# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ross, Charles Bayne Hodgson

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​ROSS, C.B. (Vice-Admiral of the White, 1847. f-p., 42; h-p., 17.)
Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross is son of the late Lieut. Ross, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 March, 1788, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Echo sloop, Capt. Robt. Carthew Reynolds, on the books of which vessel, stationed at Newfoundland, his name continued borne until the following Dec. In Feb. 1790 he was received on board the Edgar 74, Capt. Anthony Jas. Pye Molloy, lying at Portsmouth; in April of the same year he removed to the Salisbury 50, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Mark Milbanke at Newfoundland; and, after having again served, with Capt. Albemarle Bertie, in the Edgar, he was employed, from March, 1793, until April, 1796, as Master’s Mate and Midshipman, in the Conflagration fire-ship and Tartar 28, both commanded by Capt. Thos. Fras. Fremantfe, St. George 98 and Britannia 100, each the flag-ship of Sir Hyde Parker, and Victory 100, bearing the flag of Sir John Jervis. While attached to the Tartar and St. George he served on shore at the capture and evacuation of Toulon, was present at the destruction of the arsenal and shipping at that place, took part in the land operations connected with the capture of San Fiorenza, Bastia, and Calvi, in the island of Corsica, and fought in Hotham’s two actions, 14 March and 13 July, 1795. On 14 July, 1796, he was made Lieutenant into the Saturn 74, Capt. Jas. Douglas, stationed off Cadiz; and he was next, 26 Aug. 1797 and 5 June, 1798, appointed to La Prompte 20, Capt. Geo. Eyre, and Queen 98, flagship of Sir Hyde Parker, both in the West Indies; where he served on shore at St. Nicolas Mole and contributed to the capture and destruction of several privateers and armed boats on the coast of St. Domingo. In Jan. 1800 he was nominated Acting- Commander of the Diligence 18; and in that vessel (to which he was confirmed 11 June following) he was wrecked, in Sept. of the same year, on the Honda bank, near Cuba. After commanding, for about six months, the Druid 32, he was ordered, 5 July, 1802, to act as Captain in La Desirée 36. He was officially posted 15 Oct. following; and, continuing in the same frigate until removed, in Dec. 1803, to La Pique 36, was employed at the blockade of St. Domingo and witnessed the surrender of the French squadron with the remains of General Rochambeau’s army from Cape François. In Jan. 1804, being then in La Pique, he commanded a brigade of seamen and marines in the unsuccessful attack upon Curaçoa, where he came into frequent collision with the enemy, set fire to the town of Otrabundi, and destroyed all the wells on the lagoon. In the course of 1804-5 he made prize of Le Terreur French cutter of 10 guns and 75 men, and of the Spanish ships-of-war Diligentia (taken in company with the Diana 38) and Orguijo. He also contrived, 26 March, 1806, to effect the capture of the French corvettes Phaeton and Voltigeur of 16 guns and 115 men each; the former of which vessels offered so fierce a resistance that 9 of the British were killed and 14 of them wounded in the act of boarding. During his command of the Desirée and Pique, in the latter of which he remained until Aug. 1807, Capt. Ross took, in different prizes, as many as 140 guns and 1500 men; four of his captures were added to the British Navy. From 13 Aug. 1812 until 15 Aug. 1816 he officiated as Flag-Captain, in the Marlborough, Sceptre, Albion, and Northumberland 74’s, to the present Sir Geo. Cockburn, under whom, in the three first, he partook of all the operations on the coast of North America detailed in our memoir of the gallant officer. While in the Albion he conducted a boat expedition up St. Mary’s river, whence he returned to Cumberland Island, on the coast of Georgia, with a ship loaded with timber, and an English East Indiaman which had been captured by an American privateer. He also embarked all the produce collected at the town of St. Mary’s in the vessels taken there by Capt. Robt, Barrie, blew up the fort on Point Petre and a battery, ​and destroyed the barracks and storehouses, together with some merchandize and guns that were not deemed fit to bring away. In the Northumberland Capt. Ross conveyed Napoleon Buonaparte to St. Helena. He afterwards, in 1817, obtained a three years’ appointment in the Ordinary at Portsmouth; from July, 1822; until his attainment of Flag-rank, 10 Jan. 1837, he served as Commissioner of the Navy at Jamaica, Malta, and Plymouth; and from 4 Sept. in the latter year until 1841 he commanded-in-chief in the Pacific with his flag in the President 50. He became a Vice-Admiral 24 April, 1847.
Vice-Admiral Ross was nominated a C.B. 8 Dec. 1815. He married, in 1803, Miss Cockburn, of Kingston, Jamaica, sister-in-law of Admiral Sir Geo. Cockburn, G.C.B. His only son, C. W. De Courcy Ross, died a Commander R.N. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
* ↑ Mounting 6 24-pounders and 3 brass 6-pounders.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 1747; 1814, p. 1966; 1815, p. 728.