# Royal Naval Biography/Kerr, Charles Julius

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CHARLES JULIUS KERR, Esq. [Post-Captain of 1814.]
Is descended from the Kerrs of Fernyhirst, N.B. His grandfather, James Kerr, Esq. was chosen M.P. for Edinburgh, at the general election that took place after the rebellion of 1745, and married the third daughter of Lord Charles Kerr, second son of Robert, the first Marquis of ​Lothian. His father being a younger son, was brought up to the medical profession, and married a daughter of David Wardrobe, Esq. formerly a surgeon in Edinburgh.
This officer entered the navy, in July 1799, as a midshipman on board the Ajax 80, Captain the Hon. Alexander I. Cochrane, under whom he served until that ship was paid off, on her return from the Mediterranean, in the spring of 1802. He then joined the Diamond frigate. Captain Thomas Elphinstone, who gave him the charge of a detained American, from Bourdeaux, in which vessel he was captured by l’Avanture French privateer, and carried into St. Andero, where he fortunately obtained his release, through the interference of the British consul, thereby escaping a ten years’ sojourn at Verdun. In Dec. 1804, he assisted at the capture of the Spanish corvette Infanta Carlos, with a valuable cargo, and 120,000 dollars in specie, from the Havannah bound to Corunna.
In Oct. 1805, Mr. Kerr removed to the Northumberland 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Cochrane, by whom he was promoted into the Jason frigate, on the Leeward Islands station, Dec. 31, following.
On the 1st June, 1806, Lieutenant Kerr was sent in the Jason’s barge with two other boats under his command, to destroy a battery, supposed to contain only one gun, near Aguadilla, on the N.W. side of Porto Rico. In attempting to land close to it, the barge grounded on a piece of coral, and the men unexpectedly plunged breast high into a hole between her and the shore, by which their ammunition was rendered totally useless: the Spaniards in the mean time kept up a smart and well-directed fire. In this situation. Lieutenant Kerr, considering that either hesitation or retreat threatened certain destruction to the whole party, instantly determined to storm the fort, and succeeded in carrying it, with the loss of several men killed and wounded. Among the former was the acting master of a schooner then in company with the Jason, who, while speaking to Lieutenant Kerr, received four musket balls at the same moment, and ​immediately expired. In the battery, instead of a single gun, were found mounted one long 24-pounder, three brass twelves, an 8-pounder, and a field-piece. The latter was quickly turned against the Spaniards, who had fled into the woods, and were still lurking there; but, unfortunately, a spark fell on some loose powder, which communicated with the magazine, and caused a most destructive explosion. Lieutenant Kerr was wounded in the leg by a splinter, and had his face very much burnt: of 40 men who landed from the boats, only 18 remained uninjured. On this circumstance being communicated to the committee of the Patriotic Fund, they distributed rewards to the wounded sailors, and voted Lieutenant Kerr 100l., for which a handsome sword was afterwards substituted at his particular request.
On the 27th Jan. 1807, the Jason captured la Favorite French corvette, formerly a British sloop, mounting 29 guns, with a complement of 150 men.
In June 1808, Mr. Kerr became flag-lieutenant to his early patron, Sir Alexander Cochrane, by whom he was successively appointed acting captain of the Circe frigate, and commander of the Julia and Wolverene brigs. His commission as commander bears date Nov. 30, 1808, and his appointment to the latter vessel Dec. 11, 1809.
On the 9th Nov. 181 1, Captain Kerr assisted at the capture of la Courageuse French privateer schooner of 14 guns and 70 men, near the Eddy stone; and on the 7th Oct. 1813, we find him capturing a French national lugger of 6 guns and 32 men, off Cape Barfleur. About the latter period, he intercepted the King of Rome, American letter of marque, laden with colonial produce.
On the 4th Sept. 1814, this officer received an order to act as captain of the Tonnant 80, bearing the flag of Sir Alexander Cochrane, on the coast of North America. This appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty on the 5th of the following month, and he continued to command that ship until June 1815, since which he has not been employed.
Agents.– Messrs. Maude and Co.
* ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. p. 259.
* ↑ See Suppl. Part I. p. 135.