Peter Schiønning

Peter Christian Schiønning (15 August 1732 - 7 August 1813) was a Danish naval officer. His diary provides a detailed first hand account of the life of a Danish naval officer in the second half of the 18th century.

Early life and education Schiønning was born on 15 August 1732 in Copenhagen, the son of renteskriver Peter Schiønning (1691 1745) and Anna Leth (c. 1696–1766). Six of his 12 siblings survived to adulthood.

Schiønning enrolled at the Naval Cadet Academy in November 1746. In 1750, he received his first training at sea, on board the naval training ship Dockquen.

Career The fire of the Falster at Safi, 1753. The Christiansborg is seen the foreground. In 1752–53, Schiønning was sent to the Mediterranean with the frigate Christiansborg. He was thus present when HDMS Falster exploded off Safi, Morocco. In 1755, he became a junior lieutenant. He was later promoted through the ranks from senior lieutenant (1758) to captain lieutenant (1763) and captain (1769).

In 1773, Shoønning became captain of the frigate Søeridderen. In 1779, he captained the frigate Christiansø Both ships were part of a squadron under the command of vice admiral Carl de Fontenay. From there he continued to the Danish West Indies where he protected merchant ships during the North American War of Independence. In October, he managed to save his ship by urgently leaving port when a hurricane was about to hit the islands.