# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sharpe, Alexander Renton

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​SHARPE, C.B. (Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 1848. f-p., 25; h-p., 23.)
Alexander Renton Sharpe is brother of General Matthew Sharpe.
This officer, at one time in the Army, entered the Navy, 22 May, 1799, as A.B., on board the Kent 74, Capt. Wm. Johnstone Hope, in which ship, bearing the flag at first of Lord Duncan, he took part in the expedition to Holland and continued employed off the port of Cadiz, latterly in the capacity of Midshipman, until Aug. 1800. Joining next, in Jan. 1801, the Bellerophon 74, Capts. Lord Viscount Garlics and John Loring, he sailed in that ship for the West Indies; where, from July, 1802, until 1807, he served in succession in the Leviathan and Hercule 74’s, flag-ships of Admirals Duckworth and Dacres, Veteran 64, Capt. Andrew Fitzherbert Evans, Shark sloop, bearing the flag of Admiral Dacres, Veteran again, Capt. Evans, and Franchise 36, Capt. Chas. Dashwood. He was present in the Hercule, in 1803-4, at the blockade of Cape Francois, St. Domingo, and in the unsuccessful attack upon Curaçoa; he was nominated, 18 May, 1806, Sub-Lieutenant of the Shark, and 15 July following Acting-Lieutenant of the Veteran; and he was confirmed a Lieutenant, while serving in the Franchise, 8 Dec. in the same year. After he had been for five months stationed at Woolwich and Plymouth in the Elizabeth and Bellerophon 74’s, Capts. Hon. Henry Curzon and Edw. Rotheram, he was appointed, 21 Nov. 1807, to the Topaze 36, Capts. Anselm John Griffiths and Henry Hope; under the former of whom, after having visited Vera Cruz, he proceeded to the Mediterranean, and took part, 12 March, 1809, near Corfu, in a very spirited action, which terminated in the beating off, by the Topaze, of the French 40-gun frigates Danaé and Flore. He was promoted to the rank of Commander 25 of the same month, but did not leave the Topaze until the following Aug., and on 16 of the next month was appointed to the Scout 18. In that sloop he was warmly praised by Capt. Robt. Barrie, the senior officer present, for his spirited exertions, and cordial co-operation with the Pomone 38 and Unité 36, at the destruction, 1 May, 1811, of the French store-ships Giraffe and Nourrice, each mounting from 20 to 30 guns, and both protected by a 5-gun battery, a martello tower, and a body of 200 regular troops, in Sagone Bay, island of Corsica – a service which was accomplished at the close of a gallant action of an hour and a half, attended with a loss to the British of 2 men killed and 25 wounded. From 14 Dec. 1812 until 30 Sept. 1818, Capt. Sharpe (whose Post-commission bears date 22 Jan. 1813, and who was nominated a C.B. 8 Dec. 1815) commanded the Hyacinth 24, in the Mediterranean, North Sea, Channel, and South America; from 18 March, 1836, until the early part of 1840, he served on the Home, Lisbon, and Mediterranean stations, in the Minden 72; and from 8 Sept. 1843 until Sept. 1845, he was employed as Commodore at Jamaica with his broad pendant in the Imaum 72. He was awarded the ​Captain’s Good-Service Pension 3 Nov. 1846, and advanced, 1 June, 1848, to Flag-rank.
Rear-Admiral Sharpe married, 15 April, 1841, Magdalene, youngest daughter of the late Sir Wm. Erskine, Bart. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.