John Loring (Royal Navy officer, died 1808)
John Loring | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Died | 9 November 1808 Fareham,Hampshire |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  Royal Navy |
| Rank | Post-Captain |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Relations | Joshua Loring(grandfather) John Wentworth Loring(cousin) |
John Loring(died 9 November 1808) was an officer in theRoyal Navywho served during theAmerican War of Independenceand theFrench RevolutionaryandNapoleonic Wars.
Loring was a descendant of a naval officer, with his first-cousin also making a successful career in the navy. John Loring saw some service in the American War of Independence, being promoted to lieutenant during the war, but remained at this rank until shortly after the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars. He went out to the Mediterranean with his first command and served at theSiege of Toulonunder AdmiralLord Hood.His ship was under repair when the city fell to French forces, and he was forced to burn her to keep her out of enemy hands. His service continued though, and he became acting-captain of the 74-gunHMSBellerophonfor a brief period before a new officer was appointed to replace her original captain.
Loring went on to command several ships of the line, before once again taking over HMSBellerophon,this time as a fullpost-captain.He served in the West Indies, and distinguished himself after the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars by superintending theBlockade of Saint-Domingue,with the post ofcommodore.During the blockade a number of French warships, merchants andprivateerswere taken by his squadron, and he oversaw the surrender and evacuation of the French garrison ofHaiti.He finally returned to Britain in 1805 and paid his ship off. He does not appear to have served in a seagoing command again, but commanded the Plymouthguardshipfor two years and took up a shore-based position as commander of a unit of theSea Fencibles.He died in 1808, still with the rank of captain. He was succeeded by at least two sons, who followed their father into the navy.
Family and first commands
[edit]Loring's origins are obscure. He was the grandson ofJoshua Loring,a naval officer who had served in North America during theSeven Years' Warand had commanded a squadron on theGreat Lakesduring theAmerican War of Independence.He was also the first-cousin ofJohn Wentworth Loring,who also embarked on a naval career and rose to the rank ofadmiral.[1]John Loring was commissioned as a lieutenant on 3 December 1779. He still held this rank by the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars and in January 1793 was appointed to command thefireshipHMSConflagration.[2]Promoted to commander on 16 May 1793, he sailedConflagrationto the Mediterranean on 22 May and was part ofLord Hood'sfleet at theoccupation and siege of Toulon.She was under repair there when the city was evacuated, and was burnt on Hood's orders to avoid falling into French hands on 18 December 1793.[2]He returned to England and was given command of the 16-gun sloopHMSHazard,which he served in from April 1794 until 1795.[3]
Loring was made acting-captain of the 74-gunHMSBellerophonon 12 April 1796 whileBellerophonwas serving offUshanton theBrestblockade.[4]Bellerophon's nominal commander, CaptainJames Cranstoun, 8th Lord Cranstoun,had been appointedGovernor of Grenadaand left the ship to prepare to take up his post.[a]Loring was in command until being superseded by Cranstoun's replacement, CaptainHenry D'Esterre Darby,on 11 September.[4]He seems to have left the ship shortly after this and by October 1796 had presumably been promoted to captain as he commissioned the 32-gunHMSProselyteand prepared her for service. He took her out to Jamaica in February 1797 and there had some success againstprivateers,capturing the French 6-gun privateerschoonerLibertélater that year.[5]
In 1799 he is recorded as taking command of the 74-gunHMSCarnaticatJamaica,holding the post until 1800.[6]He took over the 74-gunHMSHannibalthat year, but paid her off later in 1800.[7]He appears to have briefly commissioned the 98-gunHMSPrincein early November 1801, but had received a new appointment before the end of the month.[8]
HMSBellerophon
[edit]
Loring was appointed to take over his former command, HMSBellerophon,on 25 November 1801, superseding CaptainLord Garlies.[9]Bellerophonwas serving at this time with theChannel Fleet,but in early 1802 Loring received new orders.Bellerophonwas among five ships ordered to join AdmiralJohn Duckworth'ssquadron in the West Indies, and having stored, she sailed fromTorbayon 2 March 1802.[9][10]By the time of her arrival on 27 March, theTreaty of Amienshad been signed, and Britain and France were at peace. For the next eighteen monthsBellerophontook part in cruises in theJamaica Passageand escorted merchant convoys between Jamaica andHalifax.[11]
Bellerophonwas in the West Indies when theNapoleonic Warsbroke out in May 1803. Loring was appointedcommodoreof the British squadron, which quickly went on the offensive against French shipping in theBlockade of Saint-Domingue.ThecorvetteMignonneand a brig were captured in late June, after which the British patrolled offCap-François.[9]On 24 July the squadron, made up ofBellerophonand the 74-gun shipsHMSElephant,HMSTheseusandHMSVanguard,came across two French 74-gun ships,DuquesneandDuguay-Trouin,and the frigateGuerrière,attempting to escape from Cap-François.[12]The squadron gave chase, and on 25 July overhauled and capturedDuquesneafter a few shots were fired, whileDuguay-TrouinandGuerrièremanaged to evade their pursuers and escape to France.[9]One man was killed aboardBellerophonduring the pursuit.[12]Loring remained blockading Cap-François until November, when the French commander of the garrison there, GeneralRochambeau,approached him and requested to be allowed to evacuate his men, which were being besieged by a native Haitian force led byJean-Jacques Dessalines.The French were allowed to evacuate on three frigates,Surveillante,ClorindeandVertu,and a number of smaller ships, and were escorted to Jamaica by the squadron.[9][13]
A particularly severe outbreak ofmalariastruck the ship in early February 1804, with 212 members ofBellerophon's crew falling ill. 17 died aboard the ship, while 100 had to be transferred to a shore-based hospital, where a further 40 died.[9][14]Loring was ordered to sail her back to Britain in June, escorting a large convoy, and arrived in the Downs on 11 August. He briefly paid her off and she was taken into Portsmouth Dockyard for a refit, before rejoining the Channel Fleet, still off Brest, and under the command of AdmiralSir William Cornwallis.[15]These duties lasted until early 1805, with Loring being superseded by CaptainJohn Cookeon 24 April.[9][16]
Later life
[edit]Loring was then appointed to command the 112-gunHMSSalvador del Mundo,the Plymouthguardship,later that month, holding the post until being superseded in June 1807.[17]He was then in command of theSea Fenciblescovering the district betweenEmsworthandCalshot,and died in this post on 9 November 1808, still a captain, atFareham,Hampshire.[1][18]He was described as "a most zealous, brave, and humane officer" in John Marshall'sRoyal Naval Biography.[18]He had at least two sons, who followed him into the navy. Both survived him, with the eldest, John, dying ofyellow feverwhile amidshipmanaboardHMSEuryalusin 1820. His second son, Hector, became a commander.[1]
Notes
[edit]a.^Cranstoun died suddenly at his home atBishop's Walthamon 22 September before he could take up his post.[19]
Citations
[edit]- ^abcO'Byrne.A Naval Biographical Dictionary.p. 672.
- ^abWinfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 369.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 235.
- ^abGoodwin.The Ships of Trafalgar.p. 67.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 197.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 53.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 57.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 24.
- ^abcdefgGoodwin.The Ships of Trafalgar.p. 68.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 159.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 163.
- ^abCordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 165.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 51.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 166.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 169.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 178.
- ^Winfield.British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793–1814.p. 16.
- ^abMarshall.Royal Naval Biography.p. 815.
- ^Cordingly.Billy Ruffian.p. 105.
References
[edit]- O'Byrne, William R.(1849).A Naval Biographical Dictionary: Comprising the Life and Services of Every Living Officer in Her Majesty's Navy, from the Rank of Admiral of the Fleet to that of Lieutenant, Inclusive.Vol. 1. J. Murray.
- Cordingly, David(2004).Billy Ruffian: The Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon: The Biography of A Ship of the Line, 1782–1836.London: Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN0-7475-6544-9.
- Goodwin, Peter(2005).The Ships of Trafalgar: The British, French and Spanish Fleets October 1805.Conway Maritime Press.ISBN1-84486-015-9.
- Marshall, John (2010) [1823].Royal Naval Biography Supplement: Or, Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag-Officers, Superannuated Rear-Admirals, Retired-Captains, Post-Captains, and Commanders.Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-1-108-02265-1.
- Winfield, Rif (2008).British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.Seaforth.ISBN978-1-86176-246-7.