A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Richards, John
RICHARDS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 22; h-p., 19.)
John Richards entered the Navy, 14 July, 1806, as L.M., on board the Wagtail, and was for some months employed in cruizing among the Western Islands. While serving next, between Feb. 1807 and Feb. 1813, in the Centaur 74, Commodore Sir Sam. Hood, he accompanied the expedition against Copenhagen – witnessed the surrender of Madeira – assisted, in conjunction with the Implacable 74, at the capture, 26 Aug. 1808, in sight of the whole Russian fleet near Rogerswick, of the 74-gun ship Sewolod, after a close and furious engagement, in which the Centaur lost 3 killed and 27 wounded, and the enemy 180 killed and wounded – and took part in the operations of 1809 in the Scheldt. From 1 March, 1813, until 1 Jan. 1816, he served in the Downs and North Sea and at Cork in the Monmouth 64 and Scarborough 74, flag-ships of Admirals Thos. Foley and John Ferrier, and Tigris 36, Capt. Robt. Henderson. He then took up a commission bearing date 3 Aug. 1815. Since 7 May, 1835, he has been in command of a station in the Coast Guard.