Orders, Decorations and Medals

NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Centaur 26 Augt. 1808 (F.E. Seymour, Midshipman) very fine and better

42 clasps issued for this action.

Francis Edward Seymour was born in London in 1788 and embarked in 1801, as a Volunteer on board the Malta. In the Leander he assisted at the capture of the French frigate La Ville de Milan on 23 February 1805, and the simultaneous recapture of her prize, the Cleopatra. In the Centaur he was present at the capture, on 25 September 1806, of four heavy French frigates from Rochefort, after an action in which Sir Samuel Hood lost his arm. In the same ship he accompanied the expedition of 1807 against Copenhagen and witnessed the surrender of Madeira. After serving briefly aboard the Victory, he rejoined the Centaur on 7 August 1808, as Acting Lieutenant. On the 26th of August Centaur, in conjunction with the Implacable, captured the Russian 74-gun ship Sewolod in sight of the whole Russian fleet near Rogerswick. During a spirited attempt by the Russians to retake and row the Sewolod back into port, Sir S. Hood laid her on board and lashed her bowspit to the mizzen rigging of the Centaur under a heavy fire of musketry. The bow of the enemy grazed the muzzles of Centaur's guns, which at the same moment were discharged, and the raking broadside tore her to pieces. The Russians made several attempts to board, but were repelled by the fire of the marines and the stern chase guns of the Centaur, and after a hot action of half an hour the Sewolod again struck her colours. In this furious conflict the Centaur lost 3 killed and 27 wounded, and the enemy 180 killed and wounded. Seymour was appointed to the Jason on 28 April 1814, as Flag-Lieutenant to H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, under whom he accompanied Louis XVIII to Calais. He was promoted Commander in 1814, and from 1828 until April 1831, was employed as Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard.