A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Coghill, Josiah
COGHILL. (Rear-Admiral of the Red.)
Sir Josiah Coghill Coghill assisted, as we have stated, at the cutting out of the Prima galley. The particulars of that exploit will be found alluded to more fully in our memoir of Capt. Geo. Scott. Sir Josiah was in the Haerlem at the evacuation of Genoa by the French and at the surrender of Malta to the British: in command of the same ship’s tender he carried from Smyrna despatches (received overland from Sir Wm. Sidney Smith, who was at St. Jean d’Acre) to Lord Keith, at Malta. The Africaine, which ship he fitted out as Senior Lieutenant at Minorca immediately after her capture from the French, was commanded at first by Capt. Geo. Burlton. He joined the Rattlesnake at the Cape ot Good Hope and took despatches in her to the East Indies. The Malay vessel which he attacked mounted 8 guns with a complement of about 125 men: she exploded while the British were on board. The latter, out of 22, had 16 killed and wounded; the enemy were all destroyed. Serving with Capt. Coghill on this occasion were the present Retired Commanders Arthur Davies and Robt John Fayrer. When in company, in the same sloop, with the Terpsichore frigate, Capt. Walter Bathurst, he annihilated a fleet of 92 proas, carrying each 2 guns in the bow, off the island of Rhio, in the strait of Singapore. In the Diana, before proceeding to the Walcheren, he had charge of the French coast from Dunkerque to Fécamp.