Sir Robert Laurie, 6th Baronet

Admiral Sir Robert Laurie, 6th Baronet, KCB (25 May 1764 – 7 January 1848) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He rose through the ranks after his entry, fighting as a lieutenant under Howe at the Glorious First of June, and being wounded in the action. Shortly after he served in the West Indies and off the American coast, where he operated successfully against enemy raiders and privateers, he was rewarded with the command of the frigate , and in 1805 fought an action with a superior French opponent, Ville de Milan. He was forced to surrender his ship after several hours of fighting, but so heavily damaged the Frenchman that both she and the captured British vessel were taken shortly afterwards when another British frigate , arrived on the scene. Rewarded for his valour and honourably acquitted for the loss of his ship, he served throughout the rest of the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to flag rank after the end of the wars, eventually dying in 1848 with the rank of Admiral of the White. He inherited a baronetcy in 1804, but this became extinct upon his death.

Family and early life Robert Laurie was born on 25 May 1764, the son of Sir Robert Laurie and his wife Mary Elizabeth Ruthven. He entered the navy in 1780, spending 10 years as midshipman before being promoted to lieutenant in 1790. He was a lieutenant aboard the 90-gun second rate and fought in the Glorious First of June in 1794, during which action he was wounded. He went on to take part in the reduction of Trinidad in February 1797, making several other captures of privateers during the rest of the year; the 4-gun Vengeur des Français on 16 June, the 6-gun Légère on 6 July and the 2-gun Va-Tout on 8 July. Laurie then transferred to take command of the Cleopatra in summer 1804.

Fighting the Ville de Milan While sailing off Bermuda on 16 February Cleopatra sighted a sail; this was the 40-gun French frigate Ville de Milan which had sailed from Martinique on 28 January under Captain Jean-Marie Renaud, bound for France with important despatches. Despite identifying his quarry as a superior opponent, Laurie ordered a chase. Renaud had orders to avoid combat and pressed on sail to escape Laurie. The engagement began in earnest at 2.30 pm, and a heavy cannonade was maintained between the two frigates until 5 pm, when the Cleopatra had her wheel shot away and her rudder jammed. The Cleopatra had 22 killed and 36 wounded, with the loss of her foremast, mainmast and bowsprit. Laurie took back command of the Cleopatra and all three ships sailed to Halifax, where the Ville de Milan was taken into service as HMS Milan. Laurie was duly appointed to command the Milan. Rear-Admiral of the White 27 May 1825, Rear-Admiral of the Red 22 July 1830, Vice-Admiral of the White 10 January 1837, Vice-Admiral of the Red (date unknown) and Admiral of the Blue on 9 November 1846. He was nominated a Knight Commander of the Bath in 1836. He died unmarried with the rank of Admiral of the White on 7 January 1848 at his seat of Maxwelton House, Dumfriesshire. He had no issue, and the baronetcy became extinct upon his death. Maxwelton House later passed to his grand-nephew Sir Emilius Bayley who changed his name and baronetcy to Laurie.