Bullseye
A Turnbull Clan Publication
Founder: John Turnbull, Scotland
Founder: Dorothy Berk, United States
President, Wally Turnbull
Janet Turnbull Schwierking, Editor
Volume 5, Issue 2, February 2004
Sir Robert TurnbullBy Joan Sjostrom "Sir Robert Turnbull was the commander of the H.M.S. Bellerophon. During the Battle of Trafalgar, Admiral Nelson was supposed to have transferred the flag to the Bellerophon when his ship sank according to family oral history. Nelson was supposed to have died in his arms. He is the oldest authentic member of this branch of the Turnbull clan. No mention of this has been recorded in the history of the battle, but there is a Turnbull Lane in Gibraltar." Descendent line: Robert Turnbull c. 1750> James Turnbull b. abt.1787 > John Aitkin Turnbull b.1839 > James Turnbull b. 1872 > Martha Watson Turnbull b.1897, who married Rev. George Sevier in 1929, a daughter Joan Turnbull Sevier b.1931, married Rex William Sjostrom in 1955. If anyone wants a connection to this family line, you may contact your editor. Note: I want to thank Joan Sjostrom for her family history input. Like most things verbally passed along, the real truth will remain unknown. Even the historical authors disagreed or embellish the truth. Looking at what has been written about Trafalgar and Admiral Nelson, is like talking to 10 witnesses of a bank robbery, everyone has their own version of what happened, and somewhere in the middle is truth. Historical Brief - Battle of TrafalgarThe Battle of Trafalgar took place on October 21, 1805, somewhere near Cape Trafalgar off the Southern coast of Spain. Admiral Nelson had a fleet of 27 ships his flag ship was the H.M.S. Victory. Vice Admiral Pierre Charles de Villeneuve on flag ship L'Orient, was in command of the slightly larger fleet of combined French and Spanish ships. The battle started shortly before noon and was over by mid-late afternoon. It was a terrible bloody battle, no English ships were lost, 1500 sailors killed, and many more injured. Among the dead were, Admiral Horatio Nelson, (mortally wounded some 18 minutes after the battle started) famed Captain John Cooke, and the Captain of the Bellerophon [no name given.] |
The combined fleet under Villeneuve, lost 40,000 men and 20 ships, including Villeneuve flagship L'Orient which blew up and sank.
Sources: Encarta Encyclopedia; Ruffin at Trafalgar by Ted Goddard; Billy Ruffin: His Majesty’s Ship “Bellerophon” and The Downfall of Napoleon, by David Cordingly; In This IssueHistorical Brief .....Battle of Trafalgar..................... ....1 A Visit to Bedrule .........................................................2 Welcome New Members .............................................2 Secretary Editor Report ...............................................2 Ocala Scottish Festival ................................................2 John Rodney Turnbull 1880 Memoirs Part 1 .............3 In Memoriam .................................................................4 2004 Membership Packets .........................................4 Report of the Treasurer to the Membership ..............5 .Imagination ...................................................................6 Missouri Tartan Day Festival ......................................6 |
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The H.M.S. Bellerophon (1782-1836) was a ship of the line, (single line battle formation) with 74 guns, she was nicknamed the
"Billy Ruffin" because the sailors could not pronounce the name correctly. (Bellerophon , is from Greek Mythology, a citizen of Corinth who was exiled for a murder he committed, and was later absolved of the charge, said to have ridden the
winged horse Pegasus and killed Chimera, a monster, part lion, part goat, part dragon ). In 1815 the H.M.S. Bellerophon was used to transport Napoleon to his exile on St. Helena Island. Later, the Bellerophon became a prison hulk, then in 1836
was dismantled.