Admiral Sir David Milne (1763-1845) RMG BHC2864

Admiral Sir David Milne (1763-1845)

A full-length portrait of the Admiral of the White, Sir David Milne. He stands facing slightly to left in rear admiral’s full dress uniform, wearing the star and neck decoration of a K.C.B., the star of St Janarius and the neck decoration of a knight of Willem of the Netherlands. He is shown on a quarter-deck holding a telescope in his right hand and leaning on a cannon. He also wears the sword presented to him by the City of London.

Milne first saw service in the American War of Independence and was present at Hood’s action with de Grasse in 1782 and Rodney’s victory in April of that year at the Saints. Again in the West Indies at the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars, he distinguished himself when a lieutenant in the ‘Blanche’ at various cutting out expeditions. He was also involved in the capture of the ‘Pique’ which he later commanded and then wrecked during the capture of the ‘Seine’ in 1798. He was then immediately given command of the ‘Seine’ in which, in 1800, he captured the ‘Vengeance’. At his own request he went as second-in-command under Lord Exmouth in the expedition against Algiers in 1816. At the bombardment of Algiers in 1816 he was again second-in-command to Exmouth, where his flagship the ‘Impregnable’ sustained heavy damage and casualties.

G. F. Clarke (1823-1906) is generally known as a copyist. The original portrait by Raeburn was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1818 and this copy may have been done just before it was presented in 1878 to the Naval Gallery at Greenwich (whose contents were transferred to the Museum's care in 1936 as the Greenwich Hospital Collection) by the sitter's sons, David Milne Home and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne, Bt. It is inscribed, ‘After Sir H Raeburn by G F Clarke’.

Admiral Sir David Milne (1763-1845)