A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Caswell, William
CASWELL. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 17; h-p., 25.)
William Caswell entered the Navy, in Sept. 1805, as A.B., on board the Fox 32, Capts. Wm. Hugh Dobbie, Hon. Arch. Cochrane, Henry Hart, and Wm. Wells, on the East India station, where he remained until his return home in Oct. 1814; previous to which he had been taken prisoner, as Midshipman, in a conflict with the Malays, and detained a prisoner among them from Sept. 1807 to April, 1808 – and had commanded the Fox’s barge at the capture, 23 March, 1809, of La Caravanne French privateer, of 8 guns and 100 men, under the batteries of Sappara. In Nov. 1811, he joined, as Master’s Mate, the Maidstone 36, Capt. Geo. Burdett – and, on proceeding to the Mediterranean, commanded her launch at the capture of a privateer of 5 guns and 59 men. For his subsequent conduct, on 3 Aug. 1812, at the taking, in the Bay of Fundy, of the American Revenue-cutter Commodore Barry, of 6 guns, by the boats of the Maidstone, of one of which he again had charge, Mr. Caswell was appointed, 26 April, 1813, Acting-Lieutenant of the Spartan 38, Capt. Edw. Pelham Brenton, and, on 13 Nov. following, was confirmed into the Plantagenet 74, Capt. Robt. Lloyd. He was afterwards, on 26 Sept. 1814, wounded in a sanguinary attack on the American privateer General Armstrong. On his return home, after visiting the West Indies,[1] he joined, 7 Sept. 1815, the Superb 74, Capt. Chas. Ekins, one of Lord Exmouth’s ships at the bombardment of Algiers, in which he continued until paid off in Oct. 1818. He was subsequently appointed – 23 Nov. 1820, to the Surinam sloop, Capt. Wm. M‘Kenzie Godfrey, on the Jamaica station – in Nov. 1821, as First Lieutenant, to the Bann 20, Capt. Chas. Phillips, on the coast of Africa – and, 5 March, 1825, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye. He has been on half-pay since 1828. Agents – Coplands and Burnett.
- ↑ See Lieut. Thomas Heales.