Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Alexander Davison’s Medal for The Nile 1798, bronze-gilt, the medal set in gold glazed frame with gold ring and suspended from a long length of wide ‘Naval’ ribbon, fitted with silver-gilt ribbon slide surmounted by Egyptian Sphinx, and another slide fitted with a gilt naval button by Firmin & Langdale, London, contained in a contemporary red leather silk lined fitted case, the outer lid embossed in gold lettering ‘Nile Medal Captain Compton Royal Navy’, the case scuffed, small chip to obverse glass lunette, otherwise generally very fine and very rare £6000-8000

See Colour Plate III.

Henry Compton was born in Limerick in 1774, and received the naval part of his education at an academy near Deptford, conducted by Lieutenant Lane, who had accompanied the immortal Cook in one or two of his voyages around the globe. He entered the service as a Midshipman aboard the Cumberland 74, Captain Macbride, but first went to sea in the Actaeon 44, Captain Hanwell, and was employed in conveying troops to and from the West Indies.

On the outbreak of the French revolutionary war, he joined the Romulus 36, Captain Sutton, and in the Mediterranean witnessed the occupation of Toulon, after which he was obliged to return home, in La Melpomene prize frigate, for the recovery of his health. He served next on board the Minotaur 74, bearing the flag of his early patron, Vice-Admiral Macbride, and attached to the Channel fleet. He subsequently returned to the Mediterranean in the Blonde 32, Captain William Pierrepont, taking with him a strong recommendation to Vice-Admiral Hotham, by whom he was received on board the Britannia 110, early in 1795.

On the arrival of Sir John Jervis, to assume the chief command, Compton was removed by him into his flag-ship, Victory, where he continued until appointed a Lieutenant of the Agamemnon 64, commanded by the heroic Nelson, in January 1796. On the 25th April following, he displayed great gallantry in a successful boat attack upon four French vessels, lying under the batteries of Loäno, near Voltri, on the coast of Italy. Nelson reported in his letter to Sir John Jervis, ‘The principal part of this service fell on our boats, whose conduct and gallantry could not on any occasion have been exceeded; and I wish fully to express the sense I entertain of the gallantry of every officer and man employed on this occasion.’ The officers employed in the boats of the squadron were Lieutenants Sackling, Noble, Compton, Culverhouse, and Ryder. Not a man was killed, and only three persons wounded, including Mr Noble. The prizes consisted of a ship, a ketch, and two galleys, laden with corn, rice, wine, powder, 8 brass guns, and 1000 stand of arms.

Shortly afterwards, on 31st May, he again distinguished himself at the capture of two national vessels and five transports off Oneglia. The transports were laden with cannon, ordnance stores, intrenching tools, and provisions, which were to have been landed at St Pierre d’Acaene, to be employed in the siege of Mantua. Shortly after the performance of this important service, Commodore Nelson, then in the Captain 74, to which Lieutenant Compton and many other of the Agamemnon’s officers had also removed, was about to enter the harbour of Genoa, from whence he had sailed in pursuit of the enemy’s convoy; but to his great surprise, when near the mole-head, he was fired upon by all the sea-batteries. The Captain and the other ships of Nelson’s little squadron were instantly cleared for action, and the unexpected warlike salute returned with considerable effect.

In the midst of the firing, Lieutenant Compton received a message to attend Commodore Nelson, whom he found in his cabin, deliberately writing a letter of remonstrance to the Doge, against what he considered such an unjust attack. “Be seated until my letter is ready,” said the hero, “and in the mean time a boat shall be hoisted out.” The despatch was soon sealed and handed to Lieutenant Compton, with instructions to proceed immediately on shore and deliver it. On landing, he found a strong column of French troops who had taken possession of all the sea-defences. His boat’s crew were soon seized and imprisoned, but he himself succeeded in reaching the residence of the English consul, whose house was completely closed, with a strong guard in front of it to protect him from threatened violence.

Lieutenant Compton, in company with the English consul, then presented Nelson’s letter to the Doge at his palace, but the Doge informed him that the whole matter was to be made to the English minister at Turin, and that, in the meantime, he was to remain in detention. He then returned home with the consul, who immediately decided to get him off in a fishing boat, could any native be found to undertake so dangerous a service. His first efforts proved ineffectual, but at length he found a man who, for a large sum of money, agreed to meet his wishes. On the following morning not one of the squadron was to be seen and Compton deliberated whether to return to Genoa or to proceed in an open boat to Leghorn, where he expected to find the squadron. Despite the protestations of his boatman in the face of a strong gale which had started to blow, Compton set off in the open boat. The gale blew them considerably to the southward of his intended course but it proved, however, the most fortunate circumstance that could have happened, for on the evening of the second day after his escape from Genoa, he had the satisfaction of rejoining his ship, off Capreja, an island belonging to the Genoese republic, and which Nelson was then about to take possession of in retribution for his late unwelcome reception.

Lieutenant Compton shared the truly glorious part borne by the officers and crew of the Captain at the battle of St Vincent, 14 February 1797, on which day they boarded and carried the San Joseph of 112 guns and the San Nicolas of 84 guns. in May 1797, the Captain being in a seriously disabled state, Lieutenant Compton followed Sir Horatio Nelson into the Theseus 74, and, after the unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, on which occasion Nelson lost his right arm, returned home with his wounded chief in the Seahorse frigate, Captain Thomas Fremantle.

In December 1797, Compton joined the Vanguard 74, fitting out for the flag of the great hero, and under which he bore a part in the memorable battle of the Nile. On the first anniversary of that glorious event, Nelson wrote to the Admiralty as follows:

“Too much praise cannot be given to Captain Troubridge, for his wonderful exertion in bringing about these happy events [the expulsion of the French from Naples, Capua, and Gaieta]. Captain Hallowell has also the greatest merit. Captain Oswald, whom I sent to England, is an officer most highly deserving promotion. I have put Lieutenant Compton, who has served with me as lieutenant since January 1796, into the command of the Perseus, and beg leave to recommend him as highly meriting promotion.”

In September 1799, the Perseus was employed on the coast of Italy, under the orders of Commodore Troubridge; and on that officer being recalled by Nelson, after obtaining possession of Civita Vecchia, he addressed the following order to Commander Compton:

“Sir, - Having received directions from the Rt. Hon. Lord Nelson, K.B. to leave the fulfilling the solemn engagement which I entered into with the French General commanding the troops of that nation in the Papal States to a discreet officer, and to join him myself immediately, with all the force which can be spared from this service, off the west end of Sicily; you will therefore remain here with H.M. ship under your command, and proceed to carry the articles of capitulation entered into with the French General into effect, conducting the transports in which his troops will embark, to Toulon, whence you will immediately proceed to Palermo, and, after communicating with H.M. Ambassador at that Court, join Lord Nelson, according to the best information which you may receive there of his lordship’s movements.”

Commander Compton was subsequently sent by Nelson to Alexandria, in Egypt, and on his return from there he was employed in the blockade of Malta, a service for which the Perseus was ill-suited, being an old ship and in a very crazy condition. Whilst on passage from Malta to Naples, with despatches, she was so badly damaged in a gale that Compton was forced to proceed to Gibraltar. It being found impracticable to repair the Perseus sufficiently for active service, he received orders from Lord Keith to return home with a number of merchant vessels and transports under his protection. After leaving the rock, he encountered a series of most violent gales and, his convoy dispersed, he reached England in a state of great distress; but soon had the satisfaction to learn that every vessel was safe in port. The Perseus was then ordered round to Woolwich and put out of commission early in 1801.

After this, Commander Compton’s health became so bad, from the fatigues of the service, that he was unable to seek further active employment and did not again go afloat. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on 10 September 1840, and died in 1845 or 1846.