Lord George Stuart facts for kids
Lord George Stuart (born March 1, 1780 – died February 19, 1841) was a brave and important officer in the Royal Navy. He became a Rear-Admiral of the Blue, which was a high rank. He was also honored with the CB award.
Contents
His Family Background
A Royal Connection
Lord George Stuart came from a very old and famous family. They were a branch of the Stuart family, who were once kings of Scotland! His family was directly related to King Robert II of Scotland.
His Parents and Brothers
George was the seventh son of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute. His mother was Charlotte Jane. When his father became the first Marquess of Bute in 1796, George received the special title "Lord Stuart." Among his brothers were Charles Stuart, who sadly died in 1796, and Captain William Stuart, who was also in the Royal Navy.
George Stuart went to Eton College for his education. After that, he joined the Royal Navy in November 1793. He started as a midshipman, which is a junior officer rank.
Exploring the World
In 1795, George took part in an exciting journey. He sailed on HMS Providence under Captain William Robert Broughton. They were looking for another explorer, George Vancouver, along the Pacific coast of North America. Their voyage also took them to faraway places like Japan and Macau.
Sadly, HMS Providence was wrecked on a coral reef near Miyako-jima. George and 29 other sailors had to find another way home. They finally returned to Great Britain in 1799 on an East Indiaman ship.
Rising Through the Ranks
After his long journey, George continued to advance in the Navy. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1800. Then, in 1802, he became a commander.
On March 3, 1804, he was made a captain. He took command of a 44-gun frigate called HMS Sheerness in the Indian Ocean. Luckily, he was not on board when the Sheerness sank in a big storm in January 1805.
Capturing Enemy Ships
In April 1806, Captain Stuart was commanding the frigate HMS Duncan. He successfully captured a French privateer ship called Île de France in the North Sea. Privateers were like armed merchant ships that attacked enemy vessels.
In 1807, he became captain of HMS l'Aimable, a 32-gun frigate. With this ship, he captured another French privateer.
Helping General Wellesley
In the summer of 1808, HMS l'Aimable had an important mission. It helped escort General Wellesley's army from Cork in Ireland to Portugal. Wellesley later became the famous Duke of Wellington.
More Victories at Sea
On February 3, 1809, Captain Stuart captured the French frigate Iris. This happened after a long 28-hour chase in the North Sea!
In July 1809, he took command of a group of smaller ships near the mouth of the Elbe river. On July 7, his landing party destroyed French coastal batteries nearby. They even occupied the city for a short time.
A Daring Land Attack
A few weeks later, on July 29, the French army occupied the town of Geestendorf. This town was on the Weser river, about 45 kilometers from Cuxhaven. When Captain Stuart heard this, he made a bold decision. He decided to march his forces across the land and attack the town.
He succeeded in his attack and recaptured Geestendorf! A few days later, Duke Friedrich-Wilhelm of Braunschweig-Oel and his army arrived. Because the fortress at Geestendorf had been destroyed, the Duke's army could safely embark there. This helped them escape from the French forces.
Later Commands
In November 1810, Stuart became commander of the frigate HMS Horatio. In December 1813, he occupied the Dutch town of Zierikzee. He also successfully drove the French forces off the island of Schouwen.
During the War of 1812 (a conflict between the United States and Great Britain), he commanded a new 58-gun ship called HMS Newcastle.
In 1815, Captain Stuart was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. This was a special honor for his service. Later, he served as a Naval Aide-de-camp to King William IV. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the King on naval matters. In 1837, he was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue, a very high rank in the Royal Navy.
His Family
Lord George Stuart married Jane Stewart (who died in 1862) on October 7, 1800. She was the daughter of Major General James Stewart. They had several children together, including:
- Emily Frances Stuart (died 1886), who married Charles Abbott.
- Elizabeth Jane Stuart (1803–1877), who married John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend.
- Henry Stuart (1808–1880), who married Cecilia Hammersley.
