James Richard Dacres

James Richard Dacres (22 August 1788 – 4 December 1853) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812. A member of a substantial naval dynasty, he eventually rose to the rank of vice admiral, but is chiefly remembered for his engagement with the American frigate which saw the loss of his ship.

Family and early life Dacres was born in Lowestoft on 22 August 1788, the son of Captain, later Vice-Admiral, James Richard Dacres and his wife Eleanor Blandford Pearce. The Dacres would eventually become a substantial naval dynasty, James's elder brother Barrington Dacres embarked on a naval career and rose to be post-captain, while their uncle, Richard Dacres became a vice-admiral. His cousin, Richard's son Sydney Dacres would eventually be an admiral, and First Sea Lord. Maitland decided to test whether the French ships were armed en flûte and were being used as troopships, and closing to within range, opened fire. The French returned fire, revealing they were fully armed and manned, and Maitland broke off. The French pursued, but were unable to catch him.

Command Dacres remained in command aboard the Elk until being transferred to the 24-gun on 14 January 1806. Dacres sailed to the North American station, and shortly after the outbreak of the War of 1812 was despatched by Vice-Admiral Herbert Sawyer as part of a squadron under Captain Philip Broke to intercept an American squadron under Commodore John Rodgers. Broke's squadron consisted of the 64-gun ship of the line and the frigates Shannon, Aeolus, and Guerriere.

Dacres briefly became separated from Broke's squadron, and while returning to them on 17 August came across the , under Captain Isaac Hull. He mistook the other nearby ships, which was Broke's squadron, for the American squadron under Rodgers, and so missed an opportunity to close on the Constitution. A chase ensued between the British and American ships, but the Constitution was finally able to escape Broke's squadron. Dacres remained with Broke, joining him in August in escorting an inbound convoy to Halifax, after which Dacres and the Guerriere were detached to sail to Halifax and undergo a refit.

Battling the Constitution

On the afternoon of 19 August the Guerriere made contact with the Constitution. Dacres prepared to fight and the two ships closed and exchanged broadsides for some time. The range eventually decreased and after a brief close exchange the Guerrieres mizzenmast was shot away, allowing the Constitution to rake her several times, causing considerable damage, before the two ships became entangled. Shortly after this Guerriere lost both her main and foremasts, leaving her largely un-manoeuvrable. During the engagement Dacres had been wounded by a musket-ball in the back while on the starboard forecastle, but had refused to leave the deck. Sensing that this was an attempt to signal surrender, Hull ordered a boat to take a lieutenant over to the British ship. When the lieutenant walked onto the Guerriere and asked if Guerriere was prepared to surrender, Captain Dacres responded "Well, Sir, I don't know. Our mizzen mast is gone, our fore and main masts are gone-I think on the whole you might say we have struck our flag."

Dacres was brought aboard the Constitution where he presented his sword to Hull. Hull refused to accept it, saying he could not accept the sword from a man who had fought so gallantly. There was no suggestion that Dacres and his men had not done their utmost, or that Dacres had been unwise to engage the Constitution. He was therefore honourably acquitted of all blame for the loss. He was awarded a gratuity from the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund in consideration of his wound. A temporary fort built in 1846 at the mouth of the Fish River in the Eastern Cape Province during the Seventh Xhosa War was named Fort Dacres in his honour. The construction was carried out by sailors of the British man-of-war HMS President.

He was promoted to vice-admiral on 20 March 1848.

Family and later life Dacres married Arabella-Boyd, sister of Sir Adolphus Dalrymple, on 25 April 1810. One son, also called James Richard Dacres, died at Mozambique at the age of 37 on 14 February 1848, while in command of the sloop . Another, Hew Dalrymple Dacres died at sea at the age of 21 on 11 July 1835, having been a lieutenant in the 67th Regiment. They and their father are commemorated in a plaque in the parish church at Tetbury, Gloucestershire. One daughter, also called Arabella, married Colonel Thomas Butler of Hambledon, Hampshire. James Richard Dacres died at Catisfield Lodge, near Fareham, Hampshire on 4 December 1853 at the age of 65. He was buried in the family vault at Tetbury.