# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Swaine, Spelman

Layout 4
​SWAINE. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 27; h-p., 38.)
Spelman Swainewas born 1 Jan. 1769, at Lynn Regis, co. Norfolk, and died 14 Jan. 1848, at Wisbeach, co. Cambridge. He was only surviving son of the late Spelman Swaine, Esq., of Leverington, near Wisbeach, by Dorothy, daughter of Walter Robertson, Esq., of Lynn Regis.
This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1782, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Crocodile 24, Capt. Albemarle Bertie, stationed in the Channel. In the ensuing Oct., having followed Capt. Bertie as Midshipman into the Recovery 32, he accompanied Lord Howe to the relief of Gibraltar, and was present in the partial action near Cape Sepet. Between 1783 and 1791 he served in succession, chiefly on the Home station, and principally in the capacity of Midshipman, in the Carnatic 74, Capt. Anthony Jas. Pye Molloy, Champion 24, Capt. Wm. Domett, Sandwich 90, Capt. Tonkin, Impregnable 98, Capt. Thos. Pringle, Lowestoffe frigate, Capt. Edm. Dod, Discovery, Capt. Henry Roberts, and Courageux 74, Capt. Alan Gardner. He then went back, as Master’s Mate, to the Discovery, then commanded by Capt. Geo. Vancouver; and while in that vessel, of which he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant in 1792, he visited the Canary Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, New Holland, New Zealand, the Sandwich Islands, and Nootka Sound; and was for nearly two years employed in exploring the north-west coast of America. During his absence from England he was the means, by affording timely assistance, of saving the lives of Capt. Vancouver, Lieut. Peter Puget, a Midshipman, and a boat’s crew, when treacherously attacked by a party of Indians. He was officially promoted on his return home 27 Oct. 1795; appointed, 26 Nov. following and 4 May, 1801, to the Spitfire sloop, Capts. Amherst Morris, Michael Seymour, and Robt. Keen, and Princess Charlotte 38, Capt. Hon. Fras. Farington Gardner, on the Channel and Cork stations; and on 29 April, 1802, was advanced to the rank of Commander. In the Spitfire he assisted at the capture of L’Allégrée, a French vessel laden with ammunition and other warlike stores, six privateers, carrying in the whole 57 guns and 301 men, and a transport armed with 14 guns. Obtaining command, in June, 1802, of the Raven sloop, Capt. Swaine was sent in that vessel with despatches to Tangiers, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Valette; and in Oct. 1803 he had the honour of leading Lord Nelson’s fleet through the Straits of Bonifaccio to Agincourt Sound, an anchorage among the Madalena Islands, to the northward of Sardinia. The service he rendered on this occasion – the first time the navigation had been attempted by a three-decker – gained him a very high compliment from the hero. On the night of 6 Jan. 1804 the Raven, owing to an unusual current, was wrecked near Mazara, on the coast of Sicily. Her officers and crew were, however, saved by a merchant-vessel; and her Captain had the gratification, on being tried by a court-martial, of being not only acquitted of all blame on account of the disaster, but of being commended for the conduct he had at the time exhibited. From 16 Sept. 1808 until removed to the Philomel sloop, Capt. Swaine commanded the Helicon of 10 guns on the Downs station. In the Philomel he conveyed some military officers to Oporto, a Spanish grandee to Cadiz, and despatches to the Mediterranean, where he was made Post, 17 May, 1810, into the Hind 28. Before, however, he could join that vessel she had returned to England and was broken up. His last appointments were, 3 Aug. 1811 and 28 April, 1814, to the Talbot 20 and Statira 38, employed on the Irish, West India, and North American stations. In the latter frigate, after conveying Major-General Gibbs and other military officers to New Orleans, he was again, 26 Feb. 1815, wrecked near Cuba on a, rock not previously known. He underwent in consequence the customary ordeal of a court-martial, and was fully acquitted. He accepted the rank of Rear-Admiral 1 Oct. 1846.
Rear-Admiral Swaine was a Magistrate and Chief Bailiff of the Isle of Ely. He married, 26 Aug. 1806, Sophia Anne, eldest daughter of the Rev. Chas. Le Grice, of Bury St. Edmunds, co. Suffolk, by whom he has left issue. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.