# Royal Naval Biography/Malcolm, Charles

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CHARLES MALCOLM, Esq [Post-Captain of 1802.]
This officer is the youngest brother of Vice-Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, K.C.B., under whom he served as a Midshipman in the Fox frigate, and Suffolk of 74 guns, of which latter ship he was appointed a Lieutenant by Vice-Admiral Rainier, Jan. 12, 1799. In Aug. 1801, he was promoted by his patron to the rank of Commander, in the Albatross sloop of war, on the East India station, from whence he returned to England in the Eurydice of 24 guns, Mar. 27, 1803. His post commission bears date Dec. 29, 1802.
​Captain Malcolm’s next appointment was, Sept. 24, 1806, to the Narcissus frigate; and on the 30th Jan. following, we find him receiving a severe wound in the head whilst leading his boats to the attack of a French convoy lying in Conquet bay, near Brest, under the protection of several heavy batteries, two armed brigs, and a cutter. In this gallant but unsuccessful enterprise the boats had 7 men killed and 15 wounded.
On the 18th Aug. in the same year, Captain Malcolm captured the Cantela, a Spanish schooner, pierced for 12 guns; and in the ensuing month he drove three of the enemy’s rowboats on shore, near Oporto. He also assisted at the reduction of the Saintes, in April, 1809. The following are extracts from the public letters of Sir George Beckwith and Major-General Maitland on that occasion:
“Fort Royal, Martinique, April 20, 1809.
“The French squadron, consisting of three sail of the line and two frigates, from l’Orient, having taken shelter in the Saintes, in the vicinity of Guadaloupe, where they were blockaded by Sir Alexander Cochrane with a superior force, I detached a corps, of between 2000 and 3000 men, under the command of Major-General Maitland, to co-operate with the navy in the reduction of those islands, and to destroy or capture the ships of the enemy, or to force them to sea. I have the satisfaction to report to your lordship, for his Majesty’s information, that after three days of great toil and most active service, the forts were reduced, and the troops surrendered prisoners of war. The French ships of the line pushed to sea early in the night of the 14th; on the 16th the Admiral was within four miles of them; and, I trust, will be enabled to bring them to close action.
“The navy have most cordially supported us. Captain Beaver, of H.M.S. Acasta, has increased that character which I know his conduct at Bay Robert, Martinique, in your presence gained him. * * * * Captain Carthew of the Gloire, and Captain Malcolm of the Narcissus, also merit the warmest acknowledgment.”
Captain Malcolm was soon after appointed to the Rhin, an 18-pounder frigate, employed in the British Channel, where he captured four French privateers, carrying in the whole 58 guns and 310 men. On the 31st Jan. 1812, he escaped ​sharing the fate of the Laurel frigate, by his promptitude in changing the Rhin’s course, at the very moment when her consort struck on the Govivas rock in the Teigneuse passage, from whence he himself was then not half a cable’s length distant. Nor were his exertions after clearing the danger less creditable than his coolness on that occasion; for notwithstanding the remonstrances of his pilot, he worked the Rhin among the breakers, and contributed very materially to the preservation of the officers and men remaining on the wreck, which was much exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy’s land batteries.
In the following summer Captain Malcolm was very actively employed on the north coast of Spain, under the orders of Sir Home Popham, as will be seen by a reference to the extracts from that officer’s despatches, which we have inserted, at p. 523 et seq. of this volume.
The Rhin was subsequently sent to the West Indies, where she captured the American privateer schooner Decatur, a beautiful vessel of 223 tons, commanded by M. Diron, a celebrated Frenchman, who had some time before succeeded in boarding and carrying H.M. schooner Dominica, of 15 guns and 77 men.
Captain Malcolm being put out of commission on his return to England, after the termination of hostilities, remained on half pay till Sept. 15, 1817, when he was appointed to the Sybille frigate, fitting for the flag of Sir Home Popham, with whom he served during the whole period of that officer’s command on the Jamaica station. His last appointment was, July 8, 1822, to the William and Mary yacht, stationed at Dublin, to attend upon the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on which service he is at present employed.
The subject of this memoir married, in 180$, a daughter of C. Pasley, Esq., and a niece of his maternal uncle, the late Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Bart.
Agent.– Thomas Stilwell, Esq.
* ↑ See Vol. I, pp. 582, 584, et seq.
* ↑ Viscount Castlereagh.
* ↑ One of the French ships was captured by Captain (now Rear-Admiral) Fahie. See Vol. I. p. 717. The others effected their escape.
* ↑ See p. 683.
* ↑ See James’s Naval History, vol. 5, p. 397 et seq.
* ↑ Sir Home. Popham died at Cheltenham, Sept, 11, 1820, aged 58.