A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gabriel, James Wallace
GABRIEL, K.H. (Captain, 1831. f-p., 18; h-p., 35.)
James Wallace Gabriel, born 5 April, 1783, at Hamworth, co. Middlesex, is third son of the late Rev. Robt. Burd Gabriel, D.D., Rector of Haslington and Hamworth. His eldest brother, Burd, is a Colonel in the Army, a C.B. and K.H.; another, John, was a Major in the Hon.E.I.Co’s service, and died in India in 1815; and a third, Vere, died while First-Lieutenant of H.M.S. Active in 1824.
This officer entered the Navy, in the early part of the French Revolutionary war, as a Boy, on board the Romney 50, Capt. Frank Sotheron, bearing the flag at Newfoundland of his godfather. Sir Jas. Wallace; the former of whom he accompanied into the Latona 38. He was promoted to a Lieutenancy, 17 March, 1800, in the Alecto 16, Capts. Lenox Thompson and Robt. O’Brien, and was afterwards appointed – 1 June, 1802, to the Phoebe 36, Capt. Hon. Thos. Bladen Capel – and, in 1805-6, as First-Lieutenant, to the Brilliant 28, and Pomone 38, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Barrie. On 14 July, 1803, Mr. Gabriel appears to have been shot through the body and to have had his thigh dreadfully lacerated by a pike during a sanguinary conflict which terminated in the Phoebe’s boats obtaining temporary possession of a large fully-manned ship near Civita Veochia. For his gallantry and exertions on this occasion the Patriotic Society presented him with a sword valued at 50l., and also with the sum of 50l. While under Capt. Barrie, with whom he continued until wrecked, on the Needles Point, 14 Oct. 1811, Lieut. Gabriel obtained the official thanks – of Sir Rich. Keats for his zealous exertions, in 1807, in burning H.M. brig Atalante, in face of the enemy, when on shore among the breakers on Isle St. Martin, after the boats of the Penelope had failed in the attempt, as also for his meritorious exertions to save the crew of H.M. cutter Pigmy, during a tremendous gale and the most intensely cold weather, off Ile de Ré – of Sir Rich. Strachan and Lord Gardner (the latter of whom strongly recommended him to the Admiralty for promotion) for his able and gallant conduct in capturing and destroying, with the boats of the Pomone, 14 of the enemy’s vessels under Sable d’Olonne, 5 June, 1807[1] – and of Lord Henry Paulet and Lord Collingwood for his gallant conduct in cutting out a large French brig from under the guns of the batteries of Oneglia.[2] He was also publicly thanked for his spirited behaviour, on 11 May, 1810, in capturing, with the boats of the Pomone, the French privateer Le Jupiter, of 12 12-pounders and 68 men; and on 1 May, 1811, he was again very highly lauded for the share he took in a valiant action of an hour and a half in Sagone Bay, where the Pomone, in company with the Unité 36 and Scout 18, effectually destroyed, after incurring an individual loss of 2 men killed and 19 wounded, the two armed store-ships Giraffe and Nourrice, each mounting from 20 to 30 guns, and protected by a 5-gun battery, a martello tower, and a body of about 200 regular troops.[3] He attained the rank of Commander 21 March, 1812, but was unable to procure employment until 2 June, 1830, when he commissioned the Columbine 18, fitting for the West India station; where he was posted, 2 July, 1831, into the Magnificent receiving-ship. After creditably conducting the port duties for a short time at Port Royal, he returned to England, and has not since been afloat.
Capt. Gabriel was awarded a pension of 150l. for his wounds 2 Dec. 1815, and nominated a K.H. 1 Jan. 1837. He married, in 1815, Maria, sister of Commander Thos. Holbrook, R.N., by whom he has issue a son and daughter.