Lot 554: James Lonsdale (1777-1839)

Portrait of Rear-Admiral William Bateman Dashwood, half-length, in Naval dress uniform; and Portrait of his wife, Louisa Henrietta Dashwood, half-length, in a white dress, seated before a landscape oil on canvas 30 x 25 in. (76.3 x 63.5 cm.) a pair (2) NOTES William Bateman Dashwood was born on 1 st September 1790 and entered the Royal Navy as a First Class Volunteer aboard the 74-gun Defiance on 3 rd August 1799. This vessel later became flagship to Sir Thomas Graves under whom Dashwood served at the battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Appointed Midshipman of the Iris in June 1802, he was made Acting-Lieutenant of the Culloden whilst in the East Indies in August 1807, his promotion becoming official the following January. In October 1811 he was appointed to the frigate Active and this marked the beginning of a turbulent period of service during which he lost his right arm in the spirited action to take the French frigate La Pomone on 29 th November the same year. Promoted Commander in May 1812, Dashwood was appointed to the command of the 16-gun brig Snap which took the well-armed enemy privateer Le Lion off the French coast on 1 st November 1813. After subsequent service in the Mediterranean, he was present with the fleet at the bombardment of Algiers in August 1816, prior to which he had rescued, disguised as midshipmen, the wife and daughter of the British Consul in that city. Promoted Captain in October 1818, he went onto half-pay in 1819 and retired with the rank of Rear-Admiral in 1846. Made Vice-Admiral in 1857 and Admiral in 1862, he died suddenly in Geneva in May 1869. Dashwood, as Captain, married Louisa Henrietta, the only daughter of Frederick Bode, Esq., on 17 th April 1820.