A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Couch, James
COUCH. (Captain, 1824. f-p., 34; h-p., 24.)
James Couch entered the Navy, in April, 1789, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Adamant 50, Capt. Knox, bearing the flag at Halifax of Sir Rich. Hughes, with whom he continued until 17 June, 1792.
From Jan. 1794, until Sept. 1797, he was next employed with Capts. Edm. Dodd and Squire, of the Dictator 64, and Atlas 98, on the African, West India, and Home stations. He then joined, for nearly two years, the Phaeton 38,, Capt. Hon. Robt. Stopford, in which frigate he assisted in taking many of the enemy’s vessels, Having passed his examination in Nov. 1799, and been further occupied in the Atalante 16, Capt. Anselm John Griffiths, and Niger 32, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, he was confirmed a Lieutenant in the Woolwich store-ship, Capt. Campbell, 6 Sept. 1800. For his varied and active services during the Egyptian campaign in 1801, Mr. Couch subsequently received the Turkish gold medal. Until the peace of Amiens he was next employed in the Tigre 80, Capt. Sir Sidney Smith; after which we find him appointed, as First-Lieutenant – 10 Jan. 1804, to the Conqueror 74, Capts. Sir Thos. Louis and Israel Pellew – 1 Dec. 1807, to the President 38, Capts. Adam Mackenzie and Chas. Marsh Schomberg, on the South American station – 4 Sept. 1810, to the Bellerophon 74, flagship in the North Sea of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier – in April, 1811, to the Acasta 40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr – 10 June, 1814, to the Chesapeake 38, Capts. Geo. Burdett and Fras. Newcombe, in which frigate he visited the Cape of Good Hope – and, 7 Aug. and 22 Oct. 1816, to the Berwick 74, and Impregnable 104, flag-ships at Plymouth of Sir John Thos. Duckworth. During his attachment to the Conqueror, Lieut. Couch accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in quest of the combined fleets of France and Spain, and took a warm part in the battle of Cape Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805. While in the Acasta he contributed to the capture, on the Home and American stations, of a large number of the enemy’s armed and other vessels – assisted in driving a squadron under Commodore Decatur into New London – and evinced much bravery in command of the boats on various occasions of hazard, particularly at the capture, 25 Dec. 1812, of the Herald letter-of-marque, of 10 guns, on which occasion he received a severe contusion in the leg from the bursting of a gun. Having obtained his second promotal commission 6 Sept. 1817, he assumed command, 2 July, 1821, of the Perseus receiving-ship, off the Tower; and, continuing for nine years and a half to discharge the duties of regulating Captain at the port of London, raised and forwarded to their respective ships no fewer than 13,000 men. Capt. Couch (who had been promoted to Post-rank 24 Jan. 1824) paid the Perseus off 10 Jan. 1831. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
He is the Senior Captain of 1824; and bears the character of being a very scientific and ingenious officer. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.