Donegal , was attached to the Channel Fleet , then commanded by Lord Gambier , and took part in the Battle of the Basque Roads . In the summer of 1809 he was called as a witness at the Court-martial of James, Lord Gambier which assessed whether Gambier had failed to support Captain Lord Cochrane at
715-505: The 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one man per rank, although the rank of admiral of the red was always filled by only one man and was known as Admiral of the Fleet . After the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the rank of admiral of the red was introduced. The number of officers holding each rank steadily increased throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1769 there were 29 admirals of various grades; by
770-600: The Blue in 1837. He died at East Lodge, Enfield , London , on 20 July 1838. He married, on 18 January 1809, Clementina, eldest daughter of the Hon. William Fullerton Elphinstone , a director of the East India Company , and elder brother of Lord Keith. The post-war Royal Navy frigate HMS Malcolm was named after Sir Pulteney Malcolm, as were Pulteney Street, Adelaide and Malcolm Island , British Columbia ;
825-415: The Fleet rather than Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey , who as senior active admiral nearing the age limit would customarily have received the promotion; John Baird became an Admiral; James Erskine a vice-admiral; and Harry Rawson a rear-admiral. Ironically, all these younger men would die at least a decade before de Horsey. In the time before squadron distinctions were removed or age limits instituted,
880-697: The Mediterranean in the Royal Sovereign , in which, on her arrival, Sir Richard Bickerton hoisted his flag, and Malcolm was appointed to the Kent , then with Nelson blockading Toulon . He was, however, almost immediately sent to Naples, where, or in the neighbourhood, he remained during the year. His transfer to the Renown in July did not change his station. It was not till the beginning of 1805 that he
935-565: The North and West in 1364; and from 1408–1414 they were all reunited as the High Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aquitaine , the forerunner to the present Lord High Admiral . (During this process, the short-lived post of Admiral of the Narrow Seas was used in 1412 and 1413. It was subsequently revived from 1523 to 1688.) The first royal commission as Admiral to a naval officer was granted in 1303 to Gervase Alard . By 1344, it
990-631: The Red rank until that post was introduced in 1805 prior to this the highest rank an admiral could attain to was Admiral of the White who then flew the Cross of St George . The next promotion step up from that was to Admiral of the Fleet. [REDACTED] Media related to Admirals of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons HMS Donegal (1798) HMS Donegal was launched in 1794 as Barra ,
1045-619: The ambassador to the Junta at Seville , Marquess Richard Wellesley , brother of Sir Arthur Wellesley. She arrived on 1 August, shortly after the Battle of Talavera , and after the failure of Richard Wellesley's mission, returned him to Britain in November. On her arrival, Captain Malcolm resumed command of Donegal . On 6 November 1810, Donegal captured the French privateer lugger Surcouf off Cape Barfleur. Surcouf , of 14 guns and 53 men,
1100-520: The battle. Gambier was controversially cleared of all charges. In November 1810 Malcolm led an attack on a French frigate squadron anchored at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue at the action of 15 November 1810 , which ultimately led to the destruction of the Elisa . The Donegal was paid off in 1811, and Malcolm was appointed to the Royal Oak , which he commanded off Cherbourg till March 1812, when he accepted
1155-579: The close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 there were 190 admirals in service. Thereafter the number of admirals was reduced and in 1853 there were 79 admirals. Although admirals were promoted according to strict seniority, appointments to command were made at the discretion of the Board of Admiralty . As there were invariably more admirals in service than there were postings, many admirals remained unemployed, especially in peacetime. The organisation of
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#17327758822161210-461: The coast of Holland, with the fleets of France and Spain under his orders; and in 1833–4 was again commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean. He was nominated a G.C.M.G. on 21 January 1829, and a G.C.B. on 26 April 1833. In the final years of his life, he became Chairman of the Oriental Club which had been founded by his brother General Sir John Malcolm . He attained the rank of Admiral of
1265-832: The combined fleets across the Atlantic to the West Indies and back. She was not present at Trafalgar , but was able, on 23 October, to capture the partially dismasted Spanish first rate Rayo which had escaped Trafalgar, but had been ordered to sea again to attempt to recapture some of the British prizes. Donegal was then part of a squadron off Cadiz under Vice-admiral John Duckworth , when news reached him that two French squadrons had sailed from Brest in December 1805. Duckworth took his squadron to Barbados to search for them, eventually sighting them off San Domingo on 6 February 1806. Duckworth organised his ships into two lines,
1320-560: The command of Captain Edward Cooke , in whose company he entered Manila Bay under false colours, on 14 January 1798 in the bloodless Raid on Manila , and carried off three Spanish gunboats. After some further cruising among the islands the Fox returned to India, where, on 18 June, Malcolm was appointed by Rear-Admiral Rainier to be his flag captain in the Suffolk , and afterwards in
1375-758: The command of Captain Sir Richard Strachan , with William Bissell as her first lieutenant from 1801 until December 1805. Donegal was initially deployed in the English Channel , but following the outbreak of hostilities with Spain , she was assigned to watch the French squadron at Cadiz . Whilst on this station, she spotted and gave chase to the large 42-gun Spanish frigate Amfitrite in November 1804. After pursuing her for 46 hours, Amfitrite lost her mizzen-top-mast and Donegal subsequently overhauled her. The engagement lasted only eight minutes, Amfitrite surrendered and after being searched,
1430-681: The command of the Jack Tar , which he took to England. On 22 October he was posted, and a few days later appointed to the Fox frigate. In February 1795 he convoyed a fleet of merchant ships to the Mediterranean; thence he went to Quebec, and afterwards was employed for some time in the North Sea. Later on he was sent out to the East Indies, and towards the end of 1797 into the China Seas, under
1485-469: The concept of yellow admirals (formally known as granting an officer the position of "Rear-Admiral without distinction of squadron"), being captains promoted to flag rank on the understanding that they would immediately retire on half-pay . This was the navy's first attempt at superannuating older officers. During the Interregnum , the rank of admiral was replaced by that of general at sea . In
1540-503: The concept of an English navy and its supposed admirals and lord high admirals back as far as Alfred the Great , counting several kings as themselves admirals, along with various dukes and earls who commanded fleets at prominent engagements such as Hubert de Burgh off Sandwich in 1217 . Other lists begin their count at King Henry III 's appointment of Sir Richard de Lucy on 28 August 1223 or 29 August 1224. A similar commission
1595-499: The death of James Hawkins-Whitshed resulted in ten men moving up to higher ranks. In 1996, the rank of admiral of the fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family but was resurrected on an honorary basis in 2014 for the appointment of Lord Boyce . Admirals of the fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life. The current ranks are rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and admiral of
1650-595: The engagement. By April 1809 Donegal was sailing with Admiral James Gambier's fleet in the Basque Roads . During the Battle of the Basque Roads , Donegal ' s first-lieutenant James Askey commanded the fire ship Hercule in the attack on the French fleet, with the assistance of midshipman Charles Falkiner, also of Donegal . Donegal was commanded by acting-Captain Edward Pelham Brenton when she sailed for Cadiz on 24 July 1809, carrying
1705-479: The flagship of Rear-admiral Eliab Harvey , and was later placed under the command of Rear-admiral Richard Keats in the Channel. Donegal was at Spithead in 1808 and over a period of five days from 1 August Captain Malcolm oversaw the disembarkation of Sir Arthur Wellesley's army at Mondego Bay. Donegal ’s first-lieutenant James Askey acted as the beach-master during the landings. On 23 February 1809 Donegal
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1760-519: The fleet his deputy, the vice admiral , would be in the leading portion or van . Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called rear admiral . Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of post-captain , and rank was held for life, so the only way to be promoted was for the person above on the list to die or resign. In 1747 the Admiralty restored an element of merit selection to this process by introducing
1815-596: The fleet into coloured squadrons was finally abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Navy , the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels. The 18th- and 19th-century Royal Navy also maintained a positional rank known as port admiral . A port admiral was typically a veteran captain who served as
1870-417: The fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as flag officers , are entitled to fly a personal flag . An admiral of the fleet flies a Union Flag at the masthead, while an admiral flies a St George's cross (red cross on white). Vice admirals and rear admirals fly a St George's cross with one or two red discs in the hoist, respectively. The rank of admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by
1925-468: The fleet, too late for the battle of Trafalgar , fought on 21 October, but in time to render most valuable assistance to the disabled ships and more disabled prizes. She captured the Rayo , which had made a sally from Cadiz on 23 October; and in the night of 24 October, when some of the prisoners on board the French ship Berwick cut the cable and let her go on shore, on which she almost immediately broke up,
1980-405: The morning, with Warren giving the signal for HMS Robust to steer for the French line and attack Hoche directly. Hoche then came under fire from HMS Magnanime . The next three British ships into action, the frigates Ethalion , Melampus and Amelia , all raked the isolated Hoche as they passed before pressing on sail to pursue the French frigates, now sailing towards to
2035-897: The navy in 1778, during the American Revolutionary War , on the books of the Sibyl , commanded by his uncle, Captain Pasley. With Pasley he afterwards served in the Jupiter , in the squadron under Commodore George Johnstone , and was present at the action in Porto Praya and at the capture of the Dutch Indiamen in Saldanha Bay. In 1782 the Jupiter carried out Admiral Pigot to the West Indies. Malcolm
2090-411: The official ranks became admiral of the white and so forth, however each admiral's command flags were different and changed over time. The Royal Navy has had vice and rear admirals regularly appointed to the post since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the admiral would be in either the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the admiral commanded from the middle portion of
2145-573: The post of captain of the fleet to Lord Keith , his uncle by marriage. He was promoted to be rear-admiral on 4 December 1813, but remained with Keith till June 1814, when, with his flag in the Royal Oak , he convoyed a detachment of the army from Bordeaux to North America, and served during the war with the United States as third in command under Sir Alexander Cochrane and Rear-admiral (afterwards Sir) George Cockburn . On 2 January 1815 he
2200-481: The ranks of rear admiral , vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. The rank of admiral is currently the highest rank to which a serving officer in the Royal Navy can be promoted, admiral of the fleet being in abeyance except for honorary promotions of retired officers and members of the royal family. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines
2255-471: The shore batteries near Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue . Revenge and Donegal arrived two days later and together the four ships fired upon the French for as long as the tide would allow. The operation cost Donegal three men wounded. Élisa was driven ashore and ultimately destroyed as a result of this action; Amazone escaped safely into Le Havre. Donegal spent most of 1811 off Cherbourg , before being reduced to ordinary at Portsmouth later that year. She
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2310-471: The shore commander of a British naval port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The problem of promoting strictly by seniority was well illustrated by the case of Provo Wallis who served (including time being carried on the books while still a child) for 96 years. When he died in 1892 four admirals under him could immediately be promoted. By request of Queen Victoria , John Edmund Commerell became Admiral of
2365-663: The south-west extremity of which is named Pulteney Point. There is a memorial statue, by Edward Hodges Baily , to Malcolm in the Nelson Chamber of the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral while another statue stands in Langholm . Admiral (Royal Navy) Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy , which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9 , outranked only by the rank of admiral of the fleet . Royal Navy officers holding
2420-590: The south-west. With Hoche heavily damaged, Bompart finally surrendered at 10:50 with 270 of his crew and passengers killed or wounded, giving his sword to Lieutenant Sir Charles Dashwood . Wolfe Tone was later recognised and arrested. The captured Hoche was towed by the Doris to Lough Swilly , County Donegal, Ireland; taken into service and renamed HMS Donegal , after the action in which she had been captured. She spent 1800 in Plymouth , and in 1801 came under
2475-418: The weather line consisting of HMS Superb , Northumberland and Spencer , while the lee line consisted of Agamemnon , Canopus , Donegal and Atlas . The lines moved to attack the French ships and the Battle of San Domingo broke out. Donegal initially engaged the Brave with several broadsides, forcing her to surrender after half an hour. Captain Malcolm then moved his position to fire
2530-462: Was found to be laden with stores and carrying dispatches from Cadiz to Tenerife and Havana . She was taken over and later commissioned into the Navy as HMS Amfitrite . Donegal would later make another capture off Cadiz, taking a Spanish vessel carrying a cargo reputed to be worth 200,000 pounds. By 1805 Donegal was still off Cadiz, under the command of Captain Pulteney Malcolm . She then accompanied Vice-admiral Nelson in his pursuit of
2585-403: Was given to Sir Thomas Moulton in 1264, who held the formal title of Keeper of the Sea and the Sea Ports. On 8 March 1287, Sir William de Leybourne was specifically commissioned as the Admiral of the Seas of England ( Latin : Admirallus Maris Angliae ) and, in 1294, captain of all sailors and mariners of the king's dominions. Sir John de Botetourt served under him as warden at sea from
2640-482: Was nominated a K.C.B., and during "The Hundred Days ' War" commanded a squadron in the North Sea, in co-operation with the army under the Duke of Wellington . In 1816–17 he was Commander-in-chief on the Saint Helena station, specially appointed to enforce a rigid blockade of the island and to keep a close guard on Napoleon Bonaparte . He was advanced to vice-admiral on 19 July 1821, and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet from 1828 to 1831. In 1832 he commanded on
2695-431: Was of infinite service to us after the action." The Donegal continued off to cruise off Cadiz till the close of the year, when she sailed for the West Indies with Sir John Duckworth , and took an important part in the Battle of San Domingo , 6 February 1806. Malcolm was afterwards sent home in charge of the prizes, and in a very heavy gale rescued the crew of the Brave as she was on the point of foundering. He received
2750-509: Was one day out of Cherbourg and had made no captures. The hired armed lugger Sandwich shared in the prize money arising from the capture, as well as Revenge ' s capture on 17 October of the privateer Vengeur . Donegal too shared in the proceeds of the capture of Vengeur , suggesting Donegal , Revenge , and Sandwich were all in company. On 13 November 1810, the frigates Diana and Niobe attacked two French frigates ( Elisa and Amazone ), which sought protection under
2805-424: Was only used as a rank at sea for a captain in charge of one or more fleets. In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organised into squadrons . The squadron's admiral flew a red ensign , the vice admirals white , and the rear admirals blue on the aft mast of his ship. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an admiral (with vice admirals and rear admirals commanding sections) and
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#17327758822162860-460: Was part of a squadron under Rear-Admiral Stopford , when they chased three enemy frigates into the Sable d'Olonne , leading to the Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne . HMS Defiance was able to anchor within half a mile of them, whilst Donegal and Caesar had to anchor further out because of their deeper draughts. Their combined fire eventually forced two of the frigates to run ashore, whilst Donegal suffered one man killed and six wounded in
2915-401: Was peculiarly active. In company with the Iphigenia she captured the French frigate Inconstante , on the coast of San Domingo , on 25 November 1793; she captured or cut out many privateers or merchant vessels; and Malcolm, as first lieutenant, commanded her boats in several sharp conflicts. Early in 1794 Commodore Ford took him into his flagship the Europa , and on 3 April promoted him to
2970-432: Was permitted to rejoin the flag, and to exchange into the Donegal , in time to take part in the celebrated pursuit of the French fleet to the West Indies (see Horatio Nelson ). On the return of the fleet to the Channel, the Donegal , with others, was sent to reinforce Collingwood off Cadiz, and was still there when Nelson resumed the command on 28 September. On 17 October Donegal was sent to Gibraltar for water and
3025-426: Was thus brought under the admiral's notice, was taken by him into the flagship, and some months later, on 3 March 1783, was promoted to be lieutenant of the Jupiter . He continued serving during the peace, and in 1793, at the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars , was first lieutenant of the Penelope frigate on the Jamaica station , under the command of Captain Bartholomew Rowley . The Penelope's service
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