# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Seward, Charles

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​SEWARD. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 18; h-p., 35.)
Charles Seward was born about 1781.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 April, 1794, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Alfred 74, Capt. John Bazely, attached to the force in the Channel; where, in May, 1795, 10 months after he had been discharged from the Alfred, he became Fst.-cl. Vol. of the Orestes 18, Capts. Orrock and Parker. Removing as Midshipman, in July, 1796, to the Majestic 74, Capts. Geo. Blagden Westcott, Robt. Cuthbert, and Geo. Hope, he served in that ship as Signal-Midshipman and Aide-de-Camp to Capt. Westcott, and was wounded, at the battle of the Nile 1 Aug. 1798. On his return home after witnessing the re-capture of Naples, he joined, first, in Nov. 1799, the Kent 74, flag-ship of Lord Duncan off the Texel, and next, in June, 1800, the Ville de Paris 110, bearing the flag of Lord St. Vincent in the Channel. On the occasion of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 31 Aug. 1801, he was placed in command of the Good Intent gun-brig, lying in the river Coln. He left that vessel 19 Oct. following; and was subsequently appointed – 15 Nov. 1802, to the Antelope 50, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith in the North Sea – 28 July, 1803, to the Princess of Orange 74, Capts. Chas. Cunningham and Thos. Rogers, also on the Home station – 25 Dec. 1805, again, as First, to the Antelope – 19 Feb. 1806, to the Hibernia 110, flag-ship of Lord St. Vincent and Sir W. S. Smith in the Channel and off Lisbon – 16 Jan. and 5 Feb. 1308, as First, to the Minotaur 74, and Foudroyant 80, bearing each the flag of Sir W. S. Smith, whom he accompanied, in the latter ship, to the Brazils, whither, in the Hibernia, he had witnessed the flight of the Royal House of Portugal – 23 Aug. 1809 and 11 July, 1810, in the same capacity, to the Orpheus 32, Capts. Patrick Tonyn and Robt. Preston, and Sceptre 74, Capts. Sam. Jas. Ballard and Thos. Harvey, employed on the West India and Channel stations – and in Jan. 1813, to the Transport Service. Owing to the death, at Barbadoes, of Capt. Tonyn, he was for three weeks in command of the Orpheus; during which period he performed the arduous duties, preparatory to the attack upon Guadeloupe, of collecting troops at Pigeon Island ​and at Ste. Lucie, and of conducting a convoy, brought from England, in safety into Prince Rupert’s Bay, Dominica. On being appointed to the Transport Service, he sailed with a large convoy of troop and store-ships for Lisbon, thence proceeded to Cadiz, and, having there embarked the Wattville Regiment, conveyed it to Quebec. On his arrival at that place he volunteered to carry home the despatches of Sir Geo. Provost, the Governor, requiring immediate supplies for the Canadas. This service he performed with so much expedition that Government was enabled to comply with the demands made before the season had closed up the navigation of the river St. Lawrence. He subsequently visited Barbadoes, and thence returned with the 90th Regiment, via Bermuda, to Quebec. On 17 Aug. 1814, being then on his voyage home from America in the Atlas transport, carrying only 10 guns and 25 men, with 5 boys and 4 passengers, he was attacked, off Cape Clear, by a large American privateer, mounting 14 long 9-pounders, with a complement of 150 men, which had recently captured a Bataviaman with 52 men on board, and had committed great depredations on the coast of Ireland. After a close action of one hour and forty minutes, running before the wind, the Atlas sheered across the enemy’s stern and raked her with so much effect that the latter made off and stood to the southward to repair damages. On reaching Cork, Lieut. Seward was highly complimented by Sir Herbert Sawyer, the Commander-in-Chief, for the valour he had displayed in having defeated so formidable an opponent. He was also gratified by receiving from the Admiralty a letter expressing the strong sense entertained by their Lordships of his “distinguished gallantry and good conduct;” and still more so by being advanced, 15 Nov. following, to the rank of Commander. The officers and crew of the Atlas (which was ensured for 20,000l.) were handsomely rewarded by the Treasury; and the men, being only hired, were granted three years’ protection from impressment. We may add that Commander Seward, a few days after he had been elevated to that rank, had the honour of receiving from Lord St. Vincent a letter congratulating him on his “well-earned promotion.” During the first 18 years of the peace he applied constantly, but in vain, for employment. The state of his health then placed it out of his power. He was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 1 Dec. 1847. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
* ↑ One of the ships involved in the Spithead mutiny.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1798, p. 917.