A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Laffer, Nathaniel
LAFFER. (Retired Commander, 1847. f-p., 15; h-p., 34.)
Nathaniel Laffer was born in 1781.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 July, 1798, as Second-cl. Boy, on board the Cambridge 80, guardship at Plymouth, Capt. Poger. Removing in April, 1799, to the Melpomène 38, Capt. Sir Chas. Hamilton, he served in that ship in the ensuing expedition to the Helder, and was present in her at the capture of the African island of Gorée in April, 1800. In the course of the latter year he successively became Midshipman of a schooner and armed ship, bearing each the name of Gorée, and commanded, the first by Lieut. Chas. Chamberlayne Irvine, and the second by Capt. Thos. Tidy, with whom he served on the coast of Africa and in the West Indies until Dec. 1801. During the next seven years he presents himself to our notice as employed on the Home and South American stations in the Puissant 74, Capt. Wm. Syme, Clyde 38, Capt. John Larmour, Reindeer 18, Capt. John Fyffe, Lapwing 28, Capt. Clotworthy Tipton, and London 98, Capts. Sir Harry Neale and Thos. Western. While in the latter ship he contributed, in company with the Amazon 38, to the capture, 13 March, 1806, of the Marengo of 80 guns, hearing the flag of Admiral Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule, after a long running fight in which the London sustained a loss of 10 men killed and 22 wounded. He also, in 1807-8, escorted the Royal Family of Portugal to the Brazils. On leaving the London, as above, Mr. Laffer was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Agamemnon 64, Capt. Jonas Rose, from which ship he was confirmed, 10 May, 1809, into the President 38, Capt. Chas. Marsh Schomberg. He invalided home from South America in April, 1810, and was next appointed – 8 April, 1811, to the Plantagenet 74, Capt. Thos. Eyles, under whom, during a servitude of 21 months in the Baltic, he came frequently into contact with the Danish gun-boats – and, 22 Nov. 1813 and 26 Sept. 1814, to the Royal Sovereign 100, and Goldfinch 10, Capts. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild and John Foote, on the Mediterranean and Channel stations. He went on half-pay in May, 1815, and accepted his present rank in July, 1847. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.