# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Drummond, Adam

Layout 4
​DRUMMOND, Kt., K.C.H. (Vice-Admiral, of the Red, 1837. f-p., 19; h-p., 48.)
Sir Adam Drummond – a collateral descendant of the Drummonds, Earls and Dukes of Perth, and Earls of Melfort – is third son of the late Colin Drummond, Esq., by Catherine, daughter of Robt. Oliphant, Esq., of Rossie, co. Perth; brother of General Sir Gordon Drummond, G.C.B.; brother-in-law of the late Lord Hervey, Capt. R.N., who died in 1796; and uncle of the present Colonel John Drummond, of the Boyce, co. Gloucester – as also of the late Lieut. Wm. Russell Drummond, R.N., who lost his life from a wound received during an insurrection at Calao, when Second-Lieutenant of H.M.S. Satellite, Capt. Robt. Smart, 31 Jan. 1835.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 March, 1780, as a Servant, on board the Daphne, commanded, on the Home station, by his future brother-in-law, Lord Hervey. After serving with that officer for some time in the Recovery, he joined him, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1782, on board the Raisonnable 64, and, towards the close of the same year, was present at the relief of Gibraltar, and in Lord Howe’s partial action with the combined fleets of France and Spain. Until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 17 Aug. 1795, Mr. Drummond – who beheld the capture, near Barbadoes, of the French ship-of-tho-line 'Solitaire', and of her consort, the Speedy corvette – further served, on the West India ​and Home stations, in the Argo, Capt. Jas. Douglas, Andromeda, Capt. John Salisbury, Trial, Lieut.-Commander Micajah Malbon, Medusa, Capt. Jas. Norman, and Venerable, Capt. Wm. Johnstone Hope. He then successively joined the Nassau 64, and Monarch 74, flag-ships of Vice-Admiral Rich. Onslow; and after witnessing the mutiny at the Nore, and enacting a warm part in the battle off Camperdown, was promoted to the command, 29 May, 1798, of the Bulldog bomb, on the Mediterranean station; where he bombarded Alexandria, and served off the coast of Italy, until within a short period of his advancement to Post-rank, 30 Oct. 1799. He had previously assisted at the capture of the San Leon, a Spanish brig-of-war. Assuming command, 18 May, 1801, of the Carysfort 28, Capt. Drummond immediately proceeded to the occupation of Madeira, where he continued several months, and received the thanks of the Consul and merchants for his zealous protection of commerce. The Carysfort being paid off in May, 1802, he was subsequently appointed – 17 Dec. 1804, to the Dryad 36, in which frigate he captured two privateers on the Irish station – 16 May, 1809, to the Sea Fencibles, at Ramsgate – and, 30 Sept. 1813, to the Leviathan 74. In the latter ship, after escorting the outward-bound trade to the West Indies, Capt. Drummond returned to England with another convoy, and was placed on half-pay, in Oct. 1814. He has not since been employed. His promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral took place 22 July, 1830, and to that of Vice-Admiral 10 Jan. 1837.
Sir Adam Drummond, who is in the commission of the peace, and is a Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Perth, was nominated a K.C.H. 1 Jan. 1837, and on 1 March following invested with the honour of Knighthood. He married, 28 May, 1801, Lady Charlotte Menzies, eldest daughter of the fourth Duke of Atholl, and widow of Sir John Menzies, Bart., by whom, who. died 31 May, 1832, he had issue four sons and one daughter. Agents – Messrs. Chard.