Henry Stanhope

Notes on Officer

Henry Stanhope, a lineal descendant of Sir Philip Stanhope, first Earl of Chesterfield, is second son of John Stanhope, Esq., Rear-Admiral of the Red, who died in 1800, by Miss Caroline Dent; and grand-nephew of the late Lovel Stanhope, Esq., Under-Secretary of State. His elder brother, Philip John, died a Lieut.-Colonel in the army; and another, Charles George, also deceased, was a Captain in the same service.

This officer entered the Royal Naval Academy in Sept. 1802; and embarked, in Sept. 1806, as Midshipman, on board the Blanche 38, Capt. Sir Thos. Lavie, under whom he was wrecked on the coast of France, and taken prisoner, 4 March, 1807. In March, 1811, he made an attempt at escape, but, being intercepted, he was a second time placed in close confinement. In the following May, however, he again broke through his bonds, and on 4 June he gained the coast near Flushing, where, after encountering many dangers and hardships, he got, on the night of 28 July, into an open boat, in which, on the following morning, he reached the Inconstant 36, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Edw. W. C. R. Owen. A few weeks afterwards he joined the Pique 36, Capt. Hon. Anthony Maitland, stationed in the Downs; he was promoted, 30 Dec. in the same year, to the rank of Lieutenant; and he was next, 4 Jan., 23 March, and 29 May, 1812, and 14 May, 1814, appointed to the Prince of Wales 98, Capt. Thos. Burton, Rose 18, Capt. Thos. Mansell, Norge 74, Capt. John Sprat Rainier, and Royal Charlotte yacht, Capts. Thos. Eyles and Geo. Scott, all employed on Home service. Attaining the rank of Commander 27 June, 1814, Capt. Stanhope was appointed in that capacity, 8 May, 1820, to the Alacrity 10, fitting for South America. In Oct. 1821 he removed to the Slaney 20, at Buenos Ayres, where he remained as senior officer until Jan. 1822. He then proceeded to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and Pernambuco; and in the ensuing May he arrived in England. He acquired Post-rank 26 Dec. 1822; and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

Captain Stanhope married, 10 April, 1845, Mary, second daughter of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Edw. Jas. Foote, K.C.B.