Cresswell had two older brothers (Frank Joseph and Addison John), and three that were younger (William Edward, Gerard Oswin, and Oswald).
[2] In 1846 he served on the personal staff of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas John Cochrane in an expedition in Brunei, and was Mentioned in Despatches.
[5] Cresswell was appointed as the second lieutenant and ship's artist aboard HMS Investigator under Robert McClure during the Arctic expedition in search of the Northwest Passage.
[1] Cresswell's numerous water-colour paintings made during the Ross and McClure expeditions leave behind a pictorial record of the activities and terrain.
A subsequent folio volume of lithographic views of the drawings, A Series of Eight Sketches in Colour, together with a Chart of the Route of the Voyage of H.M.S.
Three years later, in command of HMS Surprise, he participated in the Second Opium War, receiving three further Mentions in Despatches, one being for the attack on the Taku Forts.