Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/1310

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1296
WILLIAMS.

Sir Chas. Hamilton, Edw. Sneyd Clay, and Edwin Henry Chamberlayne, in which ship he cruized off Brest, assisted in taking possession of an island in the Baltic, and in blockading the Russian fieet at Revel, and then visited Cadiz, where he saw some boat-service. In July, 1810, he removed as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in April, 1809) to the Haughty 14,[1] Lieut.-Commander Jas. Harvey, on the Mediterranean station; and he was next, from June, 1811, until Aug. 1814, employed in the Channel and again in the Mediterranean, part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Belle Poule 38 and Pembroke 74, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Brisbane. He was present in the Belle Poule at the capture of a variety of the enemy’s vessels; and while attached to the Pembroke he fought in Sir Edw. Pellew’s partial action with the French Toulon fleet 5 Nov. 1813, commanded the ship’s pinnace at the capture and destruction of a convoy under the guns of Porto Maurizio 11 April, 1814, and witnessed the fall of Genoa. After serving for 15 months on the coast of Ireland (he had passed his examination 4 Aug. 1813) in the Eurydice 24, Capts. Hon. Valentine Gardner and Rich. Spencer, and Lightning 20, Capt. Geo. Rennie, he was appointed, in Dec. 1815, Admiralty-Midshipman of the Falmouth 20, Capt. Robt. Worgan Geo. Festing, on the St. Helena station, whence he returned to England at the close of 1816 in the Amphitrite 38, Capt. Jas. Hanway Plumridge, performing in that frigate the duties of Lieutenant. He was employed subsequently, as Admiralty-Midshipman – from Feb. until Dec. 1817, in the Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, at Portsmouth – from Dec. 1817 until Sept. 1818, in the Sybille 44, Capt. Chas. Malcolm, in the West Indies – from Nov. 1818 until Jan. 1820, in the Pheasant 20, Capt. Benedictus Marwood Kelly, and Grecian 10, Lieut.-Commander Nathaniel Martin, both vessels engaged in the suppression of smuggling – and, from Jan. 1820 until advanced to his present rank 19 July, 1821, in the Coast Blockade, with his name on the books of the Severn 50, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch. While in the latter service, and stationed on shore at Reculvers, he saved a great part of the cargo belonging to the ship Oak and for his exertions was presented by Lloyd’s with a brace of silver-mounted pocket-pistols. He has twice since his promotion had charge of a station in the Coast Guard – once on the coast of Essex, and once in Ireland. Ill health obliged him, on both occasions, to invalid.

Lieut. Williams is married, and has issue five children. Agent – Frederick Dufaur.



WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11;[2] h-p., 30.)

John Williams (b) entered the Navy, 3 May, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Howe store-ship, Capt. Edw. Killwick. In her, after visiting the Cape of Good Hope, he proceeded to the Rio de la Plata, where he removed as Midshipman, in Nov. of the same year, to the Leda 38, Capt. Robt. Honyman, under whom we find him, subsequently to the evacuation of Spanish America by the British, accompanying the expedition against Copenhagen, and assisting at the capture, 4 Dec. 1807, of L’Adolphe privateer of 18 guns and 70 men. The Leda being wrecked 31 Jan. 1808 at the entrance of Milford Haven, he joined, in the following March, the Proselyte bomb, Capt. Henry Jas. Lyford, on the Baltic station. On 5 Jan. 1809 he was again wrecked by the ice in the neighbourhood of Anholdt, which island he succeeded, with the rest of the officers and ship’s company, in reaching, after a most severe and hazardous walk of eight miles. In the ensuing March he was received on board the Mermaid 32, Capt. Major Jacob Henniker; and in Jan. 1810, after having made a voyage to Lisbon and Quebec, he was rated Master’s Mate of the Belvidera 36, Capt. Rich. Byron. In that ship he visited the latitude of Greenland, cruized for some time on the coast of Africa, and then sailed for North America, where it was his fortune, 23 June, 1812, to participate in the Belvidera’s celebrated retreat from a powerful squadron under Commodore Rodgers, with whom she endured a running action, which killed 2 and wounded 22 of her crew, and lasted until the enemy at length surrendered the chase. In May, 1814, he removed to the Devastation bomb, Capt. Thos. Alexander; and in Aug. of the same year, if we mistake not, he ascended the Potomac, and was present at the capitulation of Alexandria. He proceeded shortly afterwards to the Lakes of Canada, where he continued to serve as Master’s Mate in the Prince Regent, Capt. Henry Thos. Davies, Psyche, Capt. Peter Fisher, and Star, Capt. Massey Hutchinson Herbert; as Acting-Master in the Montreal, Capt. Allan Totty; as Acting-Lieutenant in the Netley, Capt. Fras. Brace; and as Acting- Commander in the Sapphire, until July, 1817. He then returned to England, and on his arrival was presented with a commission dated back to 20 March, 1815. In 1824 he was appointed an Agent for Transports Afloat. Since he left that service he has not been employed. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.



WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 12; h-p., 29.)

John Sutton Williams entered the Navy, 11 Jan. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Peterel 16, Capt. John Lamborn, stationed in the West Indies, where he attained the rating of Midshipman in Jan. 1807, and removed in succession, in July, 1808, and April, 1809, to the Daedalus 32, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield, and Hebe 32, Capt. John Fyffe. In the Daedalus he was present, in Dec. 1808, at the reduction, by a force under Capt. Chas. Dashwood of the Franchise 36, of the town of Samana, St. Domingo, notorious as a nest for privateers, two of which were at the same time taken. On the return of the Hebe to England Mr. Williams, who had for some time performed the duties of Master’s Mate, was received, in Aug. 1811, on board the Thisbe 28, guard-ship in the river Thames. In the following Oct. he joined the Queen 74, Capt. Lord Colville, off Brest. He served next, from March, 1812, until Feb. 1813, again as Master’s Mate, in the San Josef 110 and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ships of Lord Keith in the Channel; he was then transferred to the Argo 44, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Wm. Brown at Jamaica; and on 2 Oct. 1814 (having passed his examination 5 Feb. 1812) he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant, on that station, of the Moselle 18, Capt. John Moberly. He returned to England in the latter vessel in July, 1815, and found on his arrival that he had been officially promoted by a commission bearing date 9 Feb. preceding. His next appointment was, 21 Jan. 1817, to the Beaver 10, Capt. Norwich Duff, with whom we again find him proceeding to the West Indies. On 1 Nov. following he there exchanged into the Pique 36, Capt. John Mackellar; he went back, 6 July, 1818, to the Beaver, then commanded by Capt. Robt. Rochford Felix; and in the ensuing Oct. he joined the Larne 20, Capt. Abraham Lowe. He was paid off from the ship last mentioned 19 Jan. 1819; and has not been since afloat.

Lieut. Williams is married.



WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1807. f-p., 19; h-p., 30.)

Joseph Williams died in 1848.

This officer entered the Navy, 25 March, 1798, as a Volunteer, on board the Prothée 64, Lieut.-Commander John M‘Kennie, lying at Portsmouth. From the ensuing Dec. until July, 1802, he served in the Déterminée 24, Capt. Philip Beaver, in the Mediterranean; in Dec. 1803 he became Midshipman of the Busy sloop, Capt. Timothy Clinch; and in April, 1804, he sailed for the West Indies, where, having followed Capt. Clinch into the Osprey 18, he was afforded an opportunity. 17 May, 1805, of assisting at the capture of the Teaser French privateer of 7 guns and 51 men. After he had been for about five months employed, still in the West Indies, in the Northumberland 74, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, he was there nominated, 1 Jan. 1807,

  1. In this vessel he had charge of a watch.
  2. Exclusive of Transport time.