Cotton Sir Charles

Cotton, Sir Charles, a British admiral, was born in 1753, and became a commander in 1779, and a captain in the same year. He commanded the Majestic, 74, on "the Glorious First of June," 1794, and the Mars, 74, in Cornwallis's celebrated retreat. He became a flag-officer in 1797, and was thenceforward for nearly eight years employed in the Channel. In 1807 he accepted the command at Lisbon, and greatly assisted in rendering possible the victories of Sir Arthur Wellesley at Rolica and Vimiera. He refused his signature to the Convention of Cintra, and made a separate convention with the Russian admiral who was then in the Tagus. The result was that the Russian squadron was delivered up to Sir Charles. In 1810 Admiral Cotton succeeded Lord Collingwood as commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean. In 1811 he was transferred to the Channel, but he held that command for less than a year, dying at Plymouth on February 23rd, 1812.