Naval Career
Charles Brereton had originally hoped that his sons would attend Oxford. He became disappointed by the slow pace of Edward's learning as a child. In October 1805, shortly before his thirteenth birthday, he enrolled Edward in the Royal Navy as a first class volunteer. The younger sons of the gentry traditionally entered the military at that time. His family enrolled him as early as they could because seniority was crucial to career advancement at that time.
Trelawny's name was entered on the books of HMS Superb as volunteer first class in October 1815. His first experiences in the Navy were serving on ships that had returned from the Battle of Trafalgar with many badly wounded sailors. In November he was transferred to the Temeraire and then to the Colossus. He later attended a naval school in Portsmouth. In 1806 he served aboard the HMS Woolwich. While serving on the Woolwich he travelled to the Cape of Good Hope and to St. Helena. In 1808 he moved to the frigate Resistance, and in 1809 to the frigate Cornelia. While serving aboard the Cornelia he travelled to Bombay.
Trelawny was initially happy to have joined the navy and enjoyed the rough lifestyle there. He often exaggerated his age while he was in the Navy. Some biographers believe he commanded a vessel as a midshipman in an engagement with the French at Mauritius in 1810. Some also believe that he was wounded engaging the French in Java in August 1811. He left the Navy in 1815 at the age of 19. He had grown to resent the discipline of the Navy due in part to the frequent punishment that he experienced. He was often sent to the masthead for several hours at a time. During that time, he frequently entertained fantasies of mutiny and desertion. Some biographers believe that Trelawny was inspired by hearing accounts of the French pirate Robert Surcouf. He was never commissioned as a lieutenant, though many of his contemporaries were. This disappointed him, although he began referring to himself as Lieutenant Trelawny anyway.
Read more about this topic: Edward John Trelawny
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