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The Marine Officer Or Sketches of Service (1840) -Robert Steele - Vol I

Page 207-208

CHAPTER XII.

Captain C. R. Reynolds-His account of the capture of the French line of battle ship, Droits de I'Homme, by the frigates, Amazon and Indefatigable-Shipwreck of the Amazon and Droits de I'Homme-Napoleon Medal-Torbay Bantry Bay-Captain Brisbane-Billy Bedford and the Thunderer-Irish character.

 

AFTER the accident which had so nearly proved fatal to me, and which might have given me the magnificent marine pyramid, the famous breakwater, (since raised in Plymouth) for a monument, I was carried to the boat, taken on board, and put into my cot. The doctor came to see me, and said what doctors rarely say that I needed no physic. The fact was, our medico found his own physic ! I was however exhausted, and very weak, and feverish ; and low diet, and long sleep were prescribed, to put me on my legs again. I remained many hours in my bed, which had been slung pro tempore, where I might not be disturbed as in "Capstan Square." On my coming on deck, there was nothing to be seen above but the blue sky, and below but the blue sea. Our new captain, R. C. Reynolds, to whom I was now introduced by the first lieutenant, was walking on the weather side. If ever there was a true sailor and " no mistake," Reynolds was one. His mind was in his face, and an open generous one it was ; and his heart was in his hand. He received me with the dignity of a gentleman, blended with the kindness of a father. -"Egad," said he, "you were near making food for the fishes I understand, but you must become an expert swimmer. I am very glad to see you ; dine with me to-day. A fine lad that," said he to Guion, as they turned round to continue their conversation and their walk.

…………
Page 223-224 A very light air from the eastward was beginning to curl on the wave, but a heavy swell still set in from the south west ; and some surprise was felt, that so good a seaman as the Commander-in-chief should move such heavy ships under such circumstances. But to obey, and not to reason, is the rule afloat ; and presently all the fleet were a-weigh . The mistake was, however, immediately manifest ; the Commander-in-chief and the second in command in the Ville de Paris and San Josef, were getting into a dilemma ; and the fleet generally could do little with so light a wind, against so heavy a swell. Anxiety and alarm were on the countenances of Guion and the captain when I left the deck to put off my "plain suit ;" and I had hardly reached the ward room, when bang ! we struck upon the rocks with such a force, as made me hound against the upper deck …………….
The Marine Officer Or Sketches of Service (1840) -Robert Steele - Vol II
Page 244-249

CHAPTER XI.

Admiral Reynolds arrives at Anholt-Captain D. O. Guion-Shipwreck of the Defence and St. George off Jutland and the Hero off the Texel-The frustrated court-martial-return to England-Battle of Salamanca-Lord Wellington's Despatch-Possession of Madrid.

 

As the spring advanced, Anholt became, as usual, enlivened by the coming up of ships ; and at dusk, on the 7th of May, my old captain, Reynolds, with his flag now flying on board the St. George, anchored off the island with a large convoy. I was most happy to see him, and he received me in his naturally kind manner. He seemed the very type of what is called a " beloved commander." With him, as flag-captain, was gentlemanly Guion, a man whom the men admired and the women loved, but whose fate seems to have been spun with malice aforethought by the weird sisters. It was while I was with Captain Reynolds in the Princess Royal that Daniel Guion, then a postcaptain, came on board to see his elder brother, the first-lieutenant of the ship. We were all dining with Captain Reynolds, and the conversation turned on the probable promotions in the navy. "It will not be long, I hope, before you get your flag, sir," said the first-lieutenant to Reynolds.

" Not yet, Guion, certainly," he replied. "But when you do," said his brother, half jokingly, “you must make me your flag-captain." "That I will, I promise you," rejoined Reynolds, holding out his hand as a pledge of his sincerity.

Some years afterwards, when most likely all had forgotten what had passed, except he who made the promise, Rear-Admiral Reynolds was ordered to hoist his flag in the St. George ; and, by his special application, Captain Daniel Oliver Guion was appointed to command the ship. When I sat at dinner on board the St. George, off Anholt, the circumstance recurred to my mind, and I mentioned it; upon which these excellent fellows, whom I was with for the last time, shook The disasters that befel so large a part of our fleet in the Baltic, at the close of this year, are well known. They, alas, included the fate of the St. George, and with her the lives of two men I loved best in the world. But it seems wrong to talk of two only, when more than two thousand perished. .The St. George had encountered a heavy gale of wind, in November, while passing the Belt, and many of her convoy (she having been compelled to cut away all her masts) fell into the hands of the enemy. After much danger, she got safe into Wingo Sound. There she rigged jury-masts,and fitted a temporary rudder. On the 17th or 18th of December, the fleet, consisting of eight sail of the line, several frigates and smaller vessels, and more than 150 merchant-ships, sailed from Wingo Sound.

The line-of-battle ships were

100 The Victory - Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez, K.B. - Captain George Hope - Philip Damaresq.

98 Dreadnought. Captain S. Hood Linzee.

98 St George  Rear-Admiral R. Carthew Reynolds - Captain Daniel Oliver Guion

74 Cressy Captain Charles D. Pater.

74 Hero, Captain James Newman.

74 Vigo Rear-Admiral Manley Dixon. Captain M. H. Dixon.

74 Defence, D. Atkins.

74 Orion, Sir A. Dickson, Bart.

From the crippled condition of the St. George, the Cressy and Defence were appointed to attend her. In the course of a few hours, a violent storm overtook and dispersed the fleet ; but the Defence stuck to the St. George, and they remained in the utmost peril together for five days ; at the end of which time, after a terrible struggle, both these magnificent ships were stranded on the west coast of Jutland. This happened on Christmas eve. The Defence struck first, and in less than half an hour was beat to pieces, and every soul perished, except five seamen and one marine, who were thrown upon the shore, as they clung to a beam of the wreck. There is little doubt but the Defence might have saved herself, by abandoning the St. George at the commencement of the gale. But her noble, brave, and humane commander risked all, and lost all, rather than forsake his consort. There is little doubt but the Defence might have saved herself, by abandoning the St. George at the commencement of the gale. But her noble, brave, and humane commander risked all, and lost all, rather than forsake his consort.

The St. George, on seeing the Defence strike, immediately let go her anchor ; but in bringing up she grounded abaft, and was deluged in foam. Although so close, it was impossible to afford them any assistance from the shore. Even had " Pellew," the saviour of the Dutton's crew, been there, Reynolds could not have been rescued from the shore. Every boat was hoisted out, but they were unmanageable. The moment they touched the furious sea, they drifted from the ship, were upset, and lost. Out of all the crew only eleven were saved. At the time these men were washed from the wreck the Admiral and Captain (Reynolds and Guion) lay dead upon the quarter-deck, their hands pressed and frozen together in that friendship which death, even in this horrible shape, could not sever. More than 500 of the crew lay lifeless about them ; some fifty groaned and screamed in agony a few hours longer. Their shrieks were heard on the shore, but help could not reach them ; and, when the last remains of the St. George went down, they sunk with her, only 300 fathoms from the land. Many persons have blamed the risking a threedeck ship, under jury-masts, at such a season, and in such a sea. But both Reynolds and Guion were prime sailors ; and the ship was surveyed and reported on to the Commander-in-Chief at Wingo Sound, Indeed I was myself with the Admiral on a former occasion, when his ship was on shore, and I know how his seamanship saved her. But, as if to rescue their name and fame even from doubt, one of the finest men of war in the world, in complete equipment, and belonging to the same fleet, was wrecked on the same sea, at the same time. I allude to the Hero of 74 guns, which, on Christmasday, was lost, with all her crew, on the Haak Sand off the Texel making the appalling amount of 2000 men swallowed by the sea!
Naval Biography John Marshall Vol II

Page 381

 

 

 

 

Page 386

 

FREDERICK LEWIS MAITLAND, ESQ.

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath ; and a Knight Commander of the Neapolitan Order ofSt. Ferdinand and ofMerit. THIS officer is the third son of the late Hon. Frederick Maitland, Captain R. N. (uncle to the present Earl of Lauderdale*), by Margaret Deck, heiress and representative of the Makgills, a very old family of Rankeillor and Lindores, in Fifeshire.

 

(Mar 1801) The attack on our left having been a mere feint, Captain Hillyar, who commanded the armed flat-boats on the lake, had no opportunity of renewing his exertions on that side- Captain Ribouleau, the captains, officers, and seamen attached to the field-pieces in the line, behaved with their usual energy anil bravery : they have been indefatigable in the execution of all the arduous duties required of them, and merit your Lordship's approbation. The weight of the attack bearing on the right, Captain Guion, Lieutenant Davies, &c., and those on that wing, had the greatest opportunity of distinguishing themselves.

Naval Biography John Marshall Vol II part II

Page 849

 

 

Page 852

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 853

JAMES HILLYAR, ESQ.

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath.

THIS officer was made a Lieutenant in 1794 ; and on the 3d Sept., 1800,

 

" British Camp, on the heights, three miles from Alexandria, Mar. 14, 1801.

" My Lord, It would be superfluous for me to relate to your Lordship the admirable manner in which the officers and men you appointed me to command went into action with me, on the day of the disembarkation, as you were yourself a witness of the gallant and judicious conduct of Captains Maitland and Stewart, in covering the flank* of the line with the armed launches ; and must, as well as myself, have admired the bravery, activity, and perseverance, of Captains Ribouleau, Guion (Daniel Oliver), Saville, Burn, and Hillyar, together with that of the officers and seamen under their orders

but Lieutenant Hillier informs me, the remainder redoubled their exertions, and brought the guns on most opportunely, at the moment the &0th repulsed a charge of cavalry. Captain Ribouleau, the senior Commander, exerted himself in the most praiseworthy manner, along the whole line on shore, together with Captains Guion, Saville, and Burn, each in his division : Captain Hillyar kept the enemy in check, on the left, by the occasional fire of the armed flat-boats on the lake, and the troops on that flank seem sensible of their utility, in preventing the enemy's numerous cavalry from attempting to turn them where the isthmus widens into a plain.

Naval Biography John Marshall Vol III
Page 21 HON. WILLIAM ANSON,

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath ; Knight of the Royal French Order of St. Louis ; and Knight (2d class) of the Imperial Russian Order of St. Anne.

THIS officer was the fourth son of Thomas, first Discount Anson (grand-nephew of the celebrated naval commander and circumnavigator, in whose person the family of Anson was first ennohled) by Anne Margaret, second daughter of Thomas Wenman Coke, of Holkharn Hall, co. Norfolk, Esq., and was born on the 26th of Feb. 1801. He was made a lieutenant in April, 1822; appointed to the Tribune frigate, Captain G. H. Guion, fitting out for the Mediterranean station, in the month of November following ; promoted to the command of the Brisk sloop, Jan. 26th, 1826 ; and advanced to the rank of captain (by commission dated back to Oct. 22d, 1827) ; nominated a C. B. (Nov. 13th, 1827), and decorated with the above mentioned foreign orders, for his conduct at the battle of Navarin ; on which occasion his purser, Mr. Henry Campling, was killed while assisting the surgeon in dressing an amputation. The total loss sustained by the Brisk was one killed and three wounded. Captain Anson died at the seat of his eldest brother, (now Viscount Anson), Shugborough, co. Stafford, Oct. 19, 1830.
Naval Biography John Marshall Vol IV part I
Page 333-334 MITCHELL ROBERTS, ESQ.

OBTAINED the rank of lieutenant in Aug. 1800; and repeatedly distinguished himself while serving under Captain E. Leveson Gower, in the Elizabeth /4, on the Mediterranean station. Among other official reports made by that officer, we find the following :

Off the River Po, AprilWth, 1813.

Sir, I have the honor to inform you, that the boats of the Eagle and Elizabeth fell in, off Goro, with a convoy of seven armed merchant vessels, laden with oil. Four of them were captured, and the other three ran on shore into a tremendous surf, under the protection of a two-gun battery, two schooners, and three gun-boats, who opened a most galling fire.

Notwithstanding all these difficulties, one of the vessels was brought off, and another destroyed, much to the credit of Lieutenants Roberts and Greenaway, senior lieutenants of the Elizabeth and Eagle, under whose directions this arduous service was performed. They speak highly of Lieutenant Holbrook, of the Eagle, who was also there, and of all the petty-officers and men. I am happy to add, no person was hurt. (Signed " E. LEVESON GOWER."

" To Rear-Admiral Fremantle."

…………………….

(Signed) " E. LEVESON GOWER."

Lieutenant Roberts continued in the Elizabeth, latterly commanded by Captain Gardiner H. Guion, until promoted to his present rank, Sept. 24th, 1814.
Naval Biography John Marshall Vol IV part II
Page 90 WILLIAM PEARCE STANLEY, ESQ.

Is, we believe, a freeholder of Northumberlandshire. He entered the royal navy in Mar. 1798, as midshipman on board the Diomede 50, Captain the Hon. Charles Elphinstone (now Vice-Admiral Fleeming), under whom he served on various stations until Feb. 1301, when he joined the Adamant 50, Captain the Hon. (now Sir William) Hotham, in which ship he returned home from the Cape of Good Hope, about Nov. following. We subsequently find him in the Trusty 50. Captain Daniel O. Guion, and Conflict gun-brig, the latter employed on Channel service, during the peace of Amiens.

On the renewal of hostilities, he rejoined his first captain, then commanding the Egyptienne frigate, in which he assisted at the capture of two French corvettes and one large privateer, and ……
Page 216 CHARLES ENGLISH, ESQ.

Was made a lieutenant on the 21st Mar. 1812. He subsequently

served under Captains Charles Dashwood, Robert Preston, Robert Tait, and G. H. Guion ; in the Cressy 74, Euphrates 36, Larne 20, and Tribune 42. His commission as commander bears date April 17th, 1827- This officer married, Oct. llth 1834, Jemima Georgiana, only daughter of the late James Garden, Esq., of Bedford Square, London.

Page 441

 

 

 

 

Page 442

 

PETER RIBOULEAU, ESQ.

(Vol. II. Part II. p. 560J

ENTERED the royal navy in 1780, then only eleven years of age, as midshipman on board the Prince William 64, Captain Stair Douglas *, which ship accompanied Sir Samuel (afterwards Lord) Hood to the West Indies, and formed part of the fleet under his command in the action with Count De Grasse, off Martinique, April 29th, 1781 + ….

 

" March Uth.

" It would be superfluous for me to relate to your Lordship the admirable manner in which the officers and men you appointed me to command went into action with me on the day of the disembarkation, as you were yourself a witness of the gallant and judicious conduct of Captains Maitland and Stewart, in covering the flanks of the line with the armed launches ; and must, as well as myself, have admired the bravery, activity, and perseverance of Captains Bibouleau, Guion (Daniel Oliver), Saville, Burn, and Hillyar, together with that of the officers and seamen under their orders ; by whose unparalleled exertions the cannon were disembarked at the same moment with the troops, and moved forward with them in action. ………………..
Naval Biography John Marshall - Suppl I

Page 34-39

 

ALEXANDER ROBERT KERR, ESQ.

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath. Son of Lieutenant Robert Kerr, R. N. who died' at the Royal Hospital, Greenwich, in 1805.

The subject of this memoir entered the naval service as a Midshipman on board the Endymion 44, commanded by Captain (now Lord) Gambier, in Nov. 1781 ; and served in that ship, the Nemesis, Alarm, and Boreas frigates ; Rattler sloop of war, Orion 74, Narcissus 20, and Boyne 98 ; under Captains Edward Tyrrel Smith, Charles Cotton, Horatio Nelson, James Wallace, Sir Hyde Parker, Philip d'Auvergne, John Salusbury, Paul Minchin, and George Bowyer ; on the Leeward Islands, North American, Jamaica, and Channel stations ; till his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, at the conclusion of the Spanish armament. His first commission bears date, Nov. 22, 1J90.

In April 1791, Mr. Kerr was appointed senior Lieutenant of the Narcissus, then commanded by Captain Minchin, with whom he continued until paid off in Oct. following. Previous to the commencement of the French revolutionary war, we find him joining the Boston 32, Captain George W. A. Courtenay, in which ship he lost the sight of his right eye by splinters, and received a grape-shot wound in the shoulder, whilst engaged with 1'Ambuscade, a republican frigate of superior force, near New York, Aug. 1, 1793. The following account of that action, and of the circumstances which led to it, has been forwarded to us, by an officer who belonged to the Boston, since the publication of the memoir in which we first noticed it.*

" We sailed from Newfoundland in consequence of a letter addressed to Captain Courtenay, by the late Sir Rupert George, then commanding the Hussar, at Halifax, stating- that 1'Ambuscade French frigate had arrived on the coast of America, and that there was not a British man of war on that station, of sufficient force to protect our commerce; the Hussar being about to depart for the West Indies, with a fleet of transports under her convoy.

" After calling off Halifax harbour to procure pilots, the Boston proceeded towards Sandy Hook, where she arrived on the 26th July, 1 793. Two days afterwards she captured a French schooner privateer of 5 guns and 34 men.

" This prize was manned as a tender, and placed under the command of Mr. Hayes, acting Lieutenant, who was sent into New York, with despatches for the British Consul, apprising him, on the authority of the prisoners, that a French squadron had arrived in the Chesapeake, from Port-au-Prince, St. Domingo, and that the enemy might shortly be expected to appear off the Hook. Mr. Hayes was likewise directed to reconnoitre l’Ambuscade, to obtain information respecting the strength of her crew, to ascertain, if possible, when she would be ready for sea, and above all to endeavour to get some volunteers for the Boston, she being short of complement, and six of her men unable to leave their hammocks.

" Mr. Hayes parted company with the Boston, at 4-30 P. M. on the 28th July, taking with him our purser, one midshipman, a pilot, and eight men. On the 30th, two officers and thirteen men, belonging to 1'Ambuscade, were taken prisoners in the way you have mentioned- at p. 674, of your late publication.* " On his arrival at the entrance of the North River, (July 29th, 4 P. M.) Mr. Hayes observed 1'Ambuscade at anchor off the town of New York, with top-gallant-masts pointed, and her crew in the act of bending sails. On his nearer approach he clearly ascertained that she mounted 26 long guns on the main-deck, 8 on the quarter-deck, and 2 on the forecastle. " Soon after the tender had anchored, she was boarded by a French officer, supposed to have been Mons. Bompard himself, who asked her commander if he had seen an English frigate off the Hook ; upon which Mr. Hayes informed him that he had the honor to be one of her lieutenants, that he had lately left her there, that she had come from Newfoundland, purposely to meet 1'Ambuscade; that her officers would be happy to see the French frigate outside the Hook, and that if Mons. Bompard had the smallest inclination to meet Captain Courtenay, he might depend on finding him about 3 or 4 leagues from the above mentioned point. To this the Frenchman replied that the Boston should certainly be favored with a meeting, and that 1'Ambuscade would sail the next morning : he then took leave of Mr. Hayes, and returned on board his frigatet. " The Boston's real character was first discovered by the master of an American revenue cruiser, who was heard to say, as he passed almost touching her, that ' that ship, and those boats (alluding to two which were towing astern), never came from a French port.' In consequence of this remark, and by the desire of his gallant commander, Lieutenant Kerr went out on the bowsprit, and hailing the vessel, said 'this is the Boston frigate, Captain Courtenay; if  l'Ambuscade will come out we shall be glad to see her.' ' I dare say you will/ answered the American ; I shall be happy to see you meet, and I will take care to let her know it.' This was the only challenge given by Captain Courtenay's directions. Finding from the report of 1'Arnbuscade's officers, that Mons. Bompard was getting ready to sail, and that he would soon be at sea, Captain Courtenay immediately despatched a midshipman (the late Captain Daniel Oliver Guion) in a fishing boat to recall the tender ;but on that gentleman approaching New York he met Mr. Hayes and his party coming down the river in a small hired vessel, the French Consul having taken measures to cause the schooner's detention, and thereby prevented him from fulfilling the principal object of his mission.

" On the same day, July 30, Captain Courtenay gave chase to a strange vessel off the Long Island shore ; and on the 31st, when returning to the spot where he expected to meet with his tender, he was himself pursued "for several hours by the above mentioned squadron, consisting of two 74- gun ships, five frigates, and several corvettes. In the mean time, Mr. Hayes had pushed out to sea, but not finding the Boston, and observing 1'Ambuscade under weigh, he was obliged to tack and stand in shore again, by which means alone he could possibly hope to save his people from being captured. "The Boston resumed her station, off Sandy Hook, just before midnight ; and on the first of August, between 2 and 3 A. M., a large ship was seen to windward ; at day-light she was discovered to be a frigate, distant about 3 miles. " The stranger now hoisted a blue flag, with a white cross at the mizzen peak, and both ships set their courses, jibs, and spankers ; but kept three reefs in their top-sails, the wind blowing strong, with a smooth sea. In less than an hour the Boston fore-reached on the other frigate, tacked, and passed to leeward off her. At 5 o'clock, being then on her lee-quarter, we again hove in stays, when she hauled her courses up, wore round, hoisted French colours, and steered for our larboard or weather bow. The Boston's first fire did but little execution, and it was quickly returned by the enemy's ship, as she ranged close past us to windward, backing her main-top-sail on the starboard tack. "Having thus commenced the action, Captain Courtenay directed the helm to be put down, intending to tack under 1'Ambuscade's stem j unfortunately, however, our cross-jack-yard had been shot away, which caused us to miss stays, and we were consequently obliged to wear short round in order to close with her. From this time, 5-10 A. M., the Boston's maintop- sail was kept to the mast, and we continued warmly engaged for an. hour and three-quarters, during which period the enemy made three attempts to board us, and the colours of each ship were repeatedly shot away. " After being in action more than an hour, the Boston's main-top-mast fell on the lee-quarter of the main-yard, and caused it to top an end ; the enemy's cross-jack-yard was also gone, and her fore-top-sail-yard was lying on the cap. "About a quarter of an hour before the firing ceased, an unlucky shot struck the foremost hammock stauncheon on the quarter-deck, which occasioned the death of Captain Courtenay, and the marine officer, who were then walking together. At this time the first and second Lieutenants were below getting their wounds dressed*; but the senior, Mr. John Edwards, who had been much hurt by a splinter striking him on the head, was no sooner informed of his Captain's fall than he went upon deck and assumed the command. " The Boston had hitherto maintained a position close under the enemy's lee ; but was now fore-reaching, and falling to leeward for want of after-sail, the gaff being 1 shot away, and the mizen-stay-sail literally cut to pieces, no less than 25 large shot, besides an immense number of musketballs, having passed through it. The main-top-sail was hanging over the lee-gangway, so that it was absolutely necessary to clear the wreck before the larboard guns could be fired with safety ; and when about to wear, for the purpose of bringing them to bear on I'Ambuscade, several strange sail suddenly appeared to windward. This alone induced Lieutenant Edwards to put before the wind, and Mons. Bompard, although encouraged by the sight of his supposed countrymen, did not make any attempt to follow the Boston until she had increased her  distance to about 2 miles. The last shot fired by either party was at about 7 A. M.*. "The Boston's damages, in addition to those I have mentioned, were as follow : the cap of the bowsprit shot away ; fore-top-mast, and fore and main-yards badly wounded j mizen-mast wounded and sprung ; the whole of the mizen-rigging on both sides, and the standing and spring, stays shot away j only two main shrouds on one side, and one on the other left standing ; the fore-rigging much injured ; the main-spring-stay and both bpb-stays cut in two ; every brace and bowline gone ; the ship hulled in many places, and two of the main-deck-guns dismounted. The loss we sustained has been correctly stated by youf, and that it was not greater is truly astonishing, as the musket-balls afterwards picked up on our quarterdeck alone amounted to an almost incredible number. " Our opponent mounted 26 long twelves, 10 long sixes, and 2 heavy carronades ; the Boston had the same number of long twelves, but only 6 sixes, and not a single carronade, either * monkey-tailed,' or of any other description. Lieutenant Hayes, Mr. Guion, &c. having been prevented from joining the ship, the total number of effective officers, men, and boys on board in the action was only 189 ; and a few of these were necessarily stationed as sentries over the 49 French prisoners. L'Ambuscade, notwithstanding the absence of two officers arid a boat's crew, had many men above her established complement ; indeed it was afterwards strongly reported that the numerical strength of her crew, including American volunteers, exceeded 400; but this is a point that I will not pretend to determine. That she had an unusually large proportion of small-arm-men cannot be disputed *.

" After losing sight of l'Ambuscade, we steered for the Delaware, in order to repair our damages j but when about to enter that river the next morning, a pilot-boat informed us that two French frigates had gone in at day-light ; it was therefore thought prudent to haul off and steer for Newfoundland, where we arrived in safety on the 19th of the same month. I should here mention, that a letter, written purposely to deceive the enemy, was addressed to the British Consul at Philadelphia, stating that we were going to refit at Jamaica, which letter was carried to the French frigates according to our expectation." The official letter respecting this hard-fought action, written by Lieutenant Edwards, was never published, probably because he mentioned in it, that a number of men, on seeing Captain Courtenay fall, had run from the Boston's quarterdeck guns, and seated themselves round the fore-brace-bitts, from whence he could not immediately get them back to their quarters. We know that such were the reasons assigned by Lieutenant Edwards for his own precipitate conduct in ordering the body of his gallant Captain to be thrown overboard without surgical exa mination; and although it might have been impolitic to publish such facts at the commencement of the French revolutionary war, we see no reason why they should be concealed at this distant period.

The Boston returned to England in 1795, under the command of Captain (now Sir James N.) Morris

Page 55

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Page 63

 

FRANCIS MASON, ESQ

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath.

THIS officer was born Feb. 10, 1779, and had the misfortune to be left an orphan at a very early age.

 

The Fisgard returned to England in Jan. 1812, and about the same time intelligence was received of the melancholy fate of H. M. ships St. George, Hero, and Defence, a circumstance which we are induced to mention, the subject of this memoir having been on a court-martial with the unfortunate Rear-Admiral Reynolds and Captains Guion, Newman, and Atkins, a fe^w days before they all perished ; the three former on the coast of Jutland, and the latter on the Haak sands, in the same gale which proved so fatal to the above mentioned Danish vessel.

Naval Biography John Marshall Suppl I part II

Page 39

 

 

 

 

Page 45

 

JOSEPH JAMES, Esq.

Son of an opulent and respectable tradesman in Somersetshire, who dying when he was very young, left him to the care of an elder brother, by whom he was sent over to Valogne, in Normandy, for the purpose of learning the French language ; in which town he continued to reside until Louis XVI. issued an edict to seize all British ships in the ports of his kingdom, March 18, 1/78

 

In Jan. 1810, wc find the St. George refitting at Portsmouth, where she received the flag of Rear-Admiral Reynolds ; by whose Captain, Daniel Oliver Guion, the subject of this memoir was superseded, in the month of May following. The lamentable fate of those oflBcers has been adverted to at p. 63 of Suppl. Part I.

Page 444-446

GARDINER HENRY GUION, Esq.

We first find this officer serving under Sir Joseph S. Yorke, ns senior lieutenant of the Christian VII. and commanding her boats at the capture and destruction of twelve French merchantmen, laden with wines, brandies, Sec. near Rochelle, in Jan. 1810. His spirited conduct in a subsequent affair with the enemy is thus officially described :—

"//. M. S. Christian f7/. in Basque Roads, Feb. 13, 1810.

" Three vessels, being part of a convoy of ten sail, laden with brandy, &c. that sailed last night in thick blowing weather, wiml W. S. W. from the Charcnte, bound to the northward, having got on the reef that projects from the point of Chatclaillon, between Aix and Rochelle, I directed the boats of this squadron to destroy them. This was forthwith attempted to be executed* when the enemy made a  movement to prevent it. Our boata were eight in number, and the enemy'a nine ; oar's armed in the usual way, their's more formidable, all of them being gun-boats, each carry- mg a 12.pounder  carronade and 6 swivels, and rowing from 20 to 30 oars. *'

Lieutenant Guion, who directed the operations, made a feint of retreating, to decoy the enemy from their shore defences, when suddenly turnmg on them, they fled. The barge of this ship, in wtiich he was, being then .,t, adranced most gallantly along the rear of the enemy's line I .ird boat ; but finding from circumstances that the rear boat was the only one likely to be successfully attacked, he boarded and carried her swortl in hand. Two others were closely pursued to the beach by Lieutenant Roberts, of the Armide, and must, from his steady fire within ' ve lost men. The gun-boat taken by Lieutenant Guion had 'wounded ; amongst the latter was her commander, severely. The vessels alluded to above were then burnt.

(Signed) " Joseph S. Yorke.'*

Lieutenant Guion was made a commander, and appointed to the Philomel brig of 18 guns, on the Mediterranean station.

May 17, 1810. On the Slst Aug. following, that vessel was chased by a French squadron, off Toulon, and rescued in the most noble manner by the Repulse 74, Captain John Halliday, now Rear-Admiral ToUemache. This affair not having been noticed as it deserved in our first volume, more from the modesty of that excellent officer than from any indifference on our part, we have much pleasure in now giving a full account of it.

In the early part of August, three French store-ships, bound to Toulon, were chased into the anchorage of PorqueroUe, one of the Hieres islands, and were there watched by Captain Guion. On the 26th, at day-light, they pushed out, and one of them succeeded in getting to Toulon, covered by a division of the French fleet from the outer road : the others, however, were obliged to put back to their former place of shelter. On the 30th, they removed to the entrance of the Little Pass, preparatory to a third attempt to reach their destined port. On the next morning, at day-light, the Toulon fleet was seen in motion ; and at 8-30 A, M. the two store-ships were again under weigh. At 9-30, the Philomel, stiil at her post, tacked, the wind blowing a light breeze from the E. S. E., and at 10-30 she exchanged a few distant shot with them, as they were rounding Point Escampebarion. In ten minutes afterwards, Captain Halliday, who was lyingto on the larboard tack, at some distance outside the brig, exchanged shot with the enemy's advanced frigates : meanwhile the store- ships, favored by the wind and protected by their friends, got into Toulon.

Having accomplished this object, the French squadron under Rear-Admiral Baudin, in the Majestueux of 120 guns, continued working out, in the hope, apparentlj'^, of capturing the Philomel, whose commander now made all possible sail to get clear of the enemy. At noon their two headmost frigates opened a fire upon the brig, which she returned with her stern-chasers. About half an hour afterwards, the Repulse also commenced firing her stern guns ; but finding that the fihot of the frigates were passing over the Philomel, Captain Halliday instantly bore up to keep astern of her, and treated them with so heavy and well-directed a fire, that, in the course of a quarter of an hour, they wore, and joined the line-of-battle ships, several of which were also, by this time, far advanced in the chase. By 5 P. M. the whole of Mons. Baudin's division were again at anchor in the outer road. At the time this daring act was performed by Captain Halliday, the British fleet was out of sight to leeward, except one 74 and a frigate, both of which were about 9 miles distant in the same direction. In a spirit of honorable gratitude, Captain Guion thus appropriately telegraphed the Repulse, " You repulsed the enemy, and nobly saved us ; grant me permission to return thanks."

Captain Guion was posted into the Rainbow of 26 guns, Sept. 26, 1811 ; and we subsequently find him actively employed in co-operation with the patriots of Catalonia. His last appointment was, Nov. 29, 1822, to the Tribune frigate.

Agents.—Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son.

A NAVAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY:

COMPRISING THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF EYERY LIVING OFFICER IN HER MAJESTY'S NAYY, TROM THE RANK OF ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET TO THAT OF LIEUTENANT, INCLUSIVE.

Compiled from Authentic and family Documens.

BY WILLIAM E. O'BYRNE, ESQ.

LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY. 1849.

London : Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street.

GARDINER HENRY GUION
Page 22

ARTHUR. (Commander, 1824. F-P., 11; H-P., 25.)

William Stephens Arthur entered the Navy, 2 June, 1811, as L.M., on board the Caledonia 120, Capt. Rich. Harward, flag-ship in the Mediterranean of Sir Edw. Pellew ; became Midshipman, in Nov. 1811, of the Rainbow 26, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, employed in co-operation with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia ; served, from Feb. 1813, to Feb. 1818, in the Iphigenia 36, Capts. Andrew King and John Reynolds, under the former of whom, besides witnessing the fall of Genoa, he was wounded, we are informed, in an attack on Fort Erie, in 1814; then joined the Impregnable 104, flag-ship, on her return from the East Indies, of Lord Exmouth, Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth ; and, on 6 Feb. 1821, was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant. His next appointment was, 10 July, 1823, to the Isis 50, flag-ship of Sir Lawrence Wm. Halsted, on the Jamaica station, where he attained his present rank, while serving in the Bustard sloop, 11 Oct. 1824. He has not since been employed. Agent — John P. Muspratt.

Page 108

BOWKER. (Commander, 1845. F-P., 20; H-P., 24.)

John Harrison Bowker entered the Navy, in May, 1803, as a Volunteer, on board the Culloden 74, Capt. Harrington Daores, flag-ship afterwards of Sir Edw. Pellew on the East India station ; previously to proceeding whither he appears, on 2 Sept. 1803, to have assisted in chasing the French 74-gun ship Duguay Trcmin^ and 40-gun frigate Guerrieref into Corunna. In Sept. 1807, after a servitude of two years as Midshipman in the Dun can, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, and Beldone, Capt. John Bastard, both in the East Indies, Mr. Bowker was discharged ; but he re-embarked, in Nov. 1809, on board the Amethyst 36, Capt. Jacob "Walton, and continued to serve in that ship on the Home station, until wrecked in Plymouth Sound, 16 Feb. 1811. He was subsequently, until the receipt of his first commission, bearing date 7 Feb. 1815, employed in the Mediterranean and West Indies, latterly as Acting-Lieutenant, on board the Undadnted 38, Capt. Rich. Xhomas, Eurtaltjs 36, Capt. Chas. Napier, Stbomboli bomb, Capt. John Stoddart, Eurtaids again, Capt. C. Napier, Venerable 74, flag-ship of Eear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham, and Columbine 16, Capt. Rich. Henry Muddle. While in the Undaunted we find him engaged in co-operating with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, and aUo in blockading the port of Toulon. On 28 July, 1815, being at the time Senior Lieutenant of the Fairy sloop, Capt. Henry Loraine Baker, he was detached in command of the boats to cut out a convoy at St. Fran9ois, Guadeloupe, in the execution of which service, however, he was desperately wounded by a musketball passing through the right lobe of the lungs. He invalided in consequence immediately afterards ; and, on 23 Jan. 1807, was awarded a pension of 911. 5s. His subsequent appointments were — 21 April, 1821, and 26 March, 1823, to the NokthumBBRLAND 74, Capt. Thos. Harvey, and Brisk sloop, Capts. Edw. Stewart and Adolphas FitzCIarence, both employed at Sheerness — 1 Jan. 1824, to the Tribune frigate, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, stationed in the Mediterranean — 4 Feb. 1825, to the Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Hugh Downman and Edw. Durnford King, lyin^ at Plymouth, where he was placed on half-pay in 1826— and, 31 Aug. 1840, to the command of the Savage 10, in which vessel he served in the Mediterranean until the dose of 1844. He attained his present rank 17 Jan. 1845 ; and has since been on half-pay. Agents — Messrs. Stilwell.

Page 117

BOYLE. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 14; h-p., 20.)

Courtena!y Edmund William Boyle, born 3 Aug. ISOO, is eldest son of the late Vice-Admiral

Hon. Sir Courtenay Boyle, K.C.H., F.K.S., formerly a Commissioner of the Navy Board, who died 21

May, 1844, by Carolina Amelia, daughter of the late Wm. Poyntz, Esq., of Mingham, co. Berks. He is grandson of the seventh, and nephew of the present Earl of Cork and Orrery.

This officer entered the R. N. College 3 Sept. 1813, and embarked, 7 Sept. 1816, as a Volunteer, on board the Madagascar 38, Capt.,' Jas. Alex. Gordon, with whom, on removing to the Mjeander 38, he miraculously escaped shipwreck in Yarmouth Roads 19 Dec. following. He afterwards joined the Severn 50, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer, Egeria 24, Capt. Bobt. Rowley, and Tiber 38, Capt. Jas. Kich. Dacres ; served, from Sept. 1817 to Oct. 1820, as Midshipman, in the Glasgow 80, Capt. Hon. Anth. Maitland, on the Mediterranean station ; and, after a further attachment, as Admiralty Midshipman, to the QnEEN Charlotte first-rater, Capt. John Baker Hay, at Portsmouth, and Royal George yacht, Capt. Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, was awarded a Lieutenant's commission 14 Dec. 1821. He was next appointed, 25 Nov. 1822, to the Tribune 36, Capt. Gardiner Hen. Guion, with whom he returned to the Mediterranean ; and, 6 Jan. 1824, to the Jcpiteb 60, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Willoughby Thos. Lake at Halifax, where he continued until made Commander, 23 Dec. 1826. Capt. Boyle, whose next appointment was, 16 Aug. 1828, to the Cordelia sloop on the Mediterranean station, attained Post-rank 27 May, 1830 ; and has not since been afloat.

Capt. Boyle, in 1840, was nominated Groom of the Chamber to Prince Albert. He married, in

Nov. 1836, Wallace, daughter of Wm. W. Ogle, Esq., of Causey Park, Northumberland. Agents — Messrs. StilweU.

Page 121

BEERETON. (Lieut., 1815. r-p., 22 ; h-p., 20.)

Godfrey Bbereton entered the Navy, 24 Jan. 1805, as Third-cl. Boy, on board the Puissant 74,

Capt, John Irwin, lying at Spithead, where he was immediately transferred to the Royal William

100, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Montagu. He next served, from April, 1807, to Jan. 1811, latterly as Midship-

man, in the Alcmenb and Belle Poule frigates, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Brisbane, under

whom we find him present — besides contributing to the capture of many small armed vessels — at the taking, 15 Feb. 1809, of ie Far of 26 guns, laden with corn for the relief of the French garrison at Corfu ; and at the reduction of the islands of Zante, Cephalonia^ and Sta, Maura. He then, in succession, joined — the MoNTACsn and Warrior 74's, Capts. Rich. Hussey Moubray and John Wm. Spranger, in the latter of which ships he returned home — the Antelope 50, bearing the flag off Newfoundland of Sir John Thos. Duckworth — the Defiance 74, flag-ship in the Baltic of Sir Geo. Hope — the Princess Caroline 74, Capt. Hugh Downman, on the same and North Sea stations — and the Dover 18, Capt. Augustus Vere Drury, with whom he proceeded to North America in May, 1814. From that date until June, 1815, Mr. Brereton, who was confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant on 16 Jan. in the latter year, was actively employed, under Commodore Sir Jas. Lucas Teo, in the Niagara 20, and in gun-boat service on the Lakes of Canada. His succeeding appointments were — from July, 1816, until he invalided in Oct. 1819, to the Qoeen Charlotte and Boyne, flag-ships of Sir Edw. Thornbrough at Portsmouth, and to the Tees 26, Capt. Geo. Rennie, and Ecetdice 26, Capt. Robt. Wauchope, off St. Helena — next, between June, 1822, and the close of 1823, to the Pandora 18, Sappho 18, and Tribune ■&, Capts. Fred. Hunn, Jenkin Jones, and Gardiner Henry Guion, on the Irish and Mediterranean stations — and, 30 April, 1827, to the Britannia 120, flag-ship at first of Admiral Lord Northesk at Plymouth, and afterwards commanded by Capt. Geo. Burdett in the Mediterranean, where he was superseded in April, 1830. Since 11 May, 1843, Mr. Brereton has been employed as Admiralty-Agent in a contract mail steam-vessel on the West India station Agents — Holmes and Folkard.

Page 193

CLAPP. (Lieutenant, 1825, r-p., 21 ; h-p., 17.)

William Clapp, born 10 Aug. 1796, is eldest son of the late J. Clapp, Esq., Solicitor, of Topsham,

CO. Devon. This officer entered the Navy, 10 June, 1809, as Fst.-cl. Boy, on board the Tisipbone 20, Capt. Wm- Williams Foote, guard-ship at South Yarmouth ; accompanied the same officer, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1810, into the Partridge 26 ; and, on his return from the West Indies in the following July, joined the Rover 18, Capt. Justice Finley, with whom he continued uninterruptedly to serve until Aug. 1815. During that period he witnessed the fall of St. Sebastian and of Santona, assisted at the bombardment of Guteria and th^ destruction of several batteries on the coast of Sp^in, was in numerous skirmishes with the American enemy on the Potomac, and took part in the unfortunate attack upon Baltimore. Having passed his examination 4 Oct. 1815, and been intermediately employed on board the Tay 20, Capt. Sam. Roberts, and Childers 18, Capt. Rich. Wales, in the former of which ships he was wrecked, off the Alacranes, in the Gulf of Mexico, 11 Nov. 1816, we find Mr. Clapp, in Jan. 1819, appointed Admiralty-Mate of the 'Tribune 36, Capts. Nesbit Josiah Willoughby and Gardiner Henry Guion. With the exception of a few months in 1823, during which he appears to have been employed on board the Gloucester guard-ship at Chathain, and Pioneer gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Favell, fitting for the West Indies, the subject of this sketch continued to be employed in the Tribune, on the Irish, Jamaica, and Mediterranean stations, until transferred, in July, 1824, to the Superb 76, Capt. Sir Thos. Staines. After again visiting the West Indies, as also Bermuda and Lisbon, he was at length officially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 13 Dec. 1825. ]3e subsequently held a command in the Coast Guard from 23 Jan. 1835 until the close of 1837 ; and since 4 Jan. 1845, has been serving in the Ocean 80, Capt. Rich. Arthur, guard-ship at Sheemess.

Lieut. Clapp married, 19 Feb. 1838, Mary, only daughter of John Scobell Paige, Esq., of Rimpston House, near Kingsbridge, Devon, by whom he haa issue three children.

Page 212-213

COLE, K.H. (Captain, 1838. f-p., 25; h-p., 20.)

William John Cole was born in London, of which city he is a freeman.

This officer entered the Navj', 5 Jan. 1802, as Sec.-cl. Boy, on board . the Buffalo store-ship, commanded by that excellent officer, the late Cajt. Wm. Kent, with whom, after visiting India, witnessing the first settletnent ever foriiied in Van Diemen's Land, and performing iniich surveying duty, he returned to. Engltod in Deo. 1805, on board the Investigator, a very small vessel, whose crew, on their arrival at Liverpool, were rewarded with double pay for their exertioiis and the hard-ships they had endured in having teffected a passage from Port Jackson to the above place withoul touching at any intermediate poi't. The voyag( had occupied a period of five months, diiring 11 weeks of which the men had been restricted to half a pint of water each a-day. On heooming attached, as Midshipman, to the Medusa 32, Capt. Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie, Mr. Cole next sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, and thence for South America,'where he served m the boats at the capture of Maldonado. While yet on the same station, in the Diadem 64, bearing the broad pendant at [first of Sir Home Popham, and the flag afterwards of Kear-Admiral Charles Stirling, we find him assiduously employed at the siege 'of Monte Video, both in dragging up guns for the advanced batteries and in suijplying them with ammunition. During a subsequent attachment, from May, 1808, to June, 1810, to the Christian VH. 80, Capt. Joseph Sydney Yorke, he received a wound at the cutting out of a convoy from under a heavy battery in Basque Koads ; served in the ship^s cutter at the capture of a large gun-boat oflF lie d'Aix, where the officer of the French vessel was desperately wounded, and three of his men killed ; and was severely bruised by the explosion of a fire-vessel, while endeavouring, under the late gallant Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, to lay her on board a French frigate in the road of He d'Aix. As a reward for these services, Mr. Cole, on 18 July, 1810, was promoted, from the Racehorse 18, Capt. Wm. Fisher, to a Lieutenancy in the Otter sloop, Capt. Jas. Tomkinson, which vessel had, however, sailed for England before he could reach the Isle of France to join her. He then, although on half-pay, volunteered to fit out a large prize-frigate. La BeUone, found, on the capture of the latter place, dismasted, and without a bowsprit ; after which service he returned to England on board the Entrbpkenante 10, Capt. Edw. Brazier, and became First-Lieutenant, 17 July, 1811, of the Crocodile 28, Capts. John Filmore, John Kich. Lumley, and Wm. Elliott. In that frigate he was actively employed on the Channel, Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Newfoundland stations ; and on one occasion} in July, 1812, displayed much gallantry in attempting, with 4 boats "and 62 volunteers, to cut out in open day a detactment of four armed vessels together with a convoy, lying beneath the batteries in the Bay of Faros, on the coast of France, where the Crocodile's cutter, then under the present Commander Joseph Roche, was unfortunately sunk by a shot from a national brig. Between 1815 and the date of his promotion to the rank of Commander, 8 Aug. 1828, Mr. Cole appears to have afterwards served, generally as First-Lieutenant, and chiefly on the Home station, on board the Rhin 38, Capt. Chas. Malcolm, Florida 20, Capts. Wm. Elliott and Chas. Sibthorp John Hawtayne, Northumberland 78, Capts. Sir Mich. Seymour, John Harvey, and Thos. Jas. Maling, Cambridge 80, commanded by the latter officer. Prince Regent 120, bearing the flag of Sir Benj. Hallowell, and KorAL George and EoYAL Sovereign yachts, as also in command of the Onyx 10. He obtained, while in the Rhin, the thanks of Capt. Malcolm, for his ability in conducting that ship through a difficult navigation, while the latter officer, with all but 62 of the crew, was engaged on a cutting out expedition in the small harbour of Corrijou, near Abervraoh, 18 July, 1815 — had charge, during his attachment to the Northumberland, of the Seagull, and Highflyer tenders — cruized, in the Royal Sovereign, as First-Lieutenant to H. R. H. the Lord High Admiral, and, for his exertions during a violent gale in the same vessel, when conveying to Holland the late Queen of Wurtemberg, was mentioned in the despatches of Sir Wm. Fremantle to George IV. — and, when in command of the Onyx, ran down the coast of Africa with important despatches, landed the Governor of the Gambia, and, wc believe, brought hoMe despatches and invaUds from Fernando Po. From 6 July, 1831, until 1834, Capt. Cole next hl^ld a responsible appointment in the Coast Guard j on leaving which service he was presented by the chief ofSoers and others who had been under his command with a superb silver snuffbox ai a token of their respect and regard for him. He further officiated, from 28 Jan. 1836 until paid off in 1837, as Second-Captain of the Revenge 78, commanded in the Mediterranean by his estimable friend, Capt. Wm. Elliott ; but, since his attainment of Post-rank, 28 June, 1838, has been on halfpay. Capt. Cole (who was nominated a K.H. 1 Jan. 1837, and is a magistrate for the county of Gloucester) has had the pride, on four separate occasions, of preserving life to others by imminently hazarding his own — first, during his servitude in the Crocodile, when his intrepidity in saving two officers and a seaman from a watery grave procured him, through the hands of H. R. H. the late Duke of Sussex, a first-class certificate from the Royal Humane Society; secondly, on his passage to the coast of Africa in the Onyx, when he jumped overboard after a seaman who had fallen out of a stern-boat in the act of being lowered down ; a third time, in the river Thames, where, in July, 1835, being at the time a passenger on board the Red Rover steamer, he rescued two gentlemen, Messrs. John Snape and Gilbert Wilson, who had been upset in a wherry by getting under the bows of that vessel ; and again, in June, 1836, When he plunged into the sea after one of the Gunner's crew belonging to the Revenge, who had fallen from the mainchains. He married, 23 Oct. 1818, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Robt. Wace, Esq., of -Lechdale, co. Gloucester, and has issue four daughters. Agents — Case and Loudonsack.

Page 339

ENGLISH. (Commander, 1827. e-p., 20 ; K-p., 24.)

Charles English was bom 2 Dec. 1793j at Farehain, CO. Hants, and died 10 Oct. 1846.

This officer entered the Navy, 20 March, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Royal William, Capt. John Wainwright, flag^ship at Spithead of Admiral Geo. Montagu, ti Feb. 1805, he joined the Courageux 74, Capt. Chas. Boyles, with whom, as Midshipman of the Windsor Castle 98, we subsequently find him enacting a part in Sir Robt. Calder's action, 22 July, 1805. In the course of the following year he became successively attached to tKe Sampson and Diadem 64's, bearing the flag of Admiral Chas. Stirhng; and, while in the latter ship, he assisted at the capture of Monte Video in Feb. 1807. As Master's Mate, next, of La Gloire 38, and Amaranthe \i, Capts. Jas. Carthcw and Geo. Pringle, Mr. English served at the reduction of the French West India islands, in the years 1809- 10. After a further employment of 16 months in the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir Fras. Laforey in the Leeward Islands, he was at length, having passed his examination nearly two years, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, by commission dated 21 March, 1812. His appointments, in the latter capacity, appear to have been— 5 Jan. 1813, to the Ckessy 74, Capt. Chas. Dashwood, employed off the Scheldt — 6 Aug. 1814, to the Euphrates 36, Capt. Robt. Preston, on the Home station— 10 June, 1819, and 9 Dec. 1822, as Senior Lieutenant, to the Larne 20, and Tribune 42, Capts. Henry Forbes, Robt. Tait, and Gardiner Henry Guion, on the Mediterranean station, where he commanded the boats of the latter ship and of the Despatch 18, in a successful attack on some pirate vessels, near the Morea, in 1824 and, 27 March, 1826, to the command of the Contest 12, in North America. On 17 April, 1827, he was promoted to his present rank in the Ringdove 18, which sloop he continued to command, on the station last mentioned, until 22 March, 1829. He has not been since employed.

Commander English married, 11 Oct. 1834, Jemima Georgina, only daughter of the late Jas. Garden, Esq., of Bedford Square, London.

Page 402

GODDEN. (Lieut., 1815. r-p., 33; h-p., 11.)

Joseph Shaw Godden, born about 1791, is brother of Lieut. G. H. Godden, R,N.

This officer entered the Navy, 24 Nov. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin, lying at Spithead; and, from July, 1804, until Feb. 1812, served, nearly the whole time as Midshipman and Master's Mate, in the Avenger 18, Capts. Thos. White and Urry Johnson. During that period he assisted in sinking Le Hazard privateer of 14 guns and 70 men, and witnessed the capture, in May, 1809, of the island of Anholt. He was afterwards employed, as Acting-Master, Midship-man, and Master's Mate, in the Wanderer 24, Capt. Eras. Newcombe, Gorgon 44, Capt. Alex. Milner, Kainbow 28, Capt. Geo. Henry Guion (Should be Gardiner Henry Guion), Capt. Jas. Pringle, Barpledr 98, Capts. Sir Edw. Berry and John Maitland, and Quebec, Lieut.-Comraander Kobt. Scallon. In the Barfleur Mr. Godden participated in Sir Edw. Pellew's two actions with the French fleet oif Toulon, 5 Nov. 1813, and 13 Feb. 1814. His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant taking place 3 Feb. 1815, wa next find him, while officiating, from 1824 to 1829, as Agent for Transports Afloat, supplying the squadron in the Pacific with provisions, then bringing home Mr. Ricketts, H.M. Consul at Peru, and altogether acquiring a very enviable reputation. On 8 June, 1831, he rejoined the Transport Service, but left it again in Jan. 1832. With the exception of a command, from 4 Sept. 1838 to Oct. 1843, of the Stag Revenue-oruizer, during which period he efiected the capture of not fewer than 17 smuggling-vessels, Lieut. Godden has been employed in the Coast Guard ever since 24 Oct. 1834. He married, 3 Sept. 1816, Harriet, daughter of Thos. Radcliffe, Esq., late Builder's Assistant at Portsmouth Dockyard, by whom he has issue five children.

Page 438

GUYON. (Lieutenant, 1838. f-p., 18 ; h-p., 6.)

Brother of General Richard Gyon – see Wikipedia

The family of Richard is mentioned in the LW of Sara wife of Daniel. Maybe related, not proven

John Frederick Guyon was born 21 Nov. 1807. This officer entered the Navy, 11 Feb. 1823, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Tribune 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, in the boats of which frigate he served at the capture of several piratical vessels in the Grecian Archipelago. In the course of 1826 he successively joined the Gloucester 74, commanded at Sheerness by Capt. Joshua Sydney Horton, and Ganges 84, fitting for the flag of Sir Robt. Otway, then about to assume the direction of naval affairs in South America. In Sept. 1829, a few months after he had parsed his examination, Mr. Guyon returned to England. He subsequently joined, in the capacity of Mate— 10 June, 1830, the Ganges again, Capts. Edw. Stirling Dickson and Geo. Burdett, attached to the force in the Mediterranean— 21 April, 1832, the Trinculo 18, Capt. Jas. Rich. Booth, off the coast of Ireland— 9 Nov. fallowing, the Malabar 74, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, with whom he returned to the Mediterranean, and there served, latterly in the Canopos 84, until Feb. 1837— and 9 Aug. 1837, the Rhadaman steam-vessel, Capt. Arthur Wakefield, employed on the same station. His appointments, as Lieutenant, which rank he attained 28 June, 1838, were, also in the Mediterranean — 25 July, 1838, to the Barbam 50, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry — 19 Nov. 1839, to the Cyclops steamer, Capt. Horatio Thos. Austin, in which vessel he participated In the capture of the castle of Gebail, the town of Sidon, and other places on the coast of Syria— and, 3 Feb. 1841, to the Hastings 72, Capt. John Lawrence. He has been on half-pay since Feb. 1842.

Page 446 HALLETT. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 17 ; h-p., 9.)

Edward Knatchedll Hdghes Hallett was born 20 May, 1808. This officer entered the Royal Naval College 1 Feb. 1821 ; and embarked in Feb. 1823, as Midshipman, on board the Tribdne 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, employed in the Mediterranean. In 1827, after having served for some time in the East Indies in the Java 52, and Boadicea 46, both commanded by Capt. John Wilson, he passed Ms examination ; and between that period and the receipt of his first Admiralty commission, bearing date 16 Oct. 1830, he discharged the duties of Mate and Acting-Lieutenant, on the North America and West India station, in the Hussar 46, and Winchester 52, flag-ships of Sir Chas. Ogle and Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, and Sparrowhawk 18, Cai)t. Thos. Gill. Mr. Hallett, who next, from 19 Deo. 1831, until paid off' 28 July, 1834, served off Lisbon in the Asia 84, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Wm. Parker — was lastly, on 14 April, 1836, appointed to the Bellerophon 80, Capts. Samuel Jackson and Chas. John Austen. Returning in the latter ship to the Mediterranean, he ultimately, in 1840, commanded her boats in the attacks on Gebailf and Sidon; and he also fought at the siege of Acre. Having paid the Bellekophon off, as her First-Lieutenant, in Juno, 1841, he was promoted, on 23 of the following Nov., to the rank he now holds. He has not since been afloat. Agents — Hallett and Robinson.

Page 495

HENDERSON, C.B., K.S.F. (Captain, 1838. F-p., 26 ; H-P., 13.)

William Honyman Henderson is son of the late Alex. Henderson, Esq., of Sempster, Caithness, N. B.

This officer entered the Navy, 25 Deo. 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hero 74, Capt. Jas. Newman Newman, employed on the North Sea and Baltic stations, where, and in South America, he afterwards, until Oct. 1814, served, as Midshipman and Master's Mate, in the Ardent 64, Capt. Kobt. Honyman, and Aquilon and Ceres frigates, Capts. Wm. Pakenham and Wm. Bowles. He was then for some time employed at Newfoundland in the Plover sloop, Capt. John Skekel; after which he joined the Tonnant 80, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, and on 14 Dec. 1814, previously to participating in the expedition against New Orleans, assisted in the boats of that ship and of a squadron at the capture, on Lake Borgne, of five American gun-boats under Commander Jones, who did not surrender until, in a severe conflict, he had occasioned the British a loss of 17 men killed and 77 wounded. Between June, 1815, and Jan. 1820, Mr. Henderson, we find, was next employed, on the Home, and again on the South American stations, as Master's Mate and Admiralty Midshipman, in the Royal Sovereign 100, Capt. Broughton, Childeks 16, Capt. Rich. Wales, Rivoli 74, Capts.

Chas. Ogle and Aiskew Paffard HoUis, Dover 28, Capts. John Ross and Chas. Hope Reid, Creole 42, Capts. Wm. Bateman Dashwood and Wm. Bowles, and Superb 74, Capt. Thos. White. On leaving the latter ship he rejoined Capt. Bowles as Acting-Lieutenant on board the Creole, which frigate, however, he quitted soon after his oficial promotion, which took place on 10 of the following May.

His next appointments were — in the course of 1824, to the Seringapatam frigate, Albion 74, and Tribune frigate, Capts. Chas. Sotheby, Sir Wm. Hoste, and Gardiner Henry Guion, on the Portsmouth and Lisbon stations— 20 Feb. 1826, to the Forte 44, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan — 22 March, 1826, to the Blonde 42, Capt. Lord Byron, in the Pacific— 14 Sept. 1827, to the Columbine sloop, Capts. Chas. Crole and John Townshend, on the Halifax station, whence he returned home and was paid off 1 June, 1830— in March, 1831, to the Barham 50, Capt. Hugh Pigot — and 7 May, 1831, as First Lieutenant, to the Dublin 50, Capt. Lord Jas. Townshend, with whom he served, again in South America, until 1834, on 2 Oct. in which year the Dublin was put out of commission. Being advanced to the rank of Commander 19 Dec. following, Capt. Henderson, on 9 Sept. 183.5, was placed in charge of the Phcenix steamer, and immediately ordered to the coast of Spain, where the importance of his services during the civil war was ultimately acknowledged by his investiture with the second class of the order of San Fernando. He was superseded from the Phoenix on being awarded a Post-commission, dated 27 June, 1838. His next appointment was, 19 June, 1839, to the Gorgon, another steam-vessel, in which he was for three years employed in the Mediterranean — participating during that period in the operations on the coast of Syria, including those against Sidon and St. Jean d'Acre.*' He was in consequence nominated |,a C.B. 18 Dec. 1840. He has been in command, since 25 Aug. 1846, of the SiDON steam-frigate.

Capt. Henderson married, 4Sept. 1844, Elizabeth Martha, relict of his old Captain, Lord Jas. Townshend. Agents — Goode and Lawrence.

Page 497

HENNING. (Lieut., 181.5. f-p., 8 ; h-p., 31.)

Alexander Henning entered the Navy, 17 May, 1803, as Fst.-cl.' Vol., pn board the Christian VII.

80, Capts. Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, Woodley Losack, and Rich. Ilarward, of which ship, employed on the Home station, he became Midshipman 7 Aug. following. While in her he served for some time under the flag of Sir EdW. Pellew ; and on two separate occasions, 20 Jan. and 13 Feb. 1810, he was employed in boat affairs of considerable gallantry; assisting, on the first, at the capture and destruction of part of a convoy of 30 sail, under a heavy fire of grape and musketry, and within a stone's throw of the batteries, in the IWaumusson passage ; and, on the second, at the destruction, with a loss to the British of 2 men killed and 3 wounded, of three deeply-laden chasse-marees, which had grounded on a reef between Roohelle and He d'Aix, and were protected by nine French boats, each carrying a 12- pounder carronade and 6 swivels, and rowing from 20 to 30 oars. The British, who in the latter instance succeeded in capturing one and dispersing the rest of the boats, were in both cases commanded by Lieut. Gardmer Hen. Guion. From Sept. 1810 until May, 1814, Mr. Henning again, we find, served with Capt. Woodley Losack, chiefly as Master's Mate, in the Galatea 42, on the Cape of Good Hope, Channel, and West India stations ; during which period he shared, 20 May, 1811 (while cruizing off' Madagascar, in company with the AsTREA and Ph(ebe, frigates about equal in force to the Galatea, and 18-gun brig Racehorse), and was slightly wounded in the left arm, in a long and trying action with the French 40-gun frigates i2enommee, Chrinde, and Nereide, in which the Galatea, besides being cut to pieces in her hull, masts,- and rigging, sustained a loss of 16 men killed and 46 wounded.* Between the date of his discharge from the Galatea and that of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 11 Sept. 1815, Mr. Henning was lastly employed in the West Indies on board the Venerable 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham, and Spider sloop, Capt. Robt. Caulfeild.

He married, 11 Dec. 1838 (while in command of the Earl of Sardwicke Indiaman), Melina, only surviving daughter of the late E. W. Smith, Esq.

Page 516

HILLS. (Lieutenant, 1806.)

Thomas Hills entered the Navy, in Dec. 1794, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Victory 100, Capt. John Knight, in which ship he was present under the flag of Rear-Admiral Robt. Mann in Hotham's action of 13 July, 1795, and under that of Sir John Jervis in the battle fought off Cape St. Vincent 14 Feb. 1797. He continued to serve with the lastmentioned officer as Midshipman of the Yille de Paris 110, on the Mediterranean and Channel stations, until Jan. 1801, between which period and the date of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 7 Nov. 1806, he was further, it appears, employed on board the Eueydice 24, Capts. Walter Bathurst and Chas. Malcolm, Seahoksb and Amphithite frigates, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, Bellona 74, Capts. Chas. Dudley Pater and John Erskine Douglas, and Hibernia 110, bearing the flag of Earl St. Vincent. He made a voyage in the EuRYDicE to the East Indies, and on his return to the Mediterranean in the Seahorse he served in the boats at the destruction of a convoy in Hyeres Bay in 1804. From 28 Nov. 1806 until 27 May, 1811, Lieut. Hills was employed on board the Philomel sloop, Capts. Geo. Crawley, Geo. Downie, Geo. Davies, Spelman Swaine, and Gardiner Henry Guion, under the first named of whom, besides witnessing the surrender, in 1809, of the island of Ithaca, he assisted, on 31 Oct. in that year, in covering the boats of a squadron during a desperate and successful attack made by them on a convoy in the Bay of Rosas. In Sept. 1811 he was appointed to the Leyden 64, armee-en-flute, Capts. Edw. Chetham and John Davie, also in the Mediterranean, where he remained until Deo. 1814. He afterwards assumed command, in Feb. 1818 and June, 1820, of the Industry Revenue-cutter, and Pigmy schooner, on the Home station; and, since 8 March, 1837, he has been in charge (with a brief interval between 9 Oct. and 13 Dec. 1841) of the Semaphore Station at Holder Hill, Mildhurst. Lieut. Hills is married and has issue.

Page 535 HOOKEY. (Lieut., 1828. f-p., 17 ; h-p., 16.)

James Hookey, bom 31 Dec. 1798, at Portsea, is son of Wm. Hookey, Esq., late Timber Master of H.M. Dockyard at Deptford.

This officer entered the Navy, 17 Feb. 1814, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Newcastle 60, Capts. Lord Geo. Stuart, Sam. Roberts, and Henry Meynell, in which ship we find him employed, on the North America and "West India stations, half the time as Midshipman, until Jan. 1816. From the following Aug. until Sept. 1817 he served on Lake Erie in the Confiance, Capt. Dan. Pring. He was next, during the summer-months of 1818, engaged on Home duty, in the Weymodth 12, Master-Commander Turner ; after which he was borne, between May, 1819, and Jan. 1823, on the books of the Swan 6, Lieut.-Commanders Thos. Dilnot Stewart and Benj. Aplin. In 1822 he elicited the thanks of Capt. John Toup Nicolas, the Senior officer, and of the Mayor of N ewcastle-upon-Tyne, for his conduct in command of the boats of that vessel during a severe dispute which had there broken out between the keelmen and the shipmasters and shipowners. After a servitude of three years on the Home and Mediterranean stations on board the Tribune 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, Mr. Hookey, in Feb. 1826, joined the Prince Regent 120, bearing the flag at the Nore of Sir Robt. Moorsom. Early in the following year he became Admiralty Midshipman of the Barham 50, bearing the flag of Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming in the West Indies, where (having passed his examination in March, 1822) he was constituted, 14 Sept. 1828, First-Lieutenant of the Slanby 20, Capt. Joseph O'Brien. He invalided home in May, 1829, but, returning to the same station in the next Dec, was further appointed to the Magnificent receiving-ship at Port Royal, Jamaica, Capts. Smith and Gill. On 21 March, 1831, he was transferred to the command of the Kangaroo schooner. He came home and was paid off in Aug. 1833, and has not been since afloat. Lieut. Hookey was presented, in 1827, by the " Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c.," with a large silver medal for his invention of an improved log-ship. He married, 15 Jan. 1839, Mary, third daughter of John M'Coy, Esq., of the Royal Artillery, and sister of Capt. John M'Coy, of the same corps. Agents — Pettet and Newton.

Page 605-606 KENNEDY. (Commander, 1822. f-p., 15- H-p., 30.)

Alexander Kennedy (6) entered the Navy in Nov. 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir Edw. Pellew, employed off the coast ot Spain ; and m 1804, on that officer hoisting his flag in the Colloden 74, sailed with him for the East Indies. In Dec. 1805 he became Midshipman of the Concorde 36, commanded by the present Sir Josiah Coghill, but, rejoining the Colloden in Deo. 1806, was afforded an opportunity of witnessing the destruction, 11 Dec. 1807, of the dockyard * Vide Capt. Thos. Bennett. and stores at Griessee, in tlie island of Java, and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in India. Between Jan. 1808 and his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 25 July, 1811, Mr. Kennedy served in various ships, principally on the Home station ; after which we find him, until 1815, employed in the Mediterranean, on board the Centaok 74, Capt. Thos. White, Rainbow 26, Capts. Gardiner Henry Guion and Gawen Wm. Hamilton, Botne 98, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, and Aboukik 74, Capt. Norborne Thompson. When in the IIainbow he took command of her boats, and captured, oif the island of Corsica, a lateen-rigged vessel, laden with oak-planks.* On 24 May, 1819, he assumed charge of the Hound Revenue-cruizer, as he also did, for some time, in 1821, of the Stlvia, a similar vessel. He attained his present rank 9 Oct. 1822, and has since been on half-pay.

Commander Kennedy married, 2 Feb. 1821, Elizabeth RoUeston, niece of A. Boyd, Esq., of Gostler, CO. Donegal. Agemts — Goode and Lawrence.

Page 661

LIPSCOMB. (Lieut., 1826. f-p., 1 6 ; h-p., 25.)

Edwin Lipscomb, bom 24 Aug. 1796, is son of the late Rev. "W. Lipscomb, Rector of "Welbury, Yorkshire ; and nephew of the gallant Capt. John Cooke, R.N., who fell at Trafalgar, in command of the Bellekophon 74. This offier entered the Navy, 10 May, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Avenger 16, Capt. Thos. "White, part of the force on the Newfoundland station. Becoming attached, in March, 1811, to the Elizabeth 74, Capts. Edw. Leveson Gower and Gardiner Henry Guion, he was for upwards of four years employed as Midshipman and Master's Mate of that ship off Lisbon, and also in the Mediterranean and Adriatic, where h* served in the boats at the capture and destruction of many of the enemy's armed vessels, and was present at the reduction, in June and July, 1813, of the towns of Oraago, Dignano, and Fiume. He next, in Oct. 1815,, joined the Active 46, Capt. Philip Carteret, on the Jamaica- station, whence he returned to England in Sept. 1817; and he was afterwards (he had passed his examination in Aug. 1816) employed, between Jan. 1819 and his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant 3 May, 1826, on board the Newcastle 60, flag-ship ot Rear-Admiral Edw. Griffith, Albion 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Hoste, and Revenge 76, bearing the flag of Sir Harry Burrard Neale — on the North American, Home, and Mediterranean stations. He then obtained an appointment to the Isis 50, flagship at Jamaica of Sir Lawrence Wm. Halsted, with whom he returned to England in June, 1827. He has since been on half-pay. He married, 16 July, 1846, Mary, eldest daughter of the late Dansey Dansey, Esq., of Brincep Court, Herefordshire.

Page 665

LLOYD. (Captain, 1828. r-p., 13 ; h-p., 30.)

George Lloyd, born 13 Oct. 1793, is third son of John Lloyd, Esq. (Major in the 46th Regt., and Aide-de-Camp to Sir Henry Clinton during the American war, in which he received three wounds, the ultimate cause of his death), by Corbetta, daughter of the Rev. Geo. Holcombe, Archdeacon of Caermarthen, and Rector of Pwllcrochon, in Pembrokeshire. He is brother (with Major Wm. John Lloyd, R.A., who died at Brussels, 29 July, 1815, of a wound received at Waterloo) of the present John Wm. Lloyd, of Dan-yr-allt, co. Caermarthen, and South Park, Penshurst, Kent, and also of Lieut. Vaughan Lloyd, R.N. Capt. Lloyd, a distant relative of the late Admiral Wm. Lloyd, is nephew, by marriage, of the late Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer, K.C.B.

This officer entered the Navy,. in the spring of 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Princess Roval

98, Capts. Herbert Sawyer, Gardiner Henry Guion, and Robt. Carthew Reynolds, stationed in the Channel, where, until Feb. 1808, he continued to serve, as Midshipman, in the San Josef* and Hieeknia, flag-ships of Sir Chas. Cotton and Earl St. Vincent, and Plover sloop, Capt. Philip Browne. While next employed, between the latter date and Jan. 1812, in the Volontaire 38, and Cambrian 40, each commanded by Capt. Chas. BuUen, we find him coming into frequent contact with the enemy both on board those frigates and in their boats, particularly at the defence of Tarragona, the destruction of the batteries at Palamos, the capture of 19 merchantmen at Cadaques and of others at Selva, and the cutting out of a French vessel from under the Medas Islands. After he had been for some time Master's Mate of the Africa 64, bearing the flag in North America of Rear- Admiral Herbert Sawyer, and had for a short period acted as Lieutenant of the Rattler sloop, Capts. Alex. Gordon and John Thomson (under whom, it appears, he assisted at the capture of many vessels off New York and up the Chesapeake), Mr. Lloyd was confirmed to the latter vessel by commission dated 3 Nov. 1812. His next appointment was, 7 Dec. 1813, to the Trent 32, flag-ship on the Cork station of his friend Admiral Sawyer, who, on different occasions, allowed him to act as Commander of the Castilian 18, Pelican 18, and also of the Trent. On 1 Sept. 1814 Capt. Lloyd, then in command of the Castilian, fell in with the U. S. sloop Wasp of 22 guns, just as the latter had reduced H.M. brig Avon to the necessity of striking her colours. Having driven the American off the field, he immediately, in consequence of her repeated signals of distress, stood towards the British vessel, who, such had been her gallant resistance, went down almost before her crew could be removed. t Being ofiicially promoted to the rank of Commanders Nov. 1815, Capt. Lloyd was in that capacity appointed, 22 Aug. 1827, to the Victor 18, fitting for the Jamaica station, where he made prize of Las Damas Argentinas, a notorious piratical schooner of 2 guns and 40 men, 28 of whom were hanged at St. Kitt's. Since the receipt of his Post-commission, which bears date 26 Aug. 1828, he has been on half-pay. Agents — Goode and Law

Page 709-710

MAINGAY. (Commander, 1815. r-p., 14; H-p., 33.)

Peter Maingay, born 16 Dec. 1784, at Newton Bushel, CO. Devon, is son of Peter Maingy, Esq., of the island of Guernsey ; and flrst-cousin of the late Commander Jas. Maingay, R.N.


			

This officer entered the Navy, 1 Sept. 1800, as Midshipman, on board L'iMPiTOEUx 74, Capt. Sir Edw. Pellew, in which ship he accompanied an expedition to Vigo, and was employed off Brest and Rochefort until April, 1802; during the latter months of which year we find him serving in the Channel with Capt. Edw. Bass, of the Gannet sloop. In March, 1803, he rejoined Sir E. Pellew on board the Tonnant 80, and in the following year, after having been engaged in the blockade of Ferrol, he sailed with him in the Culloden 74 for the East Indies, whence in 1805 he returned to England in the Trident 64, flag-ship of Vioe-Admiral Peter Rainier. He then became attached in succession to the San Josef 110, bearing the flag in the Channel of Sir Chas. Cotton, Audacious 74, Capt. Thos. Le Marchant Gosselin (under whom he went in pursuit of Jerome Buonaparte to the West Indies, and was present in a hurricane which dismasted the ship), and San Josef again, commanded by Capt. John Conn as Flag-Captain to Sir Jas. Saumarez off Guernsey. In April and July, 1807, Mr. Maingay was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Barfleur and Dreadnought 98's, Capts. Sir Joseph Sidney Yorke and Wm. Lechmere ; and on 11 Sept. in the same year he was confirmed into the Racehorse 18, Capt. Wm. Fisher, stationed, as were the two ships last named, in the Channel. His succeeding appointments were — 24 Dec. 1807, a second time to the Audaciods, in which ship he escorted the army under Sir John Moore to and from Gottenborg, accompanied that officer and Lieut.-Generals Sir Harry Burrard and Sir John Hope to the shores of Portugal, and assisted in embarking the army after the battle of Corunna —21 April, 1809, as Senior, to La Ntmphe 36, Capts. Hon. Josceline Percy and Edw. Sneyd Clay, under the latter of whom he was wrecked in a gale at the entrance of the Frith of Forth, 18 Dec. 1810—1 May, 1811, to the Argo 44, Capt. Fred. Warren, lying at Spithead — 27 July following, and for a short time in 1812, to the Swiftsdre 74, and Rainbow 26, Capts. Temple Hardy and Gardiner Henry Guion, both in the Mediterranean — 4 Sept. in the latter year, to the Success 32, armee-en-Jiute^ Capt. Thos. Barclay, stationed at first on the coast of Spain, and then in the Chesapeake, where he had command of the boats on an occasion in which they were cut up by the musketry of the enemy, whose fire killed the coxswain in his (Mr. Maingay's) own boat — 24 Nov. 1813, to the Harlequin 18, Capt. Wm. Kempthorne, employed at Sheerness — 20 April, 1814, to the Hermes 20, Capt. Hon. Henry Wm. Percy, which vessel, after 25 of her men had been killed and 24 wounded in an unsuccessful attack upon Fort Bowyer, Mobile, was set on fire and destroyed in order to prevent her falling into the hands of the Americans, 15 Sept. 1814 — and 11 May, 1815 (having previously united in the operations against New Orleans), to the Vengeur 74, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, attached to the force off Brest. He was advanced to the rank he at present holds on 13 of the ensuing June ; and was next, from 6 July, 1830, until 1833, employed as an Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard. He has not been since able to procure an appointment.


						

Commander Maingay married, in March, 1818, Emeline, fourth daughter of the late John Carne, Esq., of Falmouth, co. Cornwall. Agents — Messrs. Chard.

Page 914

POORE. (RETIRED COMMANDER, 1847. F-P.,21; H-P., 26.)

 - William Poore was born 21 Aug. 1789. He is brother of Lieut. John Poore, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 15 Sept. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Tol., on board the Ganges 74, Capts. Thos. Fras. Fremautle and Joseph Baker, in which ship he was employed, until June, 1802, off Brest, in the Baltic (where he fought at the battle of Copenhagen), and in watching the French at St. Domingo. He then returned to England as a Midshipman in La Decade frigate, Capt. Wm. Geo. Rutherford. During the first six years of the war we find him serving in succession on the Channel, Mediterranean, and Cork stations, in the Amphion 32 and ViCTORT 100, both flag-ships of Lord Nelson, Camelion sloop, Capt. Thos. Staines, Victory again, bearing the flag of Lord Nelson, and Eurvdice and Drdid frigates, both commanded by Sir Wm. Bolton. In the Amphion he was present at the capture of the Orion Dutch Indiaman, the first enemy's vessel taken after the renewal of hostilities ; in the Victory he assisted at the blockade of Toulon; and in the Ehrydice he was often in action with gun-boats and batteries. In the Camelion's boats he partook of much detached service on the coasts of Genoa and France ; and on one occasion in particular, 11 Aug. 1805, brought off the ship's cutter after an unsuccessful attack upon an armed convoy, consisting of seven sail of feluccas, in which the British had their commanding officer and 3 men killed, 1 man wounded, and another taken prisoner. On 2 March, 1809, he was made Lieutenant into the Hindostan 50, armee-en-fiiUe, Capt. John Pasco, fitting for a voyage to New South Wales, where he took charge of the Dromedary store-ship when on fire, and personally assisted in extinguishing the flames. His last appointments were — 28 Jan. 1811, as First, to the Rainbow 28, Capts. Jas. Wooldridge and Gardiner Henry Guion, employed in co-operation with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia — 2 Dec. 1812, in a similar capacity (having invalided from the Rainbow in May, 1812), to the Chanticleer 10, Capts. Rich. Spear, Stewart Blacker, John Thomson, Geo. Tupman, and Wm. Henry Dickson, in which vessel he served at. the capture of Guadeloupe in 1815, and continued employed until paid off in Aug. 1816 — 29 Oct. 1822, to the command of the Lion, a most active and successful Revenue cruizer — 31 May, 1825, to the Astrea packet, Capt. Wm. King, stationed at Falmouth — and 22 Dec. following, to the Kingfisher, another Falmouth packet, IJbe command of which he was induced from ill health and impaired vision to resign in Dec. 1828. He was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 3 March, 1834 ; and invested with his present rank 9 April, 1847.  Commander Poore married, 10 Juue, 1817, Marianne, daughter of Rich. Jeffreys, Esq., of Basingstoke, CO. Hants, by whom he has issue two sons and one daughter. Agent — John P. Muspratt.

Page 928

PRICE. (Lieutenant, 1836.)

John Price, bom 5 April, 1802, is son of Joseph Price, Esq., a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for CO. Monmouth.

This oificer entered the Navy, 11 Jan. 1815, as Fst.-ol. Vol., on board the Cornwallis 74, Capt. John Bayley, bearing the flag of Sir Geo. Burlton in the East Indies, where he continued employed with the same officer in the Welleslet 74, with' Capt. John Clavell in the Orlando 36, and with Capt. Fras. Augustus Collier in the Liverpool 50 and Ganges 84. In the Liverpool, in 1819, he accompanied an expedition sent against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, and assisted at the bombardment and destruction of Ras-el-Khyma, their principal stronghold. After a servitude of four years in the Mediterranean on board the Tribune, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, and Weazle 10 and Medina 20, both commanded by Capt. Timothy Curtis, he was promoted, 25 Nov. 1826, to the rank of Lieutenant. His subsequent appointments were — to the Parthian 10, Capt. Hon. Geo. Fred. Hotham, also in the Mediterranean, whence he invalided in Feb. 1828—9 June, 1830, to the Wolp 18, Capt. Wm. Hamley, fitting for the East Indies — and 8 May, 1837, and 22 June, 1838, to the ScouT 18 and Parthian 18, Capts. Robt. Craigie and Wm. Langford Castle, both on the coast of Africa. In 1832 he commanded the boats of the Wolf at the capture of the fort of Quedah, on the coast of Malacca. On 4 April in the same year he was dismissed the Navy by sentence of court-martial ; but on 27 May, 1836, he was restored by Order in Council. In the boats of the Scout he made prize of three vessels, carrying between them 1346 slaves ; and in those of the Pylades he took one with 235 negroes on board. For the gallant conduct he displayed Mr. Price had the satisfaction of receiving a letter of thanks from Rear- Admiral Patrick Campbell, the Commander-in-Chief, and another from the Secretary of the Admiralty. He has been on half-pay since the commencement of 1839.

Page 1057

SHARPE, K.T.S. (Captain, 1848. f-p., 16; H-p., 24.)

Robert Sharpe entered the Navy, 5 Nov. 1807, as A.B., on board the Maks 74, Capts. Wm. Lukin, John Surman Garden, and Henry Raper, in which ship he attained the rating of Midshipman, 1 July, 1808 ; and was for upwards of four years employed on the Baltic, Home, and Lisbon stations. After serving for 15 months, the chief part of the time as Master's Mate, in the Vigo 74, bearing the flags of Rear-Admirals Jas. NiooU Morris and Graham Moore, and Comet 20, Capt. Geo. Wm. Blamey, he joined, in March, 1814, the Prince Regent, Commodore Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo, on the Canadian Lakes ; where and on the river St. Lawrence he continued employed on gun-boat and other services, the last nine months in the capacity of Acting-Lieutenant, until Aug. 1815. He was then presented with a commission bearing date 13 of the preceding March. His next appointments were — 11 Aug. 1823 and 4 Feb. 1825, to the Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Chas. Dashwood and Hugh Downman, and Tribune 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, both on the Lisbon station. He attained the rank of Commander 24 Nov. 1826 ; served from 26 Jan. 1842, until the close of 1845, in the Scylla 16, on the North America and West India station ; and was advanced to his present rank 31 Jan. 1848. In the spring of 1845 he conveyed the King of the Mosquito Shore from Blanfield to Belize to be crowned. In commemoration of Don John VI. having taken shelter on board the Windsor Castle off Lisbon in May, 1824, the order of the Tower and Sword was conferred upon Capt. Sharpe in common with the other officers of the ship. Agents — Messrs. Chard.

Page 1307

WILSON. (Commander, 1845.)

Edmund Wilson entered the Navy 20 Nov. 181G ; and was made Lieutenant, 12 Oct. 1824, into the Tribune 42, Capt. Gardiner Henry Guion, off Lisbon. He was employed afterwards — from 30 Nov.

1826 until 1830, in the Columbine 18, Capts. Wm. Symonds, Chas. Crole, and JohnTownshend, on the Home and Halifax stations — from 3 Nov. 1834 until the early part of 1837, in the Vernon 50, Capt. John M'KerHe, in the Mediterranean — trom 7 July, 1840, until the close of 1843, in command of the Cygnet brig, on the coast of Africa — and from 7 Sept. 1844 until June, 1846, as Acting-Commander and Commander (commission dated 2 Jan. 1845) in the Pantaloon sloop, on the same station. Commander Wilson is senior of 1845. Agents — Messrs. Stilwell.

Page 1328

WRIGHT. (Captain, 1846. f-p., 29 ;"h-p., 1 0.)

Charles Mayson Monokibfpb Weight entered the Navy, 12 Jan. 1808, on board the Goliath 74, Capt. Peter Puget, stationed in the Baltic. He served afterwards, between the close of the latter year and May, 1821, in the Channel, Mediterranean, and East Indies, in the Helicon and Philomel sloops, Capts. Spelman Swaine, Gardiner Henry Guion, and Chas. Shaw, Rainbow and Iphigbnia frigates, Capts. G. H. Guion and Andrew King, Philomel again and Amphitrite 38,* Capts. C. Shaw and Jas. Hanway Plumridge, Liverpool 50, Capt. Fras. Aug. Collier, and Topaze frigate, Capt. John Rich. Lumley. In the Liverpool he accompanied an expedition sent in 1819 to act against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, where Ras-al-Khyma, the head-quarters of the freebooters, was taken, its fortifications destroyed, and all the vessels found there burnt or sunk. After he left the Topaze Mr. Wright (he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 21 Oct. 1820) was appointed — 24 Aug. 1825, and again (after about two years of half-pay) 13 May, 18.30, as a Supernumerary, to the Hyperion 42, Coast Blockade-ship, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye — 5 April, 1831, to the Coast Guard— 17 Dec. following, as Senior, to the Haeeiee 18, Capt. Spencer Lambart Hunter Vassall, fitting for the East Indies, where he was actively employed in the suppression of piracy in the Straits of Malacca — 18 March, 1836, in a similar capacity (the Harriee had been paid off in July, 1835), to the Vangdaed 80, Capts. Hon. Duncombe PleydeU Bouverie and Sir Thos. Fellowes, under whom he was for about four years stationed in the Mediterranean — and 27 Oct. 1840, also as First- Lieutenant, to the Impkegnable 104, Capt. Thos. Forrest, at Plymouth. He attained the rank of Commander 23 Nov. 1841; served as such in the Alpred 50, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore John Brett Purvis on the south-east coast of America, from 22 May, 1842, until paid off in Aug. 1845 ; and was advanced to his present rank 9 Nov. 1846.

* He quitted the Amphiteite in Jan. 1817, and joined the Liverpool in Apiil, 1818. During the interval he remained on shore.

Page 1395

PHEPOE. (Retired Commander, 1848.)

John Phepoe served with the boats of the Armide, and of the Christian VII. 80 and Seine 36, eight in number, under Lieut. Gardiner Henry Guion, in a gallant attempt made, 13 Feb. 1810, to destroy part of a convoy which had got on a reef that projects from the point of Chatelaillon, between Aix and Rochelle. The vessels in question were protected by nine gun-boats, each carrying a 12- pounder canonade and 6 swivels, and rowing from 20 to 30 oars. One of the latter was boarded and carried, with a loss to the enemy of 2 men killed and 3 wounded. Lieut. Guion was promoted for his conduct to the rank of Commander. On the night of 27 Sept. following Mr. Phepoe contributed to the destruction, by the boats of the Armide, the Caledonia 120, and Valiant 74, the whole commanded by Lieut. Arthur Philip Hamilton (whose valour also obtained him promotion), to the capture of two brigs and the destruction of a third, lying at Pointe du Che, near Rochelle, under a strong battery, which was at the same time stormed and taken by a party of marines.

Page 1386

BOAT ACTIONS.

13 Feb. 1810

Boats of Christian VII., Armide, and Seine, under Lieutenant H. G. Guion.

Attack on nine French gun-boats, and capture of one—Basque Road

DANIEL OLIVER GUION
Page 105

BOWEN. (Lieut., 1808. F-P., 20 ; H-P., 260

Peregrine Bowen entered the Navy, 28 Jan. 1801, as Midshipman, on board the Chapman, hired armed ship, Capts. Robt. Keen and Thos. Brown ; removed very shortly afterwards into the San Joseef 110, Capts. Wm. Wolseley and Carpenter; and from July, 1803, until the year 1807, served in the Prince 98, Capts. Rich. Grindall, Daniel Oliver Guion, Wm. Lechmere, and Alex- Fraser, under the first of whom he was present, 21 Oct. 1805, in the battle of Trafalgar. He next accompanied Capt. Fraser into the Vanguard 74, one of the ships employed with the fleet under Lord Gambler at the bombardment of Copenhagen in Sept. 1807 ; and, on 21 Oct. in that year, was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Bellette 18, Capt. John Phillimore. He was confirmed, 23 Feb. 1808, into the Barfleur 98, bearing the flags in the Tagus and off Lisbon of Rear-Admirals Wm. Albany Otway and Chas. Tyler, to the latter of whom he appears to have officiated for some time as Flag-Lieutenant. From the Barfleur Mr. Bowen was appointed, 7 Dec. 1808, to the Venus 32, in which frigate he continued to serve, under Capts. Anderson, Jas. Coutts Crawford (with whom he assisted at the reduction of Vigo in March, 1809), and Kenneth Mackenzie, off the coasts of Spain, Portugal, Norway, and Greenland, and in the West Indies, until paid off, 14 Feb. 1814. Since 10 June, 1839, he has been employed as Admiralty Agent in a contract steam-vessel on the Liverpool station.

Page 226

COOKESLEY. ((ffastam, 1818. F-P., 22; H-p., 34.)

John Cookeslet entered the Navy, 29 Jan. 1791,  as a Boy, on board the Tkiton 32, Capt. Geo. Murray, employed off Halifax ; became attached, in June, 1794, to the Polyphemus 64, flag-ship on the Irish station of Vice- Admiral Robt. Kingsmill ; and was promoted, 16 Dec. 1799, immediately after passing his examination, to a Lieutenancy in the Trusty 50, armie en flute, Capts. Geo. Bowen, Alex. Wilson, and Dan. Oliver Guion. Attending the expedition to Egypt in 1801, for which he received the Turkish gold medal, this officer landed with the troops in Aboukir Bay, commanded a gun-boat on the Nile, fought some of the enemy's batteries, accompanied the British army to Cairo, and was present at the capitulation of the French army. Between April, 1803, and the summer of 1805, he next served, as First Lieutenant, on board the Zebka bomb, and Constance 24, Capts. Wm. Beauchamp and Anselm John Griffiths, under whom we find him successively employed at the bombardment of Havre in July and Aug. 1804, and the subsequent blockade of the Elbe. He then joined the Gibraltar 80, Capts. John Whitley, Wm. Lukin, Willoughby Lake, John Halliday, and Henry Lidgbird Ball, and was Senior Lieutenant of that ship on 11 April, 1809, when Lord Gambler made his celebrated attack on the French squadron in Basque Roads. On the evening of that day Mr. Cookesley enacted a very conspicuous part as commander of one of the five successful fire-vessels, and behaved with so much gallantry and judgment that he induced two of the enemy's line-of-battle ships. La Ville de Varsovie and L'AquUoH, to cut their cables and run on shore, where they were soon afterwards destroyed. So highly, indeed, did Lord Mulgrave, then First Lord of the Admiralty, estimate this feat, that he gave Mr. Cookesley a Commander's commission bearing the same date, and otherwise promoted the whole of his crew, seven in number, two of whom (one, the present Lieut. Robt. Tucker, K.N.) were advanced, as Midshipmen, to the quarterdeck. The subject of this sketch, who subsequently, from 10 May, 1810, until 16 Dec. 1816, commanded the Recruit and Hazard sloops on the Newfpundland station, was advanced to Post-rank 7 Dec. 1818. He accepted the retirement 1 Oct. 1846. Capt. Cookesley is the inventor of a very simple and efficacious species of raft, fully described and

illustrated in the fourth volume of the ' Nautical Magazine.' He married, in 1809, Miss Nash, of Anthony, near Torpoint.

Page 475

HASTINGS, Kt. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 32; H-p., 12.)

Sir Thomas Hastings, born 3 July, 1790, is eldest son of the Rev. Jas. Hastings, Rector and Impropriator of the living of Martley, and Patron of Areley Regis, co. Worcester. His femily, of which the celebrated Warren Hastings was the head, is a branch of that of Hastings of Dalesford, in the latter shire, and of Yelford Hastings, co. Oxford.

This officer entered the Navy, in Sept. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Princess Roval 98, commanded in the Channel by Capts. Jas. Vashon, Herbert Sawyer, Dan. Oliver Guion, and Robt. Carthew Reynolds ; and, froin Oct. 1804 until Sept. 1807, served, as Midshipman, on the latter and on the north coast of Spain, Cadiz, and West India stations, in the Illustrious 74, Capts. Sir Chas. Hamilton, Michael Seymour, Wm. Shield, and Wm. Robt. Broughton. His name, during the two following years, was successively borne on the books of the Salvador del Mundo, Capt. Isaac WoUey, lying at Plymouth, Texel and Ardent 64's, flagships at Leith of his former Captain, the late Admiral Vashon, and Letden 64, Capt. Thos. Ussher. As a reward for his conduct in command of a gunboat at the siege of Flushing, Mr. Hastings was promoted, 17 Jan. 1810, to a Lieutenancy in the Badger 10, Capt. John Lampen Manley, under whom we understand he assisted, as First of that vessel, in causing the destruction, off the river Ems, of the French privateer La Comtesse d'Emerieau of 11 guns and 110 men. His succeeding appointments were — 7 June, 1811, to the Hyacinth 26, Capts. Thos. Ussher and Alex. Renton Sharpe — 7 April, 1813, to the Undaunted 38, Capts. Thos. Ussher and Chas. Thurlow Smith, in which frigate he continued until Nov. 1815 — 28 Junn. 1817, to the Icarus 10, Capt. Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman, fitting for the South American station, whence he invalided in Jan. 1819— and 27 Oct. 1821, as Senior, to the Eubyalus frigate, Capt. Augustus Wm. Jas. Clifford, attached to the force in the Mediterranean. On the night of 29 April, 1812, we find Mr. Hastings commanding the Hyacinth's pinnace, under Capt. Ussher, -and acquiring the greatest praise for his undaunted courage, in a brilliant boat-attack on the enemy's privateers and batteries in the mole of Malaga; an enterprise which, although partially successful, terminated in a loss to the British, out of 149 officers and men, of 15 killed and 53 wounded. He also, in the course of the following month, assisted at the reduction of the strong castle of Almunecar ; and, on 18 Aug. 1813, he served in the boats of the Undaunted and of a small squadron in a very gallant attack made on the batteries at Cassis, where, after sustaining a loss of 4 men killed and 16 wounded, the British, in four hours, succeeded in capturing three heavy gun-boats, and 26 vessels laden with merchandise On 9 Nov. 1813 he was again in the hoats at the taking of a vigorously-defended tower at Port Nouvelle, and the destruction of 7 French vessels lying there under the protection of several batteries ; after which, in April, 1814, he participated, as First-Lieutenant, in the honour of conveying Napoleon Buonaparte from Frejus to Elba. On the latter occasion, and when within four or five miles of the harbour of Porto Ferrajo, Mr. Hastings went on shore with the foreign ministers, as one of the commissioners for talcing possession of the island, and making the proper arrangements for the reception of its future sovereign. During the war of a Hundred Days this officer further presents himself to our notice by his conspicuous exertions in the Undaunted's boats in preventing supplies from being thrown into Ancona ; in destroying different armed towers ; in capturing a Neapohtan flotilla, consisting of two schooners and nine gun-boats, protected by the fortress of Barletta ; and in erecting, with wonderful celerity, a battery on the island of Tremiti, in the Adriatic, which his prompt and skilful measures soon forced to surrender. When subsequently in the Eukvalus, Mr. Hastings was employed at the blockade of Algiers, preparatory to the concessions made by the Dey to Sir Harry Burrard Neale in 1824. On 9 May, 1825, having earned a reputation for merit of a very high order, he was at length advanced to the rank of Commander ; and on 4 Nov. 1828 he was appointed to the Fekret sloop ; in which vessel he appears to have been again employed for a period of 10 weeks off Algiers, with the view of observing and reporting to the British Government the proceedings of the French in their j)reparations for the attack and capture of that place ; a delicate and important service, of which he acquitted himself to the high satisfaction of his Commander-in-Chief, Sir Pulteney Malcolm. Capt. Hastings, who continued in the Ferket until posted, 22 July, 1830, afterwards,' from 13 April, 1832, until Aug. 1845, commanded the E.\CEi:,LE>T gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, where, during the last six years, he simultaneously discharged the duties of Captain Superintendent of the Royal Naval College.

In compliment to the professional and scientific attainments of Capt. Hastings, the honour of Knight-hood was, at the request of the Admiralty, conferred on him 5 June, 1839. On leaving the ExcbllENT he was appointed Storekeeper to the Ordnance ; and he is also a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for CO. Hereford. He married, 12 May, 1827, Louisa Elizabeth, sister of the Dean of Exeter, and daughter of Thos. Humphrey Lowe, Esq., of Bromsgrove, by Lucy, eldest daughter and co-heir of Thos. Hill, Esq., of Court of Hill, co. Salop, M.P. for Leominster. Agemts — Messrs. Om-

manney.

Page 551

HUGGINS. (Commander, 1814. p-p., 18; H-P., 33.)

Jambs Edward Hdgoins was bom in Aug. 1782, at Nevis. This officer (who had previously been in the East India Company's service) entered the Navy, in Nov. 1796, as A.B., on board the Vindictive frigate, Capts. Dan. Oliver Guion, Gardner, and Aiskew Paffard HolUs, stationed at the Cape of Good Hope ; and on his return to England in 1798, appears to have been employed for upwards of seven months ofi:' Woolwich as Midshipman in command of the Experiment fire-vessel. After an attachment of some time to the Zealand 74, flag-ship at the Nore of Vioe-Admirals Slcefflngton Lutwidge and Sir Andw. Mitchell, he joined the Amazon 38, Capt. Edw. Riou, under whom he was severely wounded on the occasion of that ship running foul of Le Sourgainville French 18-gun privateer, in Feb. 1800. From the following April until April, 1802, he again served vrith Capt. Guion, on board the Eurus 36, and Tbdstit 50. In the former of those ships he attended,the expeditions to Ferrol and Cadiz, and also the one to Egypt, where he was in command of a flat-boat during the battles of 8, 13, and 21 March, 1801, at the destruction of Rosetta Castle, and at the surrender of Grand Cairo and Alexandria. On the night of 29 Aug. 1800, he had served with the boats of a squadron, 20 in number, commanded by Lieut. Henry Burke, at the cutting-out, close to the batteries in Vigo Bay, of La Guepe privateer, of 18 guns and 160 men; which vessel, 25 of whose people were killed and 40 wounded, was boarded and carried in 15 minutes, with a loss to the British of 3 seamen and 1 marine killed, 3 Lieutenants, 12 seamen, and 5 marines wounded, and 1 seaman missing. From June, 1802, to Oct. 1803, we find Mr. Huggins serving at Newfoundland as Admiralty-Midshipman of the Camilla 20, Capts. Edw. Brace, Henry Hill, and Bridges Watkinson Taylor. In March, 1804, having joined, as Master's Mate, the Inconstant 36, Capt. Edw. Stirling Dickson, he assisted at the recapture of the African island of Gore'e ; with the despatches relative to which event he was sent to England. He was then, after having passed his examination, ordered to the West Indies, where he frequently distinguished himself in command of the tenders of the Heecdlb and Veteran flag-ships — particularly when in the Ghacieose, in which vessel, while in the act of boarding a French national schooner, off St. Domingo, he received a wound so severe as to deprive him of the entire use of his arm, and to elicit the presentation of a sword from the Patriotic Society.* In March, 1806, in consequence of the injury he had sustained, he was sent home to Haslar Hospital ; but in the summer of the following year he returned to the West Indies, and joined the Wolf 16, Capt. Wm. Sumner Hall. Between May, 1808, and the date of his oflicial promotion, which took place 27 Sept. 1810, Mr. Huggins was further employed on the same 'station, chiefly as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Shark, Griffon, Elk, • Vide Gaz. 1805. and Pert sloops, Capts. Edw. Henry A'Court, H. S. Jones, Jeremiah Coghlan, and W. S. Hall. In the Griffon, he also for some months discharged the duties of Acting-Commander. Obtaining an appointment, 16 Oct, 1810, to the Rover 18, Capt. Justice Finley, he served in that vessel in co-operation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain until Aug. 1812, when he was again obhged to be sent to Haslar in consequence of a serious hurt he had received while engaging the batteries at Bilboa. He next, on 3 March, 1813, joined the Majestic, a cut-down 74, Capt, John Hayes, under whom, during a cruize in the North American station, he contributed, 3 Feb, 1814, to the capture, after a running-fight of two hours and a half, of the Terpsichore French frigate, of 44 guns. Since his advancement to his present rank, 15 June, 1814, Commander Huggins has been unable to procure employment.

He was awarded a pension of 150Z, for his wounds, 28 May, 1816. Agent— Fred. Dufaur.

Page 864

PARRY. (Lieut., 1811. r-p., 29; H-p., 19.)

Henky Parry entered the Navy, in 1799, as a Volunteer, on board the Blanche troop-ship, Capt. John Ayscough ; under whom, after having attended the expedition to the Helder, he was wrecked in the Texel 28 Sept. in the same year. Joining then the Eurus, Capt. Dan. Oliver Guion, he was afforded an opportunity of participating, in 1800-1, in the operations against the enemy at Ferrol and Cadiz and in Egypt. He returned to England with Capt. Guion, as Midshipman, in the Trusty 50, in April, 1802 ; and he was next, between March, 1803, and June, 1809, employed, on the Home, East India, and Mediterranean stations, in the Grampus 50, flag-ship of Lord Gardner, Akkogant 74, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, Fox 32, Capt. Wm. Hugh Dobbie, Tremendous 74, Capt. John Osbom, Blonde frigate, Capt. Volant Vashon Ballard, and Porcupine and Mercury, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Henry Duncan. While acting as First-Lieutenant of the Fox, Mr. Parry, in 1805-6, officiated as Second in command of an expedition sent against the pirates near the Indus, and at the bombardment of the Temple of Somnauth. As Master's Mate of the Porcupine and Mercury he served in the boats in a variety of cutting-out affairs. On leaving the vessel last mentioned he was successively nominated, between June and Nov. 1809, Acting-Lieutenant of the Trident 64, flag-ship of Sir Alex. John Ball, Spartan 38, Capt. Jahleel Brenton, Trident again, and Kingfisher sloop, Capt. Ewell Tritton. ITnder Capt. Brenton he aided in effecting the capture of several islands in the Bay of Naples ; and in the Kingfisher he contributed to the reduction of the Ionian Islands. He had previously served on shore at the capture of Capri, Rejoining Capt. Duncan, in Sept. 1810, on board the ImpeRiEUSE 38, Mr. Parry again saw much boat service, particularly in the neighbourhood of Toulon ; where he was confirmed, 16 Aug. 1811, to a Lieutenancy in the Leviathan 74, Capts. Patrick Campbell, Adam Drummond, and Thos. Briggs. In the course of 1812 he lent his aid to the cutting-out of a brig from under the batteries in the same vicinity ; and also to the capture of some batteries and of 18 sail of vessels near Genoa. He returned home from a visit to Jamaica in Oct. 1814; and was afterwards employed— from 19 Oct. 1825 until 1831, in the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, and Ramillies and Talavera 74's, both commanded by Capt. Hugh Pigot— and from 14 Oct. 1836 until the early part of 1847, in charge of a station in the Coast Guard.

Page 984-985

ROBERTS, Kt., C.B. (eDaptattt, 1815. f-p., 27 ; H-p., 23.)

Sir Samuel Roberts, born in 1787, is son of the late Rev. John Roberts, Rector of Passage, near Waterford ; and brother (with Capt. Thos. Roberts, R.N.) of Col. Abraham Roberts, C.B., of the Hon. E. I. Co.'s service.

This oflicer entered the Navy, in Nov. 1797, as Fst.-ol. Vol., on board the Expedition, Lieut.-Commander John Hinton, lying at Waterford. Joining next, 17 Sept. 1798, the Anson of 46 guns and 327 men, Capt. Philip Chas. Durham, he was on board that frigate when she encountered, shortly afterwards, and for 17 days dogged, in company with the Ethalion 38, a French squadron under Commodore Bompart, consisting of La Hoche of 78 guns, eight frigates, a brig, and a schooner, destined for the invasion of Ireland. With five of the frigates, after the three others together with the line-of-battle ship had fallen into the hands of Sir John Borlase Warren, the Akson, on 12 Oct., came singly into collision, and sustained a loss, with injury to her masts and yards, of 2 men killed and 13 wounded. On 18 of the same month, being in company with the Kangaroo 18, she endured a similar loss in a very gallant action of an hour and a quarter which terminated in the capture of La Loire of 46 guns and 664 men (including troops), of whom 46 were killed and 71 wounded. Removing, in Deo. 1798, to the Volage 24, Capts. Hon. Philip Wodehouse, Wm. Barker, and Fras. Vesey, Mr. Roberts proceeded forthwith to the "West Indies, where he assisted as Midshipman in cutting out many of the enemy's vessels and was in one instance severely wounded and taken prisoner. From the VoLAGE he was transferred, inMarch,1802, to the Trusty 50, Capt. Dan. Oliver Guion, lying at Portsmouth ; and in the course of the same year he joined the W001.WICH 44, Capt. Ulick Jennings, and Echo sloop, Capt. Edm. Boger. In the latter vessel, stationed in the West Indies, he contributed to the capture, in 1804, of a French transport, full of troops, and of a privateer mounting 16 guns with a complement of 50 men. In command of a single boat, with only 13 men, he made prize, on one occasion, of five well-armed vessels, carrying as many as 250 soldiers. On another, having been accidentally left on shore at Jamaica^ and observing a privateer take possession of the Dorothy Foster, a valuable West India trader, he immediately embarked with some volunteer seamen in another merchant-vessel, pursued the enemy, and compelled him, after an obstinate conflict, to surrender his prey. As a reward for this achievement he received an order (dated 15 Feb. 1804) to act in the capacity of Lieutenant. Being subsequently invested by his Captain with the command of a tender (mounting 1 12-pounder carronade and 2 2-pounders, with a crew of 21 men), arid sent on a cruize for the purpose of intercepting some Spaniards about to sail from the Havana for Europe, he fell in with two vessels, one of 12 guns and 60 men, the other of 8 guns and 40 men. Although unable to etfect his escape, and notwithstanding that the force opposed to him was so overwhelming, he maintained for half an hour a most gallant defence. At the end of that period his little craft went down with aU the killed and wounded on board, barely allowing time for the remainder to be rescued. On his release, after several months of confinement in a damp dungeon, where he had been kept in a state of utter destitution, he was received by Sir John Duckworth, in Nov. 1804, as Master's Mate, on board his fiag-ship the Hercdle 74. In the early part of the following Feb. he was a companion of the present Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby when that heroic officer, in a small prize, manned by volunteers, made a brilliant dash past the enemy's batteries into the harbour of St. Martha, with the intention of cutting out a Spanish corvette of 20 guns and 130 men reported to be there, but which, unfortunately, had sailed a few days before. In the course of the same month Mr. Roberts was again placed under the orders of Capt. Boger on board the Echo. He was confirmed a Lieutenant (after having acted for three months as such) in the Sdperb 74, flag-ship of Sir J. T. Duckworth, 22 May, 1806 ; and was subsequently appointed — 8 Aug. 1806 and 31 Aug. 1809, to the Uniookn 32 and Armide 38, both commanded by Capt. Lucius Ferdinand Hardyman — 24 Nov. 1810, to the Couragieux 74, Capt. Philip Wilkinson, stationed in the Baltic — and, 9 April, 181 1, and 29 Jan. 1812, to the Christian VII. 80, and, as First-Lieutenant, to the Impregnable 98, both flag-ships of Admiral Wm. Young in the North Sea. While serving in the Unicorn he commanded a detachment of 50 seamen at the storming of Monte Video 3 Feb. 1807 ; and performed the duties of an officer of Artillery until some time after the capture of the city. He was First-Lieutenant of the same frigate at the destruction of the French shipping in Aix Roads in April, 1809. In Jan. and Feb. 1810, being Senior of the Armide, he commanded the boats of that ship, in conjunction with those of a squadron, at the capture and destruction of 15 of the enemy's coasting vessels, near Rochelle. The steadiness of the fire he maintained on one occasion in face of several gun-boats obtained for him ofilcial notice." On 4 May, 1810, with the boats of the Armide, and Monkev and Daring gun-brigs, under his orders, he effected the destruction of 13 out of a convoy of 17 sail, defended, at the He de Ke, by batteries on shore, two armed luggers, and several pinnaces — the loss of the British amounting to 3 killed and 3 wounded, all belonging to the Armide,! Being awarded a second promotal commission 6 Dec. 1813, Capt. Roberts assumed command, 19 Feb. 1814, of the Meteor bomb. In that vessel he accompanied a detachment of troops under Major-General Ross from the Garonne to North America, where he found frequent opportunities of distinguishing himself, particularly during the expeditions against Alexandria,^ Baltimore, and New Orleans. Prior to the attack upon the latter place he commanded a division of boats at the capture, on Lake Borgne, 14 Dec. 1814, of five American gun-vessels, after a very desperate struggle, in which the British sustained a loss of 17 men killed and 77 wounded. An armed sloop on the same occasion surrendered to him without much opposition. When Lieut.-Col. Thornton in Jan. 1815 stormed and oaiiried a redoubt on the right hank of the Mississipp, Capt. Roberts with three gun-vessels was as unremitting in his zeal and exertions in covering the right flank of the troops as he had previously been in embarking the troops and keeping the boats together in crossing the river.§ In Aug. 1815, having been nominated a C.B. and advanced to Postrank 4 and 13 June preceding, he left the Meteor. His succeeding appointments were — 28 Sept. 1815, for nearly three months, to the Newcastle 50, lying at Woolwich— 24 Jan. 1816, to the Tay 26, in which ship he was wrecked in the Gulf of Mexico 11 Nov. followingll — 20 March, 1817, for a passage home, to the Lady Hamilton transport — 13 Jan. 1823, to the Egeria 24, employed at Newfoundland and on the West India station, whence she returned in July, 1825, bringing with her Mr. Morier, late British Cottimissioner in Mexico, and a large quantity of cochineal and specie from Vera Cruz and the Havana — 4 Deo. 1832, to the Drdid 46, in the river Tagus — 18 June, 1833, for nearly three years and a half, to the Endymion 50, attached to the Mediterranean and Lisbon squadrons — and, 22 Aug. 1840, to the Calcutta 84, similarly employed. Paralysis of the left side compelled him to relinquish the command of the ship last mentioned in May, 1842. He was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 18 July, 1843; and placed on the Retired List 1 Oct. 1846.

The honour of Knighthood was conferred upon Capt. Roberts in 1833. He has been in the whole 53 times in action ; and has been often wounded. He married, in 1818, one of his cousins, a daughter

of Benjamin Roberts, Esq., Solicitor. Agents — Hallett and Robinson.

Page 1092-1093

SMITHERS. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 13; h-p., 31.)

George Smithers entered the Navy, in the spring of 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Prince 98, Capts. Rich. Grindall and Dan. Oliver Guion, lying at Plymouth, where, deducting an interval in 1804, he continued employed as Midshipman in the Salvador bel Musdo, Capt. John Loring, until transferred, in May, 1806, to the Thicmph 74, Capt. Thos. Masterraan Hardy. In that ship he served, for about two years on the coast of North America and off Flushing. He then joined the Ville de Paris 110,  Capts. John Surman Garden and Kich. Thomas, under the former of whom he assisted, in Jan. 1809, in embarking the remains of General Moore's army at Corunna. In the course of 1810 he was received in succession on board the Wizard sloop, Capt. Hon. Jas. Ashley Maude, .Stna bomb, Capt. John Fordyce Maples, and Barfi.eor 98, flag-ship of Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley — the two former vessels employed at the defence of Cadiz, the Barfleur on the Lisbon station. He was tiominated, 4 June, 1811, Acting-Lieutenant of the Alfred 74, Capts. Wm. Shepheard and Joshua Sydney Horton, also engaged at the defence of Cadiz ; was confirmed to that ship 23 Aug. following ; and, invaliding from her in March, 1812, was afterwards employed — from 29 Sept. 1812 until taken prisoner in Dec. 1813, in the Goldfinch brig, Capt. £dm. "Waller, on the coast of France— from 1 Dec. 1814 until 4 Dec. 1815, in the Centaor 74, Capt. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, with whom he visited Rio de Janeiro, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena— and from 23 March, 1830, until 1832, in command of the Conflict 12, on the coast of Africa. He has since been on half-pay

Page 1109-1110

STANLEY. (Capt., 1838. f-p., 27 ; h-p., 22.)

William Pearce Stanley entered the Navy, 12 March, 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Diomede 50, commanded by the late Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming, at first in the North Sea and East Indies and then at the Cape of Good Hope, where he removed, in Feb. 1801, to the Adamant 50, Capt. Wm. Hotham. Between the ensuing Oct. and Oct. 1805 he served, on the Home station, in the Unite 36, Capt. Thos. Harvey, Trusty 50, Capt. Dan. Oliver Guion, Conflict 10, Lieut.-Commanders John Sibrell and Chas. Fegen, and, as Master's Mate, in the Egyptienne 40, Capt. Hon. C. E. Fleeming. While in the latter ship he assisted at the capture of L'Epervier of 16 guns and 90 men, L'Acteon of 16 guns and 126 men, and La Chifftmette privateer of 14 guns and 80 men. He was also present in Sir Robt. CaJder's action 22 July, 1805. On leaving the Egyptienne he sailed, in the Hind, Capt. Fras. Wm. Fane, for the port of Cadiz; whence, on his removal to the Superb 74, Capt. Rich. Goodwin Keats, he proceeded, in pursuit of a French squadron, to the West Indies. After sharing, in the Northumberland 74, flag-ship of Hon. Alex. Cochrane, in the battle fought off St. Domingo, he was successively, 13 March and 15 April, 1806, nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Dolphin 44, Capts. Tlios. Tudor Tucker and Dan. Tandy, and Pheasant 18, Capts. Robt. Henderson and John Palmer. Being confirmed to the Pheasant 15 Aug. in the same year, he continued to serve in that vessel as Senior Lieutenant on the South American, African, Home, and Newfoundland stations, until 31 Aug. 1814. In Jan. 1807 his Captain, Palmer, having landed with the army to assist at the siege of Monte Video, he was left in command of the sloop, and was employed in her in blockading the Spanish gun-vessels at that place. He afterwards landed with the troops under Lieut.-Colonel Dennis Pack, and aided in taking possession of Colonla del Sacramento. The Pheasant, while he was in her, made prize, 8 May, 1808, 3 Feb. 1810, and 17 June, 1811, of the French privateers Trapard of 5 guns and 62 men, le Comte de Hunebourg of 14 guns and 53 men, and Le Hems of 6 guns and 40 men ; and, 12 March and 6 May, 1813, of the American letters-of-marque William Bayard of 4 guns and 30 men, and Fox of 8 guns and 29 men — the former taken in company with the "Wakspite 74, the latter in company with . the Scylla sloop and Whiting schooner. In May and Sept. 1815, Mr. Stanley was appointed First of the Ethalion 42 and Tiber 38, Capts. Wm. Hugh Dobbie and Jas. Kich. Dacres. He served in those ships on the coast of Ireland, again at Newfoundland, and in the Channel, until paid off 18 Sept, 1818 ; and on 14 April, 1819, he was placed in command of the Swallow Revenue-cutter, of 165 tons, mounting 6 six-pounder carronades and 2 small brass guns, with a complement of 37 men and boys. In her he captured, 27 Feb. 1821, after a long chase and running fight, in which two of his people were wounded, the Idas smuggling cutter, having on board 700 tubs of spirits and about 50 bales of tobacco, the greater part whereof was thrown, during the chase, overboard, as were the guns, supposed to be nine-pounders. "When the Swallow got alongside at night she found her prize abandoned by the crew, about 30 in number, 3 of whom had been killed and several wounded. JBoth vessels suffered severely in sails and rigging. For his conduct Mr. Stanley gained the approbation of Sir John Gore, the Commander-in-Chief, as also of the Lords of the Admiralty and the Treasury Board ; and on 19 July following was advanced to the rank of Commander. He afterwards, from 28 Oct. 1833 until Feb. 1837, and from 14 Feb. 1838 until Feb. 1839, officiated, as Second-Captain, on the Mediterranean and North American stations, of the Edinburgh and Malabar 74's, Capts. J. R. Dacres and Edw. Harvey ; to the former of whom, now a Rear-Admiral, he has been, since 14 Aug. 1845, Flag-Captain in the President 50, at the Cape of Good Hope. His Post commission bears date 28 June, 1838.

Capt. Stanley is married, and has issue one sou and two daughters.

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