page_title: John Halsted
section_title: Family and early life
hierarchical_section_title: John Halsted / Family and early life
caption_attribution_description: English: In the centre of this depiction, a group of men-of-war, in starboard-quarter view, are running towards the Straits of Gibraltar. They are all of Lord Howe's division and wear blue ensigns. The central ship is the 'Victory', 100 guns, flying Lord Howe's blue flag at the main. She has a cutter under her stern and another to starboard. In the right foreground is a cutter, starboard-bow view, with her sails down and a boat beside her. Beyond her, in the right background, is the van division, in starboard-quarter view, all with white ensigns. The 'Britannia', 100 guns, can be seen wearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Samuel Barrington. In the left foreground, in starboard-quarter view, is a rowing boat with a sail at her bows. Beyond her is a frigate, in starboard-quarter view, and the rear division with the blue flag of Vice-Admiral Milbank in the 'Ocean', 98 guns. In the background, between the rear and centre divisions, is the Franco-Spanish fleet at anchor in Algeciras Bay. In the background, between the centre and van divisions, can be seen the Rock of Gibraltar with cannon smoke rising from the Spanish side of it.Français&#160;: Arrivée des forces de Howe en vue de Gibraltar en 1782 lors du siège de la place (Guerre d'Amérique).
context_page_description: John Halsted was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
  Born into a naval family, Halsted went to sea at an early age with his father and at least one of his brothers. After a period of schooling he rejoined the navy and served aboard a number of ships and under a variety of notable commanders of the age, until reaching the rank of lieutenant shortly after the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars. He went out to the East Indies for much of them, serving onshore with troops and later commanding a sloop, before returning to Britain hoping to receive post-rank and the command of a frigate. He was disappointed, the Admiralty declined to confirm his appointment and he spent a number of years without a ship.
  He returned to active service only in 1804, with the command of a defence and storeship, followed by a position as agent for transports for the expedition to Copenhagen in 1807. He again escaped official notice, and it was not until 1808 that he received a promotion to post-captain.
context_section_description: Halsted was born in Gosport, Hampshire in 1768, the third son of naval officer Captain William Anthony Halsted, and his wife Mary, née Frankland.  Three of John's brothers had naval careers; Charles Halsted became a lieutenant and was lost with HMS Blanche in 1780, Lawrence Halsted had a long career and became an admiral, and George Halsted rose to be a commander.  John Halsted also embarked on a naval career in 1776, joining his brother Lawrence aboard their father's ship, the 60-gun HMS Jersey, for service off North America. John was eight years old at the time. William Anthony Halsted died while in command off New York City in 1778, and John was transferred to the 32-gun HMS Amazon, where he remained into 1779. He was then entered into a school for the next three years, rejoining the navy in 1782 as a midshipman aboard the 98-gun HMS Blenheim. The Blenheim, commanded at this time by Captain Adam Duncan, went out to relieve Gibraltar with Admiral Lord Howe's fleet. Howe's fleet was then engaged with a Spanish force under Luis de Córdova at the Battle of Cape Spartel on 20 October 1782, in which Blenheim had two men killed and three wounded. Halsted then transferred to the 98-gun HMS Princess Royal under Captain Jonathan Faulknor.
  Halsted now went on to serve aboard a succession of different ships; the 90-gun HMS Queen, the Portsmouth guardship and flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral John Montagu, and then the 74-gun HMS Ganges, commanded successively by the Hon. James Luttrell and Sir Roger Curtis. His next ship was a frigate, the 32-gun HMS Hebe under Captain Edward Thornbrough, followed by the 36-gun HMS Perseverance, under Captain Isaac Smith. Halsted went out to the East Indies during Perseverance's posting to that station. He then served aboard the 64-gun HMS Crown, under Captain Robert Manners Sutton, and the 74-gun HMS Brunswick under Sir Roger Curtis. He then moved aboard the 100-gun HMS Queen Charlotte, the flagship of Admiral Lord Howe. Howe promoted him to lieutenant and in September 1793 arranged for him to be appointed to the 74-gun HMS Suffolk.
caption: Relief of Gibraltar by Earl Howe, 11 October 1782, depicted by Richard Paton. Halsted served aboard the 98-gun HMS Blenheim during both the relief and the subsequent Battle of Cape Spartel.
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