Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/205

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

191

CHRISTIAN—CHRISTIE.

quently find him doing duty in the Sphynx 20, Capt. Lord Augustus Fitzroy, in which ship he returned to England, Boadicea 88, Capt. Rich. Goodwin Keats, with whom he shared in the attack on the Spanish squadron under the batteries of Isle d’Aix, 2 July, 1799, and Queen Charlotte again, bearing the flag of Lord Keith in the Mediterranean. Having been created a Lieutenant of the Phoenix 36, Capt. Lawrence Wm. Halsted, 25 Jan. 1800, Mr. Christian commanded the boats of that ship at the reduction of Genoa, the cutting out of the Prima galley, and the successful defence of Porto Ferrajo, besides witnessing the capture and destruction, 3 Aug. and 2 Sept. 1801, of the French frigates Carrère, Succès, and Bravoure. While in the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferrier, to which ship he had been appointed 11 Nov. 1802, the subject of this sketch further aided at the capture of La Franchise of 36 guns, as likewise in chasing her consort, a line-of-battle ship, into L’Orient. For his subsequently meritorious conduct, during a gale of wind in the Bay of Bengal, as temporary Captain of the Trident 64, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Peter Rainier, he was placed by the latter officer in command, 20 Oct. 1804, of the Arrogant guardship at Bombay, and, next, of the Victor 18, to which sloop he was officially appointed, 21 March, 1805. After holding for some months the Acting-Captaincy of the Sir Edward Hughes 38, he received a Post-commission dated 30 Jan. 1806, and then returned home. Capt. Christian appears to have afterwards served – from April to Nov. 1809, in the Heroine 32, part of the Walcheren expeditionary armament, and one of the 10 frigates which, under Lord Wm. Stuart, forced the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadsand on the afternoon of 11 Aug.[1] – from 7 May, 1811, to Dec. 1814, in the Iris 36, employed on the north coast of Spain, where in actively co-operating with the patriots he distinguished himself at the capture of Castro, of which fortress, on being appointed governor, he kept up a successful defence[2] – and, lastly, from 16 Sept. 1824, until the year 1828, as Commodore, at the Cape of Good Hope, with his broad pendant in the Owen Glendower 42. He attained flag-rank 28 June, 1838.

Rear-Admiral Christian married, in Feb. 1808, Harriet, second daughter of the late Sam. Shute, Esq., of Fernhill, Isle of Wight. Agent – John P. Muspratt.



CHRISTIAN. (Commander, 1846.)

Thomas Hompesch Christian entered the Navy 20 Dec. 1824; passed his examination in 1833; obtained his first commission 14 Aug. 1839; joined, on 17 of the same month, as Additional Lieutenant, the Princess Charlotte 104, flag-ship of Sir Robt. Stopford in the Mediterranean; and, in 1840, served on shore during the operations on the coast of Syria, where he was also present at the capture of St. Jean d’ Acre. His after-appointments were – 7 Sept. 1841, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings – 15 March, 1842, to the Queen 110, bearing the flag In the Mediterranean of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen – and, 25 March, 1845, to the Superb 80, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry. He was promoted, while First-Lieutenant of the latter ship, to the rank of Commander 9 Nov. 1846.



CHRISTIE. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 14; h-p., 29.)

Gabriel Christie is brother of Capt. Peter Christie, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, in Dec. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Magicienne 32, Capt. Adam Mackenzie, fitting at Chatham; became Midshipman, in Feb. 1805, of the Boadicea 38, Capt. John Maitland, employed in the North Sea; served, from Nov. 1807, until Sept. 1811, again with Capt. Mackenzie, in the President 38, and Bedford 74, on the Brazilian station; then accompanied the same officer into the Armada 74, commanded, afterwards, by Capts. Devonshire and Chas. Grant, In the North Sea and Mediterranean; and, on 22 Jan. 1813, two years after passing his examination, was confirmed a Lieutenant in the Bombay 74, Capts. Norborne Thompson and George Parker, off Toulon. His subsequent appointments were – 8 April, 1815, to the Bellerophon 74, Capt. Fred. Lewis Maitland, on board which ship Napoleon Buonaparte soon afterwards surrendered himself – 30 Oct. 1815, to the Granicus 36, Capt. William Furlong Wise, with whom he shared in the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816 – 22 May, 1820, and 24 Jan. 1821, to the Créole 42, and Superb 74, both commanded by his old Captain, A. Mackenzie, in South America – and, in 1827, after an interval of five years, to the Despatch 18, Capt. Robt. White Parsons, on the Irish station. Since Feb. 1828, at which date he invalided, Lieut. Christie has been on half-pay. Agents – Collier and Snee.



CHRISTIE. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 16.)

Peter Christie is son of Jas. Christie, Esq., of Durie, co. Fife, by Mary Turner, daughter of the Hon. Chas. Barclay Maitland, grand-daughter of the sixth Earl of Lauderdale, and first cousin of the late Rear-Admiral Sir Fred. Lewis Maidand, K.C.B. He is brother of Lieuts. Gabriel and Wm. Christie, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 13 April, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Emerald 36, commanded by his relative, Capt. F. L. Maitland, under whom he assisted at the capture of L’Auguste privateer, of 18 guns and 126 men, 6 April, 1811; attained the rating of Midshipman 8 Nov. following; and continued to serve – omitting a period of 15 months, from Feb. 1812, to May, 1813, when we find him in the Tigrb 74, Capt. John Halliday – on board the Goliath 74, Boyne 98, and Bellerophon 74, latterly off the coasts of America and France, until Sept. 1815. Mr. Christie, who was in the last-mentioned ship when Napoleon Buonaparte surrendered, was next employed, until Aug. 1818, under Capt. Jas. Walker, in the Albion, Queen, and Northumberland 74’s, on the Home station. He then joined, on the coast of Africa (where he assisted in the boats at the capture of many slave-vessels), the Tartar 36, Commodore Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, of which ship, having passed his examination in 1816, he was confirmed a Lieutenant 9 Sept. 1820. Being next appointed, 6 July, 1824, to the Cambrian 48, Capt. Wm. Gawen Hamilton, he shared in numerous boat affairs with the pirates of the Greek Archipelago, and, in particular, on 31 Jan. 1825, bore a part in a very gallant conflict, in which the British lost 6 men killed and 13 wounded. For his services, as First of the Cambrian, at the battle of Navarin, Mr. Christie obtained a Commander’s commission, dated 22 Oct. 1827. He was subsequently employed in the Coast Guard from 19 March, 1835, until March, 1838, and served, in command of the Rose 18, on the Spanish and Brazilian coasts, from 3 Aug. 1838, until posted 23 Nov. 1841. He has not since held any official occupation. Agents – Collier and Snee.



CHRISTIE. (Lieut., 1821. f-p., 1 3; h-p., 27.)

William Christie, born 25 Nov. 1793, at Edinburgh, is brother of Capt. Peter Christie, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy, 25 April, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Rosamond sloop, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, with whom he assisted at the bombardment of Copenhagen, and then joined the Cambrian frigate. He next became attached for short periods to the President 38, Capt. Adam Mackenzie, and Hyperion 36, Capt. Brodie; obtained a Midshipman’s berth, 9 Nov. 1809, on board the Renown 74, Capt. Philip Chas. Durham, in the Mediterranean; and afterwards served, until Sept. 1815, on the Home and West India stations, latterly as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Armada 74, Capt. A. Mackenzie, Christian VII. 80, Capt. Ball, Bulwark and Venerable 74’s, flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Durham, Heron 16, Capt. Geo. Luke, Crescent 38, Capt. John Quilliam, and Ister 36,

  1. Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1298.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1811, pp. 2329, 2473, and Gaz. 1812, p. 1440.