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LUTTRELL, JAMES M. P.
(1751?-1788)
captain in the navy,
youngest son of Simon Luttrell, first earl of Carhampton,
and brother of Henry Lawes Luttrell, second earl of Carhampton [q. v.],
and John Luttrell-Olmius;
was born at Four Oaks in Warwickshire about 1751-2.
He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the navy on 2 Feb. 1770,
to be commander of the Merlin sloop on 27 Oct. 1780,
and on 23 Feb. 1781 was posted to the Portland.
On 16 March 1782 he was appointed to the Mediator of 44 guns.
In December, while waiting off Ferrol to intercept an American frigate lying there, he fell in with a squadron of five of the enemy's vessels, storeships or privateers, but heavily armed and with an aggregate of over six hundred men. As the Mediator stood towards them they formed lino of battle, and presented a formidable appearance ; but Luttrell bore down on them, and after a few broadsides cut off one of the largest, the Alexandre, and compelled her to strike. While he was taking possession of her the others scattered and fled. It was not till five hours later that the Mediator came up with another of the vessels, the Ménagère, which she captured after a running fight of nearly the hours more. The next day two of the others were in sight, partially dismasted ;
but Luttrell felt unequal to any further attack. The following day a desperate but unsuccessful attempt was made bv his prisoner to set fire to the Mediator, ïhe prizes were brought safely to England. In April 1783 Luttrell was moved into the Ganges of 74 guns, and in the following September was appointed surveyor-general of the ordnance, a post which he held till his death, from consumption, on 23 Dec. 1788. In 1775 he was returned to parliament by the borough of Stockbridge in Hampshire, which he represented till 1784, when he was returned by Dover. There is an engraved portrait of him ; his gallant action in the Mediator was the subject of a painting by Dodd, and of three different views by Serres. These pictures have also been engraved. Luttrell has been frequently confused with his elder brother, JOHN LUTTRELL, afterwards LUTTRELL-OLMIUS (d. 1829), third earl of Carhampton.
from Dictionary of National Biography
George III* remembered him as
"the best of that strange family".
He died without heirs.
from "Luttrellstown" by The Knight of Glin
* whose brother was married to James' sister, Lady Anne, the Duchess of Cumberland.
from the National Maritime Museum (Britain)
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=BHC0455
To the left of the centre of the painting, the 'Mediator' is firing from both sides. Left of this, the privateer 'Alexander' is capitulating. To the right the 'Mediator' is also engaging the French ship 'Eugène', flying a commodore's pendant and visible amidst the swirl of gunsmoke. To her right is another Frenchman the 'Ménagère ' which is running before the wind in an attempt to escape. The two ships trying to escape in the distance on the right are the French ship 'Dauphin Royal' and an American brig. It is signed and dated 'T Luny 1783'.
