Admiral Thomas Le Marchant Gosselin (7 May 1765 – 27 November 1857) was a British naval officer of the 18th and 19th centuries who received the patronage of senior officers such as Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood and William Cornwallis. Gosselin joined the Royal Navy in 1778 and as a junior officer had extensive service in the American Revolution, including participating in the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782. Promoted to commander in April 1793, Gosselin took part in the Glorious First of June as commander of HMS Kingfisher. He was promoted to post-captain in July 1795 and took command of a variety of ships including most notably HMS Syren, HMS Latona, and HMS Audacious. Gosselin frequently served on blockade duties in the English Channel and on convoy duties to and from the West Indies.
His final services at sea in 1809 included his assistance in the evacuation from Corunna of the army of Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore. Gosselin refused command of HMS Cressy in 1810 due to health issues and never served at sea again. He was promoted to rear-admiral in June 1814 and admiral in November 1841. In October 1854 Gosselin became the most senior admiral in the Royal Navy but was never promoted to admiral of the fleet, either because of the long length of time since his last service at sea or because of his ongoing health issues.
Early life
Thomas Le Marchant Gosselin was born on 7 May 1765 at Saint Peter Port as the second son of Colonel Joshua Gosselin of the North regiment of the Royal Guernsey Militia, and Martha, daughter of Thomas Le Marchant of Guernsey. His younger brother was General Gerard Gosselin, and he had two other younger brothers who died serving at Trinidad in 1803.
Naval career
Early career
Gosselin joined the Royal Navy on 2 August 1778 as a follower of Captain Philip Boteler in the brand new frigate . He later transferred with Captain Boteler to the ship-of-the-line in June 1779. On 16 August Ardent was captured by a combined Franco-Spanish fleet near Portsmouth. Gosselin spent three months as a prisoner of war at Alençon. After his release he joined the ship-of-the-line , the flag ship of Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, on 11 October 1780. On Barfleur Gosselin took part in a number of major actions of the American Revolution as a part of the fleet of Admiral Sir George Rodney, including the Battle of Fort Royal, Battle of the Chesapeake, and the Battle of Saint Kitts. After this battle Gosselin transferred to the frigate commanded by Rear-Admiral Hood's brother, Captain Alexander Hood. In Champion Gosselin then participated in the Battle of Delaware Bay and the Battle of the Saintes, where the French admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse surrendered. Gosselin was also present at the Battle of the Mona Passage where a squadron under Rear-Admiral Hood captured an escaping French squadron, with Champion capturing a French corvette. In June 1782 Gosselin transferred with Captain Hood to the frigate HMS Aimable, serving in her until the American Revolution ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. He returned home on 26 June 1783.
After this Gosselin continued as a midshipman, serving on the ship-of-the-line at Plymouth, the sloop [[HMS Nautilus (1784)|HMS Nautilus]], and the ship-of-the-line HMS Grampus off the coast of Africa as flag ship of Commodore Edward Thompson. Gosselin then re-joined the now Vice-Admiral Lord Hood on the ships-of-the-line and then Barfleur while Vice-Admiral Hood served as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. On 1 December 1787 Gosselin was promoted to lieutenant, and in September 1788 he was appointed as such to the newly captured sloop in which he sailed to the East Indies in January 1789 as part of the squadron of Commodore William Cornwallis. Soon after arriving in the East Indies Gosselin was removed by Commodore Cornwallis into his flag ship, the ship-of-the-line HMS Crown, and in November 1791 he followed Commodore Cornwallis into the frigate HMS Minerva where he served as her first lieutenant. On 23 April 1793 Gosselin was promoted to commander and given command of the brig HMS Dispatch. On 19 March 1794 he was given command of the sloop HMS Kingfisher. Initially Gosselin commanded her on the Downs Station, but later was attached to the North Sea and Channel fleets. As such, Gosselin and Kingfisher participated in the Glorious First of June on 1 June. While serving in the English Channel under the now Vice-Admiral Cornwallis, Gosselin and Kingfisher assisted in the capturing of a French convoy carrying wine and naval stores on 7 June 1795. In this action Gosselin attacked a French frigate attempting to tow away a large store ship, forcing the frigate to abandon the ship to Gosselin.