Edward Knapman

Notes on Officer

Edward Knapman, born in 1794, is brother of Lieut. John Knapman, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, in Sept. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Magnanime 44, Capt. John Broughton. In 1804, after he had assisted at the bombardment of Havre de Grace, he removed, as Midshipman, to the Spartiate 74, Capt. Sir Fras. Laforey, under whom he fought and bled at Trafalgar, being there wounded in the leg and arm, and in consequence presented with a gratuity from the Patriotic Fund. With the exception of a few months passed, in 1810-11, in the Dictator 64, Capts. Rich. Harrison Pearson and Robt. Williams, on the Baltic station, where he served in the boats at the capture of three Danish luggers, Mr. Knapman continued with Sir F. Laforey in the Spartiate, and in the Dragon, another 74, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 21 March, 1812, latterly in the West Indies; previously, however, to proceeding whither he assisted, in the former ship, at the reduction of the islands of Ischia and Procida in 1809. His appointments have since been – 11 Feb. 1813, to the Royal Sovereign 100, Capts. Jas. Bissett and Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, by the former of whom he was placed in command of gun-boat No. 16, and sent to co-operate in the siege of St. Sebastian – 11 April, 1814, to the Achates sloop, Capts. Isaac Hawkins Morrison and Thos. Lambe Polden Laugharne, with whom he cruized in the Bay of Biscay and Channel until paid off in Nov. 1815 – .5 Dec. 1826, to the Windsor Castle 74, guard-ship at Plymouth, Capt. Edw. Durnford King, of whose tender, the Leveret 10, he was intrusted with the charge – 20 Dec. 1827, to the Erebus steamer, Capt. Geo. Haye, from which vessel, stationed in the Mediterranean, he was superseded at his own request – 7 July, 1836, to the Ordinary at Plymouth, where he was for three years employed with his name on the books of the San Josef 110, Capts. Rich. Thomas, John Hancock, and Joseph Needham Tayler – and, 6 April, 1841, to the Coast Guard, in which service he is now employed.

He married, 22 Aug. 1822, the second daughter of K. Burgoyne Watts, Esq., of Treburifoot, co. Cornwall, by whom he has issue five sons and three daughters.