Malay proa, the Malays rushing on the boat’s crew (all boys), they jumped overboard, leaving Lieut. Vidal the only person on board, who was himself (so deserted) obliged to follow them: he succeeded in regaining the boat, and, picking up the people, re-attacked the proa, and took her. Fourthly, on 1 Feb. 1810, with three boats under his charge, he cut out at mid-day, from under the batteries of Manippa, a vessel loaded with supplies destined to Amboyna.[1] Fifthly, on 16 Feb. he landed as Senior officer, with 225 seamen and marines belonging to H.M. ships Dover, Cornwallis, and Samarang, to attack Amboyna, which place was ultimately taken; after its reduction Lieut. Vidal was sent with the despatches of its surrender to Madras in the Mandarin (prize) Dutch sloop-of-war. Sixthly, Lieut, Vidal, on his discharge from the Cornwallis, acted as Agent of Transports, and landed with the first division of boats at the reduction of the Isle of France. As I commanded the Naval battalion on that occasion, I feel myself authorized to bear testimony to the facts. In every service in which Lieut. Vidal was employed during the time he served under my command he gave fresh cause for commendation and increase of confidence; and as it appears the object of his ambition is to be employed in the Revenue-servlce, I may venture to recommend him as admirably calculated for that or any other service where activity and enterprise are called for.” Mr. Vidal, after his return from the West Indies, was employed – from Jan. 1812 until Jan. 1814, in the Asia 74, Capt. Geo. Scott, on the Channel and West India stations – from 5 Nov. 1814 until 7 Oct. 1815, as First-Lieutenant, in the Griffon 14, Capt. Geo. Hewson, in the Channel – from Nov. 1822 until Jan. 1826, in command of the Eagle Revenue-cruizer – and, from 2 Feb. 1827 until 26 Oct. 1828, again as Senior, in the Eden 26, Capt. W. F. Owen, on the coast of Africa. He attained the rank he now holds 22 July, 1830.
Commander Vidal was present during the war at the capture of 18 armed and 68 merchant vessels, and at the re-capture of 14 and the destruction of 12 sail. He is married, and has issue three sons and two daughters. Agent – John Chippendale.
VIGNOLES. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 10; h-p., 32.)
John Vignoles entered the Navy, 11 Jan. 1805, as Midshipman, on board the Ville de Paris 110, Capt. John Whitby, bearing the flag of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis in the Channel, where, and off Lisbon, he served from June, 1806, until May, 1807, in the Hibernia 120, flag-ship of Earl St. Vincent. He then joined the Tweed 18, Capt. Thos. Edw. Symonds, under whom he was for nearly four years and a half employed, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the West Indies, and in South America, and the North Sea. In 1809 he was present at the blockade and surrender of the city of St. Domingo; and he assisted at different periods in making a large number of captures. After again serving for a few months in the West Indies as Admiralty-Midshipman in the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir Fras. Laforey, he was there, 22 July, 1812, nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Arachne 18, Capts. Sam. Chambers and Chas. Hope Watson. From that vessel, to which he was confirmed 17 Sept, following, he invalided in July, 1813. Being, in the ensuing Oct., appointed to the Severn 40, Capt. Joseph Nourse, fitting for the coast of North America, he witnessed, it appears, the attacks made in 1814 upon Washington and Baltimore, and the capture, 13 Jan. 1815, of St. Mary’s, a town near Point Petre. He aided, also, in making prize of two privateers and a letter-of-marque, carrying in the whole 22 guns and 241 men. He returned to England and was paid off in Sept. 1815, and has not been since afloat.
VINCENT, K.H. (Captain, 1832. f-p., 18; h-p., 33.)
Andrew Atkins Vincent entered the Navy, in March, 1796, as a Volunteer, on board the Victorious 74, Capt. Wm. Clark, stationed in the East Indies, whence, at the peace, he returned to England as Master’s Mate (he had already attained the rating of Midshipman) in the Suffolk 74, Capt. Sir Roger Curtis. If we mistake not, he was present in the action with M. Sercey, alluded to in our memoir of Commander Abel Wantner Thomas. After serving for two years and nine months on the Home station and off Cadiz in the Magnificent 74, Capt. Wm. Henry Jervis, Tonnant 80, Capt. Justice Finley (acting), Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin, and Unité frigate, Capt. Chas. Ogle, he took up, in March, 1806, a commission bearing date 22 Jan. in that year. His succeeding appointments were – 15 July, 1806, to the Laurel of 22 long 9-pounders on her main deck, with 6 18-pounder carronades and 2 long sixes on the quarter-deck and forecastle, Capt. John Chas. Woollcombe, employed off the Cape de Verde Islands and on the Cape of Good Hope station – in March, 1809, for a passage home, to the Grampus 50, Capt. Jas. Haldane Tait – 6 Jan. 1810, to the Owen Glendower 36, Capts. Wm. Selby and Edw. Henry A’Court, in which frigate he cruized in the Channel, and visited Quebec, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena – 10 Aug. 1811, after three months of half-pay, to the Norge 74, Capt. John Sprat Rainier, off Flushing – 2 Oct. 1812, to the Belle Poule 38, Capt. Geo. Harris – 20 June, 1815, to the Cornwallis 74, as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Geo. Burlton, Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies – and, 5 Oct. and 28 Nov. following, as a Supernumerary, to the Doris 36 and Minden 74, Capts. John Harper and Hon. Donald Hugh Mackay, with the latter of whom he returned to England. He was on board the Laurel, we believe, in Aug. 1808, when that ship, with only 145 men, was captured off the Isle of France by the French frigate Cannonière of 48 guns and, including troops, full 420 men, after a close and gallant action of nearly an hour and a half, in which the British had but 9 wounded, and the enemy at least 5 killed and 19 wounded. In the Hussar, besides assisting at the capture, 3 April and 11 May, 1813, of Le Grand Napoléon American schooner of 4 guns (pierced for 22) and 32 men, and Revenge letter-of-marque of 4 guns (pierced for 16) and 32 men, he was present, in the spring of 1814, at the forcing of the entrance into the Gironde. He attained the rank of Commander 6 Feb. 1816; was employed on particular service, as Second Captain of the Talavera 74, Capt. David Colby, from 18 March until Sept. 1831; and was advanced to the rank he now holds 9 May, 1832. He has since been on half-pay.
Capt. Vincent was nominated a K.H. 26 April, 1831. He is at present Gentleman Usher to the Queen Dowager and Captain of Sandown Castle. During the war he was twice wounded. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
VINCENT. (Lieutenant, 1834.)
George Vincent died about the commencement of 1845.
This officer entered the Navy 7 May, 1813; passed his examination in 1822; and obtained his commission 26 Sept. 1834. His subsequent appointments were – 19 Nov. 1835, as Additional-Lieutenant, to the President 52, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Cockburn in North America and the West Indies – 31 Dec. following, to the Coast Guard – 25 Oct. 1836, to the Russel 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Henry Dillon, on the Lisbon station, whence he returned to England and was paid off in Jan. 1839 – 28 Jan. 1841, to the Indus 78, Capt. Sir Jas. Stirling, in the Mediterranean – and, 22 April, 1842, to the Coast Guard, in which service he continued until his death. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
VON DONOP. (Commander, 1849.)
Edward Pelham Brenton Von Donop, born in Nov. 1811, is second son of Geo. Baron Von Donop, of Wöbbell, Westphalia, a Member of the Legion of Honor, who died 19 May, 1844.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1487.
