West Indies in charge of a convoy of 96 sail; and in a little more than two months from that period, having been ordered to refit for foreign service, he was on his way to South America. During the time that the Cherub had been in dock at Portsmouth, her crew had been allowed a month’s leave of absence; and although it was known that she was going abroad, it is worthy of remark that, at the time of her departure, not one of them was absent from his duty. The fact that (notwithstanding many of her people had been seven years in the West Indies) it was found unnecessary to make application for a single man to the flag-ship was thought by the Port-Admiral, Sir Rich. Bickerton, so rare, that he declared he would make an official representation of it to the Board. Most of the Epervier’s officers, and all her crew, to the credit of Capt. Tucker be it recorded, had volunteered to follow him into the Cherub – and this, too, at a time when their own vessel was on the point of returning home. On 28 March, 1814, the Cherub was in company with the Phoebe of 46 guns and 300 men, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, at the capture, off Valparaiso, of the United States frigate Essex of 46 guns and 265 men. ”My friend, Capt. Tucker,” says Capt. Hillyar, in the despatch he wrote on the occasion, “an officer worthy of their Lordships’ best attention, was severely wounded [1] at the commencement of the action, but remained on deck until it terminated, using every exertion against the baffling winds and occasional calms which followed the heavy firing to close near the enemy. He informs me that his officers and crew, of whose loyalty, zeal, and discipline I entertain the highest opinion, conducted themselves to his satisfaction.”[2] While engaged with the Essex the Cherub’s larboard fore-topsail sheet was shot away, but was replaced in five minutes; several of her lower shrouds were cut through, also the main topmast-stay, and most of the running rigging; and three or four shot struck her hull. 1 marine was killed, and 2 others, in addition to her Captain, wounded. On her arrival home, in Aug. 1815, with a fleet of merchantmen from the Brazils, she was paid off. Capt. Tucker’s last appointments were, in Dec. 1815 and Jan. 1816, to the Andromeda 22 and Comus 22, both on the Home station. In the latter vessel he remained five months. He was nominated a C.B. 4 July, 1840; and, from 19 Feb. 1842 until he accepted his present rank 1 Oct. 1846, was in the enjoyment of the Captain’s good-service pension.
The Rear-Admiral married, 23 Jan. 1811, Anne Byam Wyke, eldest daughter of Daniel Hill, Esq., a merchant and landed proprietor in the island of Antigua, by whom he has had issue two sons and three daughters. His only surviving son, Tudor, is a Lieutenant of Cavalry. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
TUCKER. (Retired Commander, 1842. f-p., 22; h-p., 34.)
William Tucker entered the Navy, 27 June, 1791, as Midshipman, on board the Orestes sloop, commanded by the late Sir Harry Burrard Neale; with whom he continued almost uninterruptedly employed in the Aimable 32 and, as Master’s Mate, in the San Fiorenzo of 42 guns until some time in the year 1798. He assisted, we believe, in the Aimable, at the capture of Bastia, in the island of Corsica, and of the 'Moselle' corvette of 18 guns; he was in company, in the San Fiorenzo, with La Nymphe 36, at the capture, 9 March, 1797, of La Résistance of 48 and La Constance of 24 guns; and he was present in the same ship when, to her honour, she passed uncontaminated through the mutinous fleet at the Nore. After having for a short time acted as Lieutenant in the Mars 74, he was confirmed to that rank, 18 Sept. 1798, in the Naiad 38, Capt. Wm. Pierrepont; in which ship, in company at the time with others, ho aided, in Oct. 1799, in taking the Spanish 34-gun frigates Santa Brigida and Thetis, laden with treasure to an enormous amount – his own share of which exceeded 5000l. He left the Naiad in Dec. 1800; and was subsequently appointed – -1 May, 1801, for nearly 12 months, to the Centaur 74, Capt. Bendall Robt. Littlehales, employed (as had been the San Fiorenzo, Mars, and Naiad) on the Home station – 6 Feb. 1804, to the command of a Signal station – 24 May and 27 July, 1805, to the Orion 74 and Thetis 38, Capts. Edw. Codrington and Wm. Hall Gage, in the latter of which ships he served in the North Sea, Channel, and Mediterranean – and, we believe in Dec. 1807, to the charge, which he retained until Jan. 1816, of another Signal station. He was placed on the Junior List of Retired Commanders 26 Nov. 1830; and on the Senior 5 Jan. 1842. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
TUDOR. (Commander, 1842.)
John Tudor entered the Navy 6 March, 1813; passed his examination in 1819; and was made Lieutenant, 26 June, 1826, into the Britomart 10, Capt. Fred. Chamier, on the Jamaica station; whence he returned in a few months to England. He was afterwards, from 9 March, 1838, until Sept. 1841, employed at Liverpool in the Redwing steam-vessel, Capts. Edw. Chappell and Thos. Bevis; and for his services in command of the E.I.Co.’s war-steamer Pluto at the capture of Woosung, Shanghae, and Chin-Kiang-Foo, he was advanced, 23 Dec. 1842, to his present rank. He has since been on half-pay. Agent – J. Chippendale.
TUDOR. (Lieut., 1808. f-p., 12; h-p., 34.)
John Kelly Tudor was born 22 Dec. 1786, at Rumsey, co. Hants, and died 4 May, 1845, at Walker Cottage, near Tenby, co. Pembroke. His only brother, William, formerly of the 24th Regt. of Foot, was at the taking of the Cape of Good Hope, and saw service in the Peninsula.
This officer entered the Navy, 5 Oct. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hussar 38, Capt. Lord Viscount Garlies; whom, after cruizing on the coast of Ireland, he followed as Midshipman, in Sept. 1801, into the Bellerophon 74, employed at first off Brest and next, under the command of Capt. John Loring, in the West Indies; where he joined, in May and Dec. 1803, the Desirée 36, Capt. Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, and Pelican sloop, Capts. Henry Baker[3] and John Marshall. While belonging to the latter vessel and in charge, with 7 men, of a prize (the felucca privateer Félicité) recently captured by the Hercule 74, flag-ship of Admiral Dacres, he was singly, and for three or four hours, engaged, near Cape François, St. Domingo, in a warm action with a large schooner, mounting 1 heavy gun amidships and 4 long 9-pounders, two other schooners, each carrying 1 gun, and a felucca – all manned by the blacks, who were irritated at Capt. Baker having the day before brought off from the shore, and rescued from their fury, several French women and a few men. Mr. Tudor afterwards saw a vast deal of service in boats and tenders; and he was on board the Pelican at the capture of La Laurette, a French national schooner, pierced for 16 guns. On her being condemned as rotten he was transferred as Acting-Lieutenant, 28 Jan. 1806, to the Reindeer of 18 guns (16 32-pounder carronades and 2 sixes), Capt. John Fyffe. In the following March, with two boats belonging to that sloop, and two to the Magicienne frigate, under his orders, he cut out a 4-gun schooner from under a battery in Aguadilla Bay, Puerto Rico; and on 24 of the same month he was wounded in the head, side, and right thigh in an action fought, from 2 p.m. until dark, between the Reindeer and the French corvettes Phaeton and Voltigeur, of 16 long 6-pounders and 115 men each, who then made off.[4] In consideration of the injuries he sustained
- ↑ In both legs.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 1485.
- ↑ Capt. Baker, son of Mr. Baker, M.P. for Hertfordshire, went down in a Spanish merchantman, which had run foul of the Pelican, and which he was endeavouring to save.
- ↑ He ran up to the fore-top during the height of the conflict, although it was considered certain death to do so, in order to bear the back-stays abaft the top-rim.
