Charles Courage

Biography
Charles Courage was born 1678 in Dunbar Scotland. He was born into a large family who had various business interests in and around Dunbar. Their business empire though also stretched from interests in Inverness mostly around livestock to trading coal in London, often using the west coast of Britain as a means to link their interests. The extended family also developing business opportunities in the new world under the name Courage. Charles was being groomed to become a blacksmith, his interests however lay elsewhere. He frequently being found travelling upon the coastal ketches carrying the family’s trade goods between their warehouses. It was here that Charles discovered his love of the sea and learned a great deal about sailing. Reaching the grand age of 13 his family had decided that he should be apprenticed and to prevent his sea going adventures decided to send him to a little known hamlet of Jackton which lay just west of the village of Eaglesham. Where it was considered that Charles would settle down into the life of an apprentice Blacksmith. However Charles had other ideas and he kept going west until he arrived at the little port of Girvan. He had the great fortune to find there Captain Smythe of the Anglesea who had ported there in the hopes of provisioning and replacing a number of officers and crew before setting off for the Caribbean. Captain Smythe being lodged in the town was regaling to all who would listen about the advantages of a life at sea in the hopes of encouraging some recruitment. Charles listened to this man and also told of his own adventures at sea up and down the east coast. Captain Smythe taking a liking to Charles offered him an opportunity to join his crew as a Kings Letter Boy with the promise that if he did well Charles could in a number of years become a ships officer. This was too good for Charles to pass up and Captain Smythe true too his word used his own connections to obtain a position for Charles aboard ship as a volunteer.

Captain Smythe recognised the young mans abilities as he excelled in all forms of seamanship, proving equally keen to learn the art of gunnery, whilst his position on ship meant he was practically an officer his down to earth ways and interest in the seamen he quickly became well liked by all taking every experience and learning, he also passed on what little he knew to those of lesser skill.

The Anglesea took part in a number of single actions in the Caribbean taking a few prizes before returning to Plymouth 4 years after having left. Captain Smythe recommendation to the admiralty board that Charles be accepted for a Lieutenants exam. Which was accepted and he passed with ease. He continued to serve under Captain Smythe and initially Anglesea was charged with patrolling home waters this commission lasted 3 years and after a refit set sail once more into the west. Charles family had also become aware of what he had become and had re-established contactupon learning that he was once again bound for the Caribbean they provided him with letters of introduction to other cousins of the Courage name who were developing their way in the west. Meanwhile Duncan Charles brother was charged with bringing the family together in the Caribbean to develop links between the various Courage members to support them develop a strong business and grow opportunities. Charles was also incuded to do what he could within his influence to develop the Courage strength.

On this most recent voyage the Anglesea met up with a French squadron and a heated action ensued, most of the ships company were out of action and Lieutenant Courage being the sole surviving officer rallied what was left of the crew and maintained such a vigorous fire against the French that they also were so badly damaged that they broke off the action and aborted any attempt to take Anglesea. The ship making it back to port Royal where statements of the action were taken from the surviving crew members. Charles also being wounded was able to convalesce in Port Royal giving an opportunity to contact members of the Courage clan assisted as much as his wounds allowed to develop their business interests. He had by this time been active enough to be able to identify potential business opportunities that his brother and cousins could exploit.

Upon his wounds being healed Charles was promoted by order of the king as he had learned by this time of the clash and how young courage had responded in the face of the enemy. The rapid promotion also being due to number of ships captains being cashiered and in a couple of cases shot for cowardice in the face of the enemy combined with a serious plague which struck Port Royal just at the time when a large portion of naval forces had docked there to be reprovisioned. A number of officers succumbing to the sickness, Charles missed this and it had burnt itself out by the time he returned from meeting Duncan in Turtling Bay who was establishing a family business headquarters at that port. It was to this end that Charles found he was promoted to Captain and his first command was of HMS Assistance which was the ordered to sail to meet with Captain J leak who was commanding a Squadron against the French in Newfoundland. Charles found this a great experience and played his part in the taking of over 50 French ships ranging from fishing ketches up to large merchant vessels. This expedition wrecking the French colonies in Newfoundland. The Assistance returned to England for a short period but Charles ever restful to be back at his beloved Port Royal and the climate it offered harried and so hassled the admiralty that they gave him a commission to find and destroy all enemy shipping in the Caribbean and there he remains harrying all enemies of Britain and of course lending the odd hand to his family's business enterprises.