Sir Lucius Curtis | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Sir Lucius Curtis (with the frigate HMS Magicienne burning in the background) on a pub sign in Southampton | |
| Born | 3 June 1786 Portsea, Hampshire |
| Died | 14 January 1869 (aged 82) Portsdown Hill, Hampshire |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1795–1869 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands | HMS Jalouse HMS Rose HMS Magicienne HMS Iphigenia HMS Madagascar Malta Dockyard |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Lucius Curtis, 2nd Baronet, KCB, DL (3 June 1786 – 14 January 1869) was a senior officer of the Royal Navy during the nineteenth century. The son of Sir Roger Curtis, 1st Baronet, Lord Howe's flag captain at the Glorious First of June, Lucius served during the Napoleonic Wars and was heavily involved in the Mauritius campaign of 1810. During this campaign, Curtis commanded the frigate HMS Magicienne with the blockade squadron under Josias Rowley and was still in command when the ship was destroyed at the Battle of Grand Port. Magicienne grounded on a coral reef early in the engagement and despite the best efforts of Curtis and his crew, the ship had to be abandoned, Curtis setting her on fire to prevent her subsequent capture.
After Curtis was freed from captivity in December 1810, he was cleared of any wrongdoing in the loss of his ship and returned to his naval career. He later rose to become an Admiral of the Fleet. As his eldest son predeceased him, the baronetcy in 1869 passed to his second son, Arthur.