Admiral Sir Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew CB KCH (13 December 1789 – 28 July 1861) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
He was the son of Captain Edward Pellew, who later became an admiral and first Viscount Exmouth. The elder Pellew used his influence within the navy to secure positions for his two eldest sons in the service. Fleetwood received his first command when he was just 17, but seemed to justify it with his gallantry and daring, which won him the admiration of his father. His career was noted for a brief incident in Nagasaki harbour while in command of the frigate , an incident that was to have important implications for Anglo-Japanese relations.
Fleetwood's doting father helped him rise through the ranks, but a tendency towards excessive harshness in command proved his downfall. He provoked a mutiny in 1814 and though he returned to sea in 1818, he received no further active commands after 1822 for thirty years. He briefly returned to service with the rank of rear-admiral and a post as commander-in-chief in the East Indies and China, but soon provoked another mutiny aboard his flagship, and was recalled. He never again served at sea, and died in 1861 with the rank of admiral.
Family and early life
Fleetwood Pellew was born on 13 December 1789, the second son and fourth child of Captain Edward Pellew and his wife Susan Frowde. He was educated briefly at Blundell's School, Tiverton. His father was promoted through the ranks of the service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and used his influence to find positions at sea for Fleetwood and his elder brother Pownoll. Fleetwood joined his father's ship, the 74-gun HMS Impetueux, as a midshipman in March 1799, and followed him to and then to . The two sailed for the East Indies aboard the Culloden, where on 8 September 1804 Sir Edward made Fleetwood a lieutenant aboard .
Fleetwood was soon back aboard the Culloden, where he distinguished himself in 1806 by leading an attack on the Dutch anchored at Batavia. Sir Edward, writing to his friend Alex Broughton in England recorded:
Sir Edward promoted Fleetwood to his first command, that of the 18-gun sloop in 1807. He was just 17 at the time. Service on the frigates and HMS Psyche followed. Fleetwood was described by his father during this time as being 'beyond comparison the finest youth of the Squadron, universally beloved', 'a real treasure' and 'the flower of my flock and the flower of my fleet'. He was confirmed in the rank of commander by his father on 12 October 1807, and was appointed acting commander of the 74-gun , followed by command of in 1808. He moved to the 38-gun in July 1808. He caused a brief incident in Nagasaki harbour when he anchored there in October, captured several Dutch officials and demanded supplies for his ship. The Japanese were unable to resist him, and sent the supplies. Fleetwood was confirmed in his rank of post captain on 14 October 1808, and went on to see action in the Invasion of Île de France in 1810 and the reduction of Java in 1811. Fleetwood sailed the Phaeton home in August 1812, escorting a convoy of East Indiamen. For his services he received a present of 500 guineas and the thanks of the East India Company.
The Mediterranean
Fleetwood was given command of the 36-gun and sailed her to the Mediterranean. He left the Iphigenia to take command of the 46-gun in January 1813 and in October that year was part of an attack that silenced the batteries around Port d'Anzo and captured a convoy of 29 merchants that had taken refuge there. By February 1814 though the Resistance had been ordered to return to Britain. A mutiny had broken out, which though it was quashed, led to several of the crew being condemned to death or to be flogged. The proceedings eventually broke down on a technicality, but it was widely commented on that Fleetwood's harshness had provoked the men. This marked the beginning of the decline of Pellew's career. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath in June 1815, and went on to command in the Mediterranean from August 1818 to June 1822. After that, he was not given an active command, and spent the next thirty years on half-pay.
Later years
Pellew continued to receive promotions and awards according to his seniority. He was given a knighthood and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order in January 1836. He was made a naval aide-de-camp to the Queen, promoted to rear-admiral on 9 November 1846, and in December 1852 he finally returned to active service with his appointment as commander-in-chief of the East Indies and China Station.