page_title: Charles Inglis (Royal Navy officer, died 1833)
section_title: Family and early career
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Inglis (Royal Navy officer, died 1833) / Family and early career
caption_attribution_description: English: Capture of the William Tell
context_page_description: Charles Inglis was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of post-captain.
  Inglis was born into a naval family, the son of an officer who would die a rear-admiral, and followed his father into the navy. He rose through the ranks, and was a lieutenant aboard a frigate by 1798, when his ship fought an action against a French frigate, and succeeded in capturing it. Inglis had to take over command during the battle when his captain was injured, and was subsequently highly praised for his efforts. He then went to the Mediterranean, serving on a frigate forming part of Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson's squadron. He again acquitted himself well in battle, when his ship attacked a much larger French warship, delaying her enough for more British ships to arrive on the scene and force her surrender. Nelson himself congratulated Inglis for his part.
  Promoted to commander, and then captain, Inglis commanded several small cruisers, before becoming flag captain to Rear-Admiral George Martin. It was the start of an enduring relationship, with Martin retaining Inglis to be his flag captain on all his flagships.
context_section_description: Inglis was born the son of Captain Charles Inglis, a distinguished officer who had served in the navy since 1745, and who rose to the rank of rear-admiral before his death in 1791. He followed his father in embarking on a career in the navy, and was serving off the French coast as first lieutenant of the 32-gun frigate HMS Jason in 1798. While patrolling off the Penmarks on 29 June 1798 she and her consorts HMS Mermaid and HMS Pique came across the French frigate Seine. The Seine had crossed the Atlantic from the West Indies and was bound for a French port. The British squadron manoeuvred to cut her off from land, but the Mermaid, under Captain James Newman-Newman, soon lost contact, leaving the Pique under Captain David Milne and the Jason under Captain Charles Stirling, to chase down the Frenchman. After a chase lasting the entire day, all three ships ran aground on the French coast, but continued to bring their guns to fire upon each other, until HMS Mermaid returned to the scene, forcing the French to surrender. Seine was brought into the navy as HMS Seine. Stirling had been wounded early in the engagement and was forced to go below to seek treatment, leaving Inglis in command. Inglis acquitted himself well, prompting Stirling to write in his official report to Lord Bridport that 'no man could have filled my place with more credit to himself, and benefit to the state, than my First Lieutenant, Mr. Charles Inglis, whom I beg leave to recommend in the strongest manner for his bravery, skill and great exertions.'
  
  Inglis then went out to the Mediterranean, taking part in the blockade of Malta as a lieutenant aboard the 36-gun HMS Penelope, serving under Captain Sir Henry Blackwood. He was present at the Action of 31 March 1800, when the 80-gun French Guillaume Tell attempted to escape Malta under Rear-Admiral Denis Decrès. The French ship's departure was observed by lookouts on Penelope and the frigate harassed the fleeing French ship until the larger ships HMS Lion under Captain Manley Dixon, and HMS Foudroyant under Captain Sir Edward Berry, could come up and join the engagement. Worn down, the Guillaume Tell was forced to surrender after being dismasted. Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson wrote personally to Inglis after the capture; 
  "My dear Sir, how fortunate I did not allow you to quit the Penelope to be junior Lieutenant in the Foudroyant! You will now get your promotion in the pleasantest of all ways, by the gallant exertions of yourself and those brave friends who surrounded you on that glorious night. What a triumph for you - what a pleasure for me! What happiness to have the Nile Fleet all taken, under my orders and regulations! Blackwood's coming to me at Malta, and my keeping him there, was something more than chance. Ever my dear Sir, believe me your truly sincere friend, Nelson and Bronte."
caption: Capture of the William Tell, by Robert Dodd, October 1800; a depiction of the Action of 31 March 1800
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