Chaloner Ogle

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Chaloner Ogle KB (1681 – 11 April 1750) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who represented Rochester in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1746 to 1750. After serving as a junior officer during the Nine Years' War, a ship he was commanding was captured by three French ships off Ostend in July 1706 in an action during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Ogle was given command of the fourth-rate HMS Swallow and saw action against the pirate fleet of Bartholomew Roberts in the Battle of Cape Lopez in February 1722. The action was to prove a turning point in the war against the pirates and many consider the death of Roberts to mark the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.

In December 1741, Ogle was despatched with a fleet of some 30 ships to support Vice-Admiral of the White Edward Vernon in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Following the British defeat in the battle, Ogle went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.

Early career

Born to John Ogle, a Newcastle barrister, and Mary (née Braithwaite) Ogle, Chaloner Ogle came from the Kirkley Hall branch of the prominent Northumbrian Ogle family of Northumberland. He joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in July 1697. Promoted to lieutenant on 29 April 1702, he joined the third-rate HMS Royal Oak later that month. The action was to prove a turning point in the war against the pirates and many consider the death of Roberts to mark the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.

Senior command

Promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Blue on 11 July 1739, Ogle became second-in-command in the Mediterranean under Rear-Admiral of the Red Nicholas Haddock, with his flag in the fourth-rate HMS Augusta later that year, but then transferred to become third-in-command in the Channel under Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Norris, still with his flag in HMS Augusta, in 1740. Ogle was promoted again to Rear-Admiral of the Red on 12 March 1741.

In December 1741, Ogle was despatched with a fleet of some 30 ships to support Vice-Admiral of the White Edward Vernon in his engagement with Spanish naval forces under Blas de Lezo off the coast of Colombia during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Ogle arrived in April 1742 and, after a week of bombardment of the City of Cartagena, the British made preparations to land near an access channel, Boca Chica, with 300 grenadiers. The Spanish defenders of two small, nearby forts, San Iago and San Philip, were driven off by a three ships of the fleet under Ogle but the British naval force suffered some 120 casualties with the third-rate HMS Shrewsbury alone losing 100 killed and wounded as well as taking serious damage from cannon fire from Fort San Luis. Although the grenadiers landed, the subsequent attack on Fort San Lazaro was a disaster for the attackers, who were eventually forced to withdraw after losing thousands of men, mostly to tropical diseases such as yellow fever. In the recriminations after the battle Ogle was accused of an assault upon Edward Trelawny, governor of Jamaica in August 1742; he was tried in court but no judgement was given. Vernon was recalled and Ogle became Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station again. and agin to Vice-Admiral of the White on 7 December Ogle presided at the courts-martial of the captains accused of cowardice at the Battle of Toulon in late February 1744. he became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in September 1745. and promoted to Admiral of the White on 15 July 1747 and again to Admiral of the Fleet on 1 July 1749. After his retirement, he lived at Gifford Lodge in Twickenham. He died in London on 11 April 1750 and was buried at St Mary's, Twickenham. The monument was sculpted by John Michael Rysbrack.

Family In October 1714, Ogle married Henrietta Isaacson. After the death of his first wife, he married Jane Isabella Ogle (a cousin) in October 1737; there were no children from either marriage.