Capel

Capel, Hon Thomas Bladen, youngest son of William, fourth Earl of Essex, was born in 1776 and entered the navy in 1782, though he does not appear to have actually gone afloat until 1792. He was a midshipman in the Sans Pareil, 80, in Lord Bridport's action on July 23, 1795, and was made a lieutenant in 1797. In this latter capacity he was Nelson's signal officer in the Vanguard, 74, at the Battle of the Nile, and for this service he was made a commander and sent home in the Mutine, 16, with duplicate despatches. In December of the same year (1798) he was further advanced to post-rank. At the Battle of Trafalgar he commanded the Phoebe, 36, and was instrumental in saving from destruction the French prize Swiftsure. At the passage of the Dardanelles in 1807 he commanded the Endymion, 40, and four years later he was given charge of a small squadron which rendered good service against the Americans. He was nominated a C.B. in 1815, and in 1821 became captain of the Royal George, yacht, in which, and in the Apollo, another royal yacht, he remained until, in 1825, he reached the rank of rear-admiral. In 1832 he was promoted to be a K.C.B., and from 1834 to 1837 he commanded in the East Indies. He became vice-admiral in 1837, and full admiral in 1847, and died in 1853. He was the last survivor of the captains who had been present at Trafalgar.