Robert Maunsell (Royal Navy officer)

Captain Robert Charles Maunsell (1785/6–1845) was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Royal Navy, rising to the rank of post-captain. He was born at Limerick, a son of Archdeacon William Maunsell, in 1785 or 1786. He had one brother in the Church, and another in the Army.

He entered the Royal Navy on board the Mermaid, 32 guns, Captain Robert Dudley Oliver, in 1799; and subsequently served under Captains Richard Hussey Moubray and George Elliot, in the Maidstone, 32 guns, on the Mediterranean station. On 11 July 1804, he received a very severe wound in the hip, while assisting at the destruction of about a dozen French settees, at La Vandour, near Toulon, by the boats of the Maidstone and her consorts, under the orders of Lieutenant John Thompson; and for his gallant conduct on that occasion, he was rewarded with a commission as Lieutenant, dated 7 March 1805, the day on which he completed his time. From that period, he served on board the Princess Royal, 98 guns, in the Channel fleet. He was promoted to Commander on 8 March 1808.

Maunsell next commanded the Procris brig, on the East India station, where he destroyed the Dutch Company's vessel Wagster, of 8 guns, 4 swivels, and 86 men, in about 1810. At the commencement of the operations against Java, he performed a gallant exploit, leading men of the 14th and 89th regiments ashore to the attack of six of the enemy's gunboats. He was rewarded by an appointment to command the Illustrious, 74 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Broughton; and during the subsequent operations against Batavia, he bore a very distinguished part on shore, under the orders of Captain Sayer; particularly at the assault of Meester Cornelis, on 27 August 1811.

On 10 September, Commodore Broughton joined Rear-Admiral Stopford, off Samarang; and in the course of the ensuing night, several of the enemy's gun vessels, lying in-shore, were attacked and destroyed by the boats of the squadron, under the directions of Captain Maunsell; whose post commission was confirmed by the Admiralty, on 7 February 1812. His next appointment was, on 24 or 25 August 1812, to the Chatham, 74 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Matthew Henry Scott, on the North Sea station; the command of which ship he retained till July 1814.

After 16 years ashore, he was next, on 22 February 1831, placed in command of the Alfred, 50 guns, and sent to the Mediterranean, where he remained for three years. His last appointment was, on 13 May 1840, to the Rodney, 92 guns, bound for Alexandria, where he opened communications between Commodore Napier and Mehemet Ali. In October 1843 the Rodney was paid off. On 20 July 1838, Captain Maunsell was nominated a C.B. He died on 31 August 1845.