A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Arnold, John
ARNOLD. (Retired Commander, 1842. f-p., 16; h-p., 33.)
John Arnold was born 4 Nov. 1784.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 Aug. 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Tigre 80, Capt. Sir Wm. Sidney Smith. In the following year he assisted in the gun-boats and batteries at the defence of St. Jean d’Acre; and, on afterwards attending the expedition of 1801 to Egypt, served on shore with the naval brigade, commanded a gun-boat up the Nile bearing the broad pendant of Sir W. S. Smith, and was present at the surrender of Rosetta and of the castle of Jullien. In June, 1805, after a successive attachment of rather more than two years to the Penelope 36, Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton, Galykheid and Ruby, flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Edw. Thombrough, and Antelope 50, Commodore Sir W. S. Smith, all on the Home station, Mr. Arnold was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Spy 12, Capt. Bushby, off Boulogne, where, on 6 Aug. in the same year, he became Sub-Lieutenant of the Desperate gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander John Price. During the next 20 months we find him sharing in numerous engagements with the enemy’s flotilla and batteries; but more particularly on 29 Jan. 1807, when he received a woimd so severe as to elicit from the Patriotic Society a gratuity of 30l. Being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 27 March following, in the Peacock 18, Capt. Wm. Peake, he next joined in that capacity, 16 Sept. 1808, the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag in South America of his old Captain, Sir W. S. Smith. While subsequently in the Transport service, in which he continued from 1809 to 1815, Mr. Arnold served with the Walcheren expedition, and was employed as Principal Agent at Oporto, Alicant, Bilboa, and finally at Bordeaux, where he embarked the British army for America and England. Having been on half-pay since the peace, he at length, on 19 July, 1842, accepted the rank he now holds.
Commander Arnold married, in 1813, Miss Rawstorne, niece of Sir Michael Pilkington, Bart.