Cunningham , Sir , Charles , 1755-1834 , Knight , Rear-Admiral

Cunningham entered the Navy from the merchant service in 1775 and served in the West Indies throughout the American War. He was made lieutenant in 1782 and commanded the Admiral Barrington brig in that year. In 1788 he went to the East Indies and in 1790 was made commander of the ARIEL. He became a captain in 1793 and went to the Mediterranean, returning with Lord Hood's (q.v.) despatches. His next appointment was in 1796 to the CLYDE which was refitting at the Nore at the outbreak of the mutiny: he acted decisively and after seventeen days managed to bring his ship safely away. He was appointed, in 1803, a Commissioner of Victualling and, in 1806, Commissioner of Deptford and Woolwich dockyards. In 1823 he went to Chatham dockyard and retired with the rank of rear-admiral in 1829. In this year he published A Narrative of... the Mutiny at the Nore (Chatham, 1829).