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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Forbes, Henry

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1716823A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Forbes, HenryWilliam Richard O'Byrne

FORBES. (Captain, 1819. f-p., 18; h-p., 30.)

Henry Forbes is youngest son of Gen. Gordon Forbes, of Ham, co. Surrey.

This officer entered the Navy, 26 June, 1799, as a Volunteer, on board the Cambrian 40, Capts. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and Geo. Henry Towry; and, in Oct. 1802, became Midshipman of the Phoebe 56, Capt. Hon. Thos. Bladen Capel. In 1804 he appears to have been wounded in the Mediterranean, at the cutting out of a man-of-war brig; after which he bore a part in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805, and officiated as Acting-Lieutenant of the Donegal 74, Capt. Pulteney Malcolm, in the action off St. Domingo, 6 Feb. 1806. Being confirmed to the latter ship by commission dated 9 April, 1806, Mr. Forbes, in 1808, escorted Sir Arthur Wellesley’s army from Cork to Portugal; and, in the early part of 1809, besides assisting at the destruction of three frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, was present at the discomfiture of the French shipping in Basque Roads. In the course of 1810-11 he joined the Nymphe 36, Capt. Edw. Sneyd Clay, Inconstant and Crescent frigates, both commanded by Capt. John Quilliam, and Victory 100, bearing the flag of Sir Jas. Saumarez. Attaining the rank of Commander 1 Feb. 1812, he was afterwards appointed, on the Channel, East India, Halifax, and Mediterranean stations – 23 March, 1814, to the Martial 12 – 1 Dec. 1814, to the Challenger 16 – 1 May, 1816, to the Zebra 18 – 4 Feb. 1818, to the Grasshopper 18 and, 24 May, 1819, to the Larne 18. Capt. Forbes, who assumed Post-rank on 7 Dec. in the latter year, was next invested with the command, 14 Nov. 1841, of the Pique 36; from which ship, stationed in the West Indies, he was superseded 1 Aug. 1842. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

Capt. Forbes, in 1804, was presented with a grant from the Patriotic Fund, in consideration of the wound we have above noticed. At present he is Commissioner of Pilotage at Shoreham. He married, 28 Sept. 1822, Jane, eldest sister of the present Sir Jas. Everard Home, Bart., Capt. R.N. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.