Lord George Paulet

{{Short description|British admiral (1803–1879)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] | name = Lord George Paulet | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CB}} | image = George Paulet (Royal Navy officer).jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1803|8|12|df=y}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1879|11|22|1803|8|12|df=y}} | burial_label = | burial_place = | birth_place = | death_place = | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | allegiance = | branch = [[Royal Navy]] | service_years = 1817–1867 | rank = [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] | unit = | commands = {{HMS|Nautilus|1806|6}}<br/> {{HMS|Carysfort|1836|6}} <br/> [[HMS Waterloo (1818)|HMS ''Bellerophon'']] | battles = [[Crimean War]] | battles_label = | awards = [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Légion d'honneur|Officier of the Légion d'honneur]]<br/>[[Order of the Medjidie|Medjidie of the Third Class]] | relations = [[Henry Paulet]] (uncle) | other_work = }}

'''Lord George Paulet''' [[Order of the Bath|CB]] (12 August 1803 – 22 November 1879) was a British officer of the [[Royal Navy]].

He entered the navy shortly after the end of the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and after some years obtained his own command. He served off the [[Iberian Peninsula]] during the Portuguese [[Liberal Wars]] and the Spanish [[First Carlist War]], protecting British interests and property. While serving on the [[Pacific Station]] he obtained a brief measure of infamy when he occupied the [[Hawaiian Islands]] for five months in 1843, in an incident known as the [[Paulet affair]]. The occupation was later reversed by his commanding officer. Paulet went on to serve during the [[Crimean War]], commanding a ship during the heavy fighting around the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|siege of Sevastopol]] in 1854 and the [[Battle of Kinburn (1855)|Battle of Kinburn]] in 1855. He received a number of awards after the war, and was promoted through the ranks, until his death in 1879 at the rank of full admiral.

==Family and early life== George Paulet was born on 12 August 1803, the third son of [[Charles Paulet, 13th Marquess of Winchester|Charles Ingoldsby Paulet]], 13th [[Marquess of Winchester]], and his wife, Anne Andrews.<ref name="rnb">{{cite book |last=Marshall|title=Royal Naval Biography|page=526}}</ref><ref name="paulet">{{cite web |title= Biography of George Paulet R.N. |url= http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=411 |access-date= 21 February 2010 }}</ref> He joined the Royal Navy on 6 February 1817 and after several years of service was commissioned a lieutenant on 9 February 1825.<ref name="rnb"/><ref name="paulet"/> He was promoted to commander on 28 February 1828, and was given command of {{HMS|Nautilus|1806|6}} in March 1830.<ref name="rnb"/> He was assigned to the [[Lisbon]] station, where he spent the rest of the [[Liberal Wars|Portuguese Civil War]], based in and off the [[Douro]] and [[Tagus]] rivers.<ref name="rnb"/><ref name="OB">{{cite book |last=O'Byrne's|title=O'Byrne's Naval Annual|page=61}}</ref> ''Nautilus'' was later moved to the northern Spanish coast after the outbreak of the [[First Carlist War]].<ref name="OB"/> During her time in Portugal ''Nautilus'' was visited by [[Charles Shaw (British Army officer)|Sir Charles Shaw]], who remarked on the great respect that the Spanish had for Paulet, and also commented on how his men were 'so comfortably clad, so well fed, so respectful, and so attached to their officers.'<ref name="Shaw">{{cite book |last=Shaw|title=Personal Memoirs and Correspondence|page=22}}</ref> Paulet was promoted to [[post-captain]] on 18 November 1833. He went to [[Bilbao]] on 17 December to render assistance and protect British property, but bad weather delayed his entry to the port.<ref name="USM">{{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine|page=102}}</ref> From Bilbao he proceeded to London to deliver despatches, after which he sailed to [[Portsmouth]] to pay off ''Nautilus'', on which occasion he gave his officers 'a sumptuous entertainment'.<ref name="rnb"/><ref name="USM"/>

He married Georgina Wood of [[Surrey]], daughter of Major-General Sir George Wood on 11 July 1835.<ref name="paulet"/> In 1843 took a second wife in Hawaii, Kamamalu-o-Leleihoku, and had a child the same year born Hanakaʻulani-o-Kamamalu.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Paulet affair== {{main|Paulet affair}} Paulet became captain of {{HMS|Carysfort|1836|6}} on 28 December 1841, and served on the [[Pacific Station]] under Rear-Admiral [[Richard Darton Thomas]].<ref name="paulet"/> In late 1842, [[Richard Charlton (Hawaii)|Richard Charlton]], the British [[Consul (representative)|consul]] to the [[Kingdom of Hawaii]] told Paulet that British subjects in the [[Hawaiian Islands]] were being denied their legal rights.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hawaii.gov/dags/archives/centennial/charleton-land-claim |title=The Charlton Land Claim |work=state archives centennial collection |publisher=state of Hawaii |access-date= 23 February 2010 }}</ref> Paulet requested permission from Rear-Admiral Thomas to investigate the allegations.<ref>{{cite news |hdl= 10524/266 |title= Richard Charlton: A Reassessment |work= Hawaiian Journal of History |publisher=Hawaii Historical Society |volume= 30 |author= Richard MacAllan |year= 1966 |pages= 53–76}}</ref> Paulet arrived at [[Honolulu]] on 11 February 1843 but was unable to meet immediately with King [[Kamehameha III]]. Paulet refused to use an intermediary, the chief government minister American [[Gerrit P. Judd]], and warned Captain Long of an American ship, {{USS|Boston|1825|6}}, on 17 February, that he would attack the town were his demands not met.<ref name="state">{{cite book |title= British and foreign state papers, Volume 150, Part 1 |publisher= Great Britain Foreign Office |year=1858 |chapter= Correspondence relating to the Provisional Cession of the Sandwich Islands to great Britain.—February, 1843 |pages= 1023–1029 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=1qADAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1023 }}</ref> The Hawaiian government acceded to his demands on 18 February and an agreement was signed on 25 February which ceded the land subject to any diplomatic resolution. Paulet appointed himself and three others to a commission to be the new government, and insisted on direct control of land transactions.<ref name="state"/>

Paulet destroyed all Hawaiian flags he could find, and raised the British [[Union Flag]] during the occupation. He cleared 156 residents off contested land.<ref name="hjh98">{{cite news |hdl= 10524/430 |title= Along the Old Honolulu Waterfront |work= Hawaiian Journal of History |publisher=Hawaii Historical Society |volume= 32 |author= Richard A. Greer |year= 1998 |pages= 53–66}}</ref> Both Paulet and Judd despatched envoys to London to present their cases, Paulet to explain his actions and Judd to press for an independent Hawaii.<ref name="marshall">{{cite magazine |title= An unpublished chapter of Hawaiian History |magazine= Harper's magazine |author= James F. B. Marshall |volume= 67 |year =1883 |pages= 511–520 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-4UCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA511 }}</ref> While discussions were held in London, the American warships {{USS|Constellation|1797|6}} under Commodore [[Lawrence Kearny]] and {{USS|United States|1797|6}} under Commodore [[Thomas ap Catesby Jones]] arrived in the islands and consulted with American and Hawaiian representatives.<ref>{{cite book |title= First session of the 29th Congress |publisher= Congress of the United States of America |chapter= A resolution of the Senate of 25 February 1845 in reference to the correspondence between the commander of the East India squadron and foreign powers |date= 17 February 1846 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BoMFAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA4-PA39 }}</ref> Rear-Admiral Thomas received word of the developments, and sailed to Hawaii himself on his flagship {{HMS|Dublin|1812|6}}. On 26 July Thomas arrived in Honolulu harbour and met with King Kamehameha III. After investigating, Thomas declared on 31 July that the occupation was over and while he reserved the right to protect British citizens, Hawaiian sovereignty was to be respected.<ref name="focus">{{cite web |title= Thomas Square nomination form |author= Dorothy Riconda |work= National Register of Historic Places |date= 23 March 1972 |publisher= U.S. National Park Service |url= {{NRHP url|id=72000423}} |access-date=21 February 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Lā Ho'iho'i Ea / Restoration Day |publisher= Hawaii State [[Office of Hawaiian Affairs]] |date= 30 June 2008 |author =Blaine Fergerstrom |url= http://www.oha.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=657&Itemid=158 }}</ref>

==Crimean War and later life== In June 1845 Paulet was no longer captain of ''Carysfort''. He was appointed to command [[HMS Waterloo (1818)|HMS ''Bellerophon'']] on 7 November 1850 in the [[Mediterranean]]. He fought during the [[Crimean War]], seeing action at the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|siege of Sevastopol]]. During the bombardment of the [[Konstantin Battery]] on 17 October 1854 Paulet took ''Bellerophon'' in close to support the damaged {{HMS|Agamemnon|1852|6}}.<ref name="GM">{{cite book |title=[[Gentleman's Magazine]]|page=204}}</ref><ref name="Crimea">{{cite book|last=Kinglake|title=The Invasion of the Crimea|page=189}}</ref> ''Bellerophon'' was hit several times, a shot smashing her wheel, and another setting her on fire. Paulet continued to stand in to the attack, until his ship was hit by raking fire. Her launch was hit and sunk, and she again caught fire. After signalling for assistance {{HMS|Spitfire|1845|6}} came to her aid, and ''Bellerophon'' was towed out of the line, on fire and with four of her crew dead and 15 wounded.<ref name="Crimea"/>

Paulet was made a naval [[aide de camp]] to [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] in 1854, and was made a [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]] in 1855.<ref name="paulet"/><ref name="AR">{{cite book |last=Burke|title=The Annual Register|page=398}}</ref> For his services during the war he was also authorised to accept appointments as an [[Légion d'honneur|Officier of the Légion d'honneur]] and as a [[Order of the Medjidie|Medjidie of the Third Class]].<ref name="NL">{{cite book |title=The Navy list|page=150}}</ref> He was promoted to rear-admiral on 21 July 1856, vice-admiral on 3 April 1863 and a full admiral on 20 March 1866. He retired on 12 March 1867 and died on 22 November 1879.<ref name="paulet"/>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Burke |first=Edmund |author-link=Edmund Burke |title=[[The Annual Register]] of World Events: A Review of the Year |publisher=Longmans, Green |year=2007 |volume=96}} * {{cite book |title=The United Service Magazine, Part 1 |year=1834 |location=London |publisher=Henry Colburn}} * {{cite book |title=[[The Gentleman's Magazine]] and Historical Chronicle |year=1859 |publisher=John Henry and James Parker |location=London |volume=6}} * {{cite book |last=Kinglake |first=Alexander William |title=The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin, and an Account of its Progress Down to the Death of Lord Raglan | publisher=B. Tauchnitz |year=1868 |volume=6}} * {{cite book |last=O'Byrne |first=Robert |title=O'Byrne's Naval Annual for 1855 |year=1855 |publisher=Piper, Stephenson, & Spence |location=London |volume=6}} * {{cite book |last=Shaw |first=Charles |author-link=Charles Shaw (British Army officer) |title=Personal Memoirs and Correspondence: Comprising a Narrative of the War in Portugal and Spain from 1831 to 1837 |year=1837 |publisher=Henry Colburn |volume=1 |location=London}} {{refend}}

== External links == * {{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |chapter=Paulet, George |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=[[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]]}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paulet, George}} [[Category:1803 births]] [[Category:1879 deaths]] [[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]] [[Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Paulet family|George]] [[Category:Royal Navy admirals]] [[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War]] [[Category:Younger sons of marquesses]]