page_title: Jeremiah Coghlan
section_title: Dutton
hierarchical_section_title: Jeremiah Coghlan / Dutton
caption_attribution_description: English: Oil on Canvas of The Wreck of the East Indiaman 'Dutton' at Plymouth Sound on 26 January 1796 painted by Thomas Luny in 1821
context_page_description: Jeremiah Coghlan CB was a British naval officer. He was famous for his almost legendary feats of daring during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Despite his relatively humble background, he managed to rise from ship's boy to the rank of captain at the age of 34. This he achieved through notable acts of extraordinary courage and a succession of sea-fights which made him a celebrated hero, almost without equal, and he would later dine with both Nelson and Napoleon. Coghlan's career was initiated by his patron and close friend Sir Edward Pellew, after Pellew witnessed his heroic efforts during the rescue of the survivors of the East Indiaman Dutton.
  Coghlan's exploits have been described as similar to plots for a collection of Hornblower novels Coghlan has also been compared to Hornblower because they were both protégés of Sir Edward Pellew aboard HMS Indefatigable.
  From May 1804 he served in the West Indies, returning as Sir Edward Pellew's flag captain on HMS Caledonia eight years later.
  Jeremiah Coghlan also holds the distinction of being the only person in the Royal Navy to have been promoted to Lieutenant after only four years service.
context_section_description: On 26 January 1796 the Dutton, which was transporting troops to the West Indies, ran aground under the citadel in Plymouth with almost 500 men, women and children still on board. A crowd gathered and watched helpless as the ship lay stricken. Due to the raging storm no boats dared to venture out, but this did not deter Coghlan, aged just 16, from plunging into the raging sea with a rope tied around his body. Although at great risk of being dashed to pieces on the rocks, he was successful in saving several lives. When he was unable to continue swimming, he found a boat and volunteers to man it, and proceeded to save a total of about 50 people.
  In the meantime Captain Pellew had managed to board the vessel and was restoring order amongst the chaos. Spurred on by this spectacle of bravery, Coghlan, along with Mr Edsell (signal Midshipman to the port admiral), managed to obtain a boat from the Barbican, row out to the Dutton, and bring their boat alongside. It was Coghlan who managed to secure the Dutton's lifeline. This enabled hawsers to be rigged with cradles for hauling people ashore one by one. In the end only fifteen lives were lost.
  "Soon after Sir Edward reached the wreck, a small boat belonging to an Irish brig came to alongside, with two persons who greatly assisted him in this work of benevolence. One of these young men was the mate, whom Captain Pellew on the following day received into his own ship, and thenceforward became his steady friend and patron. It is almost unnecessary to add, that this officer is now Captain Coghlan, R.N."
caption: Wreck of the Dutton at Plymouth Sound by Thomas Luny
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