A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Agassiz, James John Charles
AGASSIZ. (Ret. Capt., 1840. f-p., 1 7; h-p., 50.)
James John Charles Agassiz entered the Navy, 30 Dec. 1780, as Captain’s Servant on board the Lizard, Capt. Edm. Dod, whom,in Oct. 1787, after an interval of five years, he rejoined, as Midshipman, in the Lowestoft frigate. Quitting that ship in Sept. 1790, he next, in Aug. 1793, became attached to the Mentor, Lieut.-Commander Rich. Welland. On 23 Sept. 1795, he was promoted from the Atlas 98, Capt. E. Dod, to a Lieutenancy in the Trident 64, Capt. Edw. Oliver Osborn, and while in that ship was present at the surrender of the Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay, 17 Aug. 1796. He afterwards in succession joined the Trident 64, Capt. Edw. Oliver Osborn, Dordrecht 64, Capt. Gardner, Tromp, Capt. Billy Douglas, Triumph 74, Capt. Wm. Essington, Kite sloop, Capt. Chas. Lydiard, Resolution 74, Capt. Wm. Mitchell, and Hound, Capt. Geo. Sarradine. On 21 Aug. 1801, we find him, in conjunction with Lieut. Henry Le Vescomte, commanding the boats of the latter sloop and of a squadron, and acquiring the praise of Lord Nelson for his gallantry and zeal at the capture and destruction, with but trifling loss to the British, of six flat-bottomed gun-vessels, which had been driven on shore near St. Valery, and were protected by the fire of a body of military[1] and five field-pieces. After eight months’ command of the Bold gun-brig, in the Downs and off Boulogne, Mr. Agassiz was promoted to the rank of Commander, by commission dated 29 April, 1802. His next and last appointments were, 6 Sept. 1804, and 22 Jan. 1806, to the Anacreon defence-ship, and Rattler sloop, in which latter vessel he appears to have been employed in escorting convoys to and from Newfoundland and the Western Islands until placed on half-pay in Oct. 1809. He retired with the rank of Captain 10 Sept. 1840.
Capt. Agassiz is married and has issue. One of his sons, James David, is a Lieutenant, R.N., and another, Lewis, a Second Lieutenant, R.M.
- ↑ Vide. Gaz. 1801, p. 1036.