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Perhaps it is only right that the Temeraire, so memorably captured in Turner’s famous painting, should have had such an equally colourful captain at the time of the great battle in October 1805. Harvey’s naval career ended amongst the higher echelons, in spite of an enforced period away from active service because of his maverick character, and his three spells as a parliamentarian. He also had a weakness for serious gambling which were it not for the compassion of an adversary on one occasion, would have lost him his estate.
Harvey was born on 5 December 1758 at Chigwell in Essex, joined the Royal Navy in 1771 and saw service off North America as a midshipman before promotion to lieutenant in 1779. A brief spell then as a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, preceded his promotion to commander in 1782 and captain the following year.
He continued to serve on both sides of the Atlantic in the Santa Margarita and Valiant, in the North Sea, twice in the West Indies and within the Channel Fleet, until struck with ill-health in 1797. Conveniently, he was able to take command of Sea Fencibles in 1798 in his native Essex. The next year, he commanded the Triumph in which he served in the Channel once more until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802.
Harvey returned to the House of Commons in 1803 as MP for Essex in June 1802. The following year, he was appointed to the Temeraire, in which he continued to carry out blockade duties off the west of France until joining Nelson off Cadiz in the autumn of 1805. He left Parliament the same year.
Harvey’s Trafalgar started notably. Jockeying for position in the light airs during the long morning approach, the Temeraire began to look as if she might overtake the Victory. An irritated Nelson hailed across, ‘I will thank you, Captain Harvey, to keep your proper station which is astern of the Victory.’
In due course, the Temeraire cut through the Combined Fleet close astern of Nelson’s ship and from then on was in the core of the fight. Following the Victory’s example, Harvey’s gunners raked the Bucentaure as they passed before going on to engage another five enemy ships. Harvey then attempted to come to the assistance of the Victory, which was entangled with the Redoutable, although his own ship’s rigging was badly damaged. Unavoidably, the Temeraire collided with the French ship to sandwich it with the Victory. As the Redoutable’s demise was hastened, so the three vessels drifted into a fourth, the Fougueux, which was sufficiently crippled to permit Harvey’s men to take possession of her. Harvey later put the names of his two prizes together to form his personal motto, ‘Redoutable et Fougueux’.
Collingwood’s report after the battle included a special mention of the brilliant role played by Harvey. His fellow captains felt he had been unfairly singled out but, as result of this ‘mention indispatches’, he was showered with formal plaudits from his country, including promotion to rear admiral on 9 November 1805. At Nelson’s funeral he was one of the pallbearers.
In 1806 as rear admiral, Harvey joined the Tonnant in the Channel Fleet. In 1809, he took issue with his commander, Lord Gambier, about an appointment of Lord Cochrane to command the fireship attack at the Battle of Basque Roads, so vehemently and publicly that he was court-martialled and dismissed the service. Reinstated in 1810 because of his meritorious service record, he was, however, never given an official appointment again. Even so, promotions still came his way, reaching full admiral. He became successively a KCB in 1815 and GCB in 1825.
Harvey served in Parliament again from 1820 until his death at Rools Park, Chigwell, on 20 February 1830. He was buried at Hempstead church.
JRG
Memorials
Type: Grave Location: St Andrew’s Church, Hempstead, nr Saffron Walden, Essex Click here to read more…