Captain Lord Robert Manners (6 February 1758 – 23 April 1782) was an officer of the Royal Navy and nobleman, the second son of John Manners, Marquess of Granby and Lady Frances Seymour.
Educated at Eton, he entered the Royal Navy in 1772. As the son of one of the greatest soldiers of the time, and grandson of a duke, he expected rapid advancement in rank. However, Lord Sandwich, the First Lord of the Admiralty, resisted his promotion to lieutenant until he had served for six years, as regulations demanded. He was so promoted on 13 May 1778 aboard HMS Ocean, and saw action in July at the First Battle of Ushant. He was moved to Victory, flagship of Admiral Keppel, on 17 September 1778.[1]
Shortly after his promotion to lieutenant, Manners again began to appeal to the Admiralty for preferment. He was moved into Alcide on 15 July 1779, in the fleet of Admiral Rodney, then bound for Gibraltar. The urgings of the other Lords of the Admiralty, who reminded Sandwich of the political danger to himself and the North Ministry should they arouse the enmity of the Manners family, finally wore him down, and he wrote to Rodney on 8 December, asking him to contrive a promotion for Manners. Rodney lacked Sandwich's reservations about Manners, who proved a talented officer despite his ambition. The day after the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (17 January 1780), he promoted Manners captain and made him flag-captain of HMS Resolution under Sir Chaloner Ogle, newly promoted commodore. Soon after on 24 February Manners led part of the squadron which intercepted a French convoy off Madeiraand captured the French 64 gun ship of the line Protée along with three transports.
Resolution returned to England soon after, and went out to North America with Admiral Graves. Under Admiral Rodney, Manners took her to the West Indies; Ogle was promoted rear-admiral and returned home during this period. Resolution went north to fight in the centre at the Battle of the Chesapeake (5 September 1781), and then returned to the West Indies with Rear-Admiral Hood to fight at St Kitts in January 1782.[2]
At the Battle of the Saintes (12 April 1782), Resolution was in the centre of the line and saw heavy action. During the battle, one of Manners' arms was broken, and he was wounded in both legs, one so severely as to require amputation. Being of a strong constitution, it was hoped he might survive, and he was sent back to England aboard the frigateAndromache. However, tetanus set in, and he died on 23 April 1782 and was buried at sea.[2] A painting of his death, titled Lord Robert Manners Mortally Wounded, on board the Resolution in the memorable Engagement between Admiral Rodney & Count de Grasse, in the West Indies, the 12th of April 1782, was made for George Frederick Raymond's History of England, and is currently held by the National Maritime Museum.[3]
^ abcLaughton, J. K. (2004). "Manners, Lord Robert (1758–1782)". In Christopher Doorne (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/17961. Retrieved 12 October 2006. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"National Maritime Museum / Collections The Death of Lord Robert Manners (at the Battle of the Saints, 12 April 1782)". Retrieved 9 December 2019.
lord, robert, manners, royal, navy, officer, other, people, named, robert, manners, robert, manners, disambiguation, captain, lord, robert, manners, february, 1758, april, 1782, officer, royal, navy, nobleman, second, john, manners, marquess, granby, lady, fra. For other people named Robert Manners see Robert Manners disambiguation Captain Lord Robert Manners 6 February 1758 23 April 1782 was an officer of the Royal Navy and nobleman the second son of John Manners Marquess of Granby and Lady Frances Seymour Robert MannersLord Robert Manners 1782 by Sir Joshua ReynoldsBorn 1758 02 06 6 February 1758Died23 April 1782 1782 04 23 aged 24 TitleLordParentsJohn Manners Marquess of Granby father Frances Seymour mother Military careerAllegiance Kingdom of Great BritainService wbr branchRoyal NavyYears of service1772 1782RankCaptainBattles warsAmerican Revolutionary War First Battle of Ushant Battle of the Chesapeake Battle of the SaintesLife editEducated at Eton he entered the Royal Navy in 1772 As the son of one of the greatest soldiers of the time and grandson of a duke he expected rapid advancement in rank However Lord Sandwich the First Lord of the Admiralty resisted his promotion to lieutenant until he had served for six years as regulations demanded He was so promoted on 13 May 1778 aboard HMS Ocean and saw action in July at the First Battle of Ushant He was moved to Victory flagship of Admiral Keppel on 17 September 1778 1 Shortly after his promotion to lieutenant Manners again began to appeal to the Admiralty for preferment He was moved into Alcide on 15 July 1779 in the fleet of Admiral Rodney then bound for Gibraltar The urgings of the other Lords of the Admiralty who reminded Sandwich of the political danger to himself and the North Ministry should they arouse the enmity of the Manners family finally wore him down and he wrote to Rodney on 8 December asking him to contrive a promotion for Manners Rodney lacked Sandwich s reservations about Manners who proved a talented officer despite his ambition The day after the Battle of Cape St Vincent 17 January 1780 he promoted Manners captain and made him flag captain of HMS Resolution under Sir Chaloner Ogle newly promoted commodore Soon after on 24 February Manners led part of the squadron which intercepted a French convoy off Madeira and captured the French 64 gun ship of the line Protee along with three transports In March he was returned as member of parliament for Cambridgeshire in absentia in a boisterous contest but would never take his seat 2 Resolution returned to England soon after and went out to North America with Admiral Graves Under Admiral Rodney Manners took her to the West Indies Ogle was promoted rear admiral and returned home during this period Resolution went north to fight in the centre at the Battle of the Chesapeake 5 September 1781 and then returned to the West Indies with Rear Admiral Hood to fight at St Kitts in January 1782 2 nbsp Death of Lord Robert Manners 1786 by Thomas StothardAt the Battle of the Saintes 12 April 1782 Resolution was in the centre of the line and saw heavy action During the battle one of Manners arms was broken and he was wounded in both legs one so severely as to require amputation Being of a strong constitution it was hoped he might survive and he was sent back to England aboard the frigate Andromache However tetanus set in and he died on 23 April 1782 and was buried at sea 2 A painting of his death titled Lord Robert Manners Mortally Wounded on board the Resolution in the memorable Engagement between Admiral Rodney amp Count de Grasse in the West Indies the 12th of April 1782 was made for George Frederick Raymond s History of England and is currently held by the National Maritime Museum 3 References edit Laughton John Knox 1893 Manners Robert 1758 1782 In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 36 London Smith Elder amp Co a b c Laughton J K 2004 Manners Lord Robert 1758 1782 In Christopher Doorne ed Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 17961 Retrieved 12 October 2006 Subscription or UK public library membership required National Maritime Museum Collections The Death of Lord Robert Manners at the Battle of the Saints 12 April 1782 Retrieved 9 December 2019 External links editPortraits of Lord Robert Manners at the National Portrait Gallery LondonParliament of Great BritainPreceded bySir John Hynde Cotton BtSir Sampson Gideon Bt Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire1780 1782 With Philip Yorke Succeeded byPhilip YorkeSir Henry Peyton Bt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lord Robert Manners Royal Navy officer amp oldid 1192878911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
