The Honorable

George CadoganA career in

courts martial 1804 - 1809

ByHeather Noel-Smith

and Lorna M. Campbell

New Researchers in Maritime History Conference, Glasgow, 9th &10th March 2012

HMS Indefatigable 1797

HMS Indefatigable Joining the Squadron by J.T. Serres, 1800, www.christies.com.

Hon George Cadogan Born 5th May 1783

Charles Sloane, 1st Earl Cadogan and Mary Churchill, © Cadogan Archive.

Lord Spencer to Sir Edward Pellew, 25th Sept 1795

Pellew Archive, Caird Library, Royal Museums Greenwich.

Sir Edward Pellew, 1757 - 1833

Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth by James Northcote, © National Portrait Gallery.

HMS Indefatigable

Destruction of the Droits de L’Homme by Ebenezer Colls, © National Maritime Museum.

HMS Indefatigable

Naval General Service Medal role, The National Archives, Kew.

Sir Edward Pellew to Lord Spencer,

17th Jan 1797

Vaisseau Droits de l’Homme by Leopold Le Guen, © Brest Museum of Arts.

Midshipman to Commander

• Midshipman Impetueux, 74, Captain Sir Edward Pellew, 1799 – 1802.

• Lieutenant Leda, 38, Captain Kingman, 1802 – 1804.

• Transferred to West Indies Station.• Commander, Cyane, 18, 1804 –

1805.

HMS Cyane, 18, 1804 - 1805

• Successful command.• Took four prizes.• Captured by French frigates

L’Hortense, 40 and L’Hermione, 40.• Cadogan writes to Vice Admiral

Cochrane complaining of treatment of prisoners on L’Hortense.

• Imprisoned on Martinique.

Commander Cadogan to Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane,

9th July 1805

Admiral the Hon Alexander Cochrane by William Beechey, © National Maritime Museum.

Cyane Court Martial, Barbados,

11th July 1805

A View of Bridgetown in the Island of Barbadoes, www.pennymead.com.

HMS Ferret, 18, 1806 - 1807

• Appointed commander May 1806.• Ferret was a new ship with a crew

assembled from the Salvador del Mundo receiving ship.

• Cadogan struggled to assert command.

• Punishment record shows numerous floggings.

Comparison to Pigot

Ferret Punishment Record

The Point of Honour by George Cruikshank, © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Ferret Mutiny, 26th September 1806

• Crew accused Cadogan of flogging and starting.

• Seaman Edward Jones armed and was seen to confront Commander Cadogan on the quarterdeck.

• Cadogan confronted the mutineers, roused the officers, and secured ring leaders.

Ferret Court Martial, HMS Elephant, Port Royal, Jamaica,

8th Oct 1806

Kingston and Port Royal from Windsor Farm by James Hakewill, © The British Library.

George Cadogan to 1st Earl Cadogan, 13th October 1806

Charles Sloane, 1st Earl Cadogan, © Cadogan Archive.

1st Earl Cadogan to Earl Spencer,

27th Nov 1806

George John, 2nd Earl Spencer, by John Singleton Copely, © National Portrait Gallery.

Earl Spencer to Thomas Grenville,

29th Nov 1806

The Rt Hon Thomas Grenville, M.P. by John Hoppner, www.globalgallery.com.

HMS Crocodile, 22, 1807 - 1809

Cape of Good Hope, Table Bay by William John Huggins, www.intaglio-fine-art.com.

Badcock complains to Admiralty, Oct 1808

The Stately a new Man of War, unknown artist, © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

William Badcock’s death

• Badcock falls ill at the Nore. • Transferred to hospital ship Sussex. • Removed to house of his grandfather

and guardian Richard Cumberland. • Badcock dies on 7th December 1808

of fever and disease of the bowel. • “in the 17th year of his age and the

6th of his service in the Navy.”

Richard Cumberland, 1732 - 1811

Richard Cumberland by George Romney, © National Portrait Gallery.

Cumberland’s Memorial, 22nd Dec 1808

• Cumberland submits memorial to Admiralty accusing Cadogan and Devon of bringing about Badcock’s death.

• Accuses them of illegal, arbitrary, tyrannical and unjust punishment of Badcock.

• Admiralty summon Cadogan for court martial and place him under arrest, March 1809.

Captain Cadogan’s Court Martial,

11th April 1809

Entrance to Portsmouth Harbour by M. Grove, © National Maritime Museum.

Court Martial testimony of Badcock’s character

• Continually leaving the deck during his watch.

• Quitting a boat he had been ordered to take charge of.

• Contemptuous behavior to the master and the 1st and 2nd lieutenants.

• Improper conduct on the quarterdeck. • Badcock had been disrated by the

previous captain of the Crocodile.

Court Martial Verdict

“The court is of the opinion that the charges have not been proved against the said George Cadogan but that many of the observations stated in the memorial of the prosecutor were unfounded and that the death of the said William Richard Badcock can not in the most remote degree be ascribed to the punishment he received on board HM said ship Crocodile and doth adjudge the said Hon George Cadogan to be acquitted and he is hearby acquitted accordingly.”

Court Martial Aftermath

“The death of this boy …. must naturally be a source of the greatest regret to me as it confers on me the unpleasant task of bringing to mind all those traits of his character that would otherwise have been buried in oblivion….my conduct to him was governed by …. what I conceived was due from me to his Majesty’s service in the support of the officers under my command against the repeated transgressions of this incorrigible boy whose mind seemed bent upon insubordination and desire of opposing himself to the just authority and inclinations of his superiors.”

George Cadogan to William Wellesley Pole, 25th April 1809

William Wellesley Pole by Thomas Lawrence, www.thepeerage.com.

Conclusion

George, 3rd Earl Cadogan by Sir Francis Grant, © Haggerston Press.

Further Information

•Indefatigable1797.wordpress.com– http://indefatigable1797.wordpress.com

•Heather Noel-Smith–Heather.noel-smith@sky.com

•Lorna M. Campbell– lmc@strath.ac.uk

Acknowledgements

Martin Salmon, Caird Library, Greenwich. Mary Robertson, Huntington Library, California. Kira Charatan, Cadogan Archive.The staff of The National Archives, Kew. Dr Sherry Watson, Bells Beach, Victoria. Michael Nash, Marine and Cannon Books. Stuart McCartney.