# Royal Naval Biography/Stopford, Edward

Layout 2
EDWARD STOPFORD, Esq. [Post-Captain of 1811.]
Nephew of Admiral the Hon. Sir Robert Stopford, K.C.B.
This officer was made a Lieutenant May 1, 1804; and he had the misfortune to be captured by la Bellone, Trench frigate, when commanding the Victor sloop of war, on the East India station, Nov. 2, 1809. After his release from captivity he was appointed to the Otter.
On the 16th Dec. 1811, Captain Stopford arrived at the Admiralty with a despatch from his uncle, dated Aug. 28, of which the following are extracts:–
“I shall confine myself, in this letter, to the relation of the circumstances attending the naval co-operation with the army, in the attack upon the island of Java; and I have to request you will acquaint my Lords Commissioners with the unconditional surrender of the capital city of Batavia, on the 8th instant, and the destruction or capture of the greatest part of the enemy’s European troops, by a successful assault made upon a strongly entrenched and fortified work, called Muster Cornelis, on the morning of the 26th, by the troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty, who had also with him the royal marines of the squadron.
“Previous to this important and decisive advantage, the General had caused batteries to be erected, consisting of twenty 18-pounders, which were entirely manned by 500 seamen under the direction of Captain Sayer, of H.M.S. Leya, assisted by Captains Festing, of the Illustrious; Maunsell, of the Procris; Reynolds, of the Hesper; and Captain Stopford, who volunteered his services from the Scipion, where he was waiting for his ship, the Otter.
“The enemy was enalded to bring thirty-four heavy guns, 18, 24, and 32-pounders, to bear upon our batteries; but from the superior and well-directed fire, kept up by the British seamen, the enemy’s guns were occasionally silenced, and on the evening of the 25th completely so; their front line-of-defence also appeared much disabled, and many of their guns were dismounted. So favorable an opportunity was, therefore, seized by the General, and the fortunate result of the assault, on the morning of the 26th, followed, as before mentioned.
“The fatigue of the seamen was great, and much increased by being exposed to the hot sun of this climate, for three successive days, during which time the fire was kept up with little interruption; but it was borne with their characteristic fortitude, Captain Sayer, and the officers above mentioned, setting them noble examples.
​“I herewith enclose a list of the killed and wounded; and it is with much regret I add the name of Captain Stopford, who had his right arm carried off by a cannon-shot, whilst actively employed in the batteries; he is, however, doing well, and I hope soon to get him removed to a better climate.”
When Captain Stopford lost his arm, the seamen seeing him knocked backwards, and lying senseless, conjectured that he had been killed outright; but as they were bearing him off the field, he recovered his senses, and feeling the hot beams of a vertical sun striking directly on his head, his hat having rolled off when he fell, he immediately exclaimed to one of his men, “Damme, Sir! fetch me my hat.”
Captain Stopford was promoted to post rank on the second day after his arrival in London, from which period we lose sight of him until his appointment to the Rosamond 20, in the spring of 1814.
That ship was then under orders to convoy three merchantmen to the coast of Labrador. On her arrival there. Captain Stopford’s amputated arm arrested the attention of the Esquimaux. They satisfied themselves, by feeling the stump, that the limb was actually deficient, and then appeared to wonder how it could have been lost: but when one of his officers made signs to them that it had been severed with a saw, commiseration was depicted in every countenance.
The Rosamond returned to the Nore, Nov. 17, 1814; when she was surveyed, and found to be totally unfit for sea, in consequence of the damage she had sustained amongst the ice of Hudson’s Straits. She was accordingly put out of commission, and immediately advertised to be sold. Captain Stopford enjoys a pension of 300l. per annum for the loss of his arm.
Agent.– Sir F. M. Ommanney.