Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/249

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

235

COURTENAY—COVENTRY—COWAN—COWEN—COX.

Mingaye – and, 21 Dec. 1831, as First, to the Revenge 78, Capt. Hon. Donald Hugh Mackay, stationed off Lisbon. Mr. Courtenay has been on half-pay since 1833.



COURTENAY. (Lieutenant, 1844.)

Richard William Courtenay entered the Navy in 1833; passed his examination 4 Sept. 1839; served for nearly five years in the Mediterranean as Mate of the Edinburgh 72, Capt. Wm. Wilmott Henderson, and Malabar 72, Capt. Sir Geo. Rose Sartorius; and, on 30 Nov. 1844, was promoted to his present rank, when on the point of sailing for the East Indies in the Osprey 12, Capt. Fred. Patten. He has been employed in the Mediterranean since 24 Dec. in the same year, on board the Fantome 16, Capts. Sir Fred. Wm. Erskine Nicholson and Thos. Philip Le Hardy.



COVENTRY. (Lieutenant, 1844.)

Percy William Coventry entered the Navy 23 Sept. 1831; passed his examination 5 Dec. 1837; and after intermediately serving in North America, the West Indies, and Mediterranean, as Mate of the Comus 18, Capt. Evan Nepean, and Queen 110, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Owen, was advanced to the rank he now holds 14 June, 1844. His appointments have since been – 9 Sept. 1844, to the Waterwitch 10, Capt. Thos. Fras. Birch, fitting at Portsmouth – 8 Jan. 1845, to the Comus 18, Capt. Thos. Sparke Thompson, stationed on the south-east coast of America – and, 29 Oct. 1845, to the Vernon 50, as Flag-Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Sam. Hood Inglefield, with whom he is now employed in the East Indies.



COWAN. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 22; h-p., 32.)

James Cowan entered the Navy, 5 Dec. 1793, as A.B., on board the Aimable 32, Capts. Sir Harry Burrard Neale and Fras. Laforey, under the former of whom he assisted, in 1804, at the reduction of Bastia and the capture of La Moselle French corvette, of 18 guns. On his arrival afterwards in the West Indies, he removed, in April, 1796, as Midshipman, to the Scipio 64, Capt. Chas. Sydney Davers; subsequently to which he became attached for two years to the America 64, Capt. John Smith, on the North Sea station, and served, from Oct. 1799, to June, 1806, in the Channel and Mediterranean, as Master’s Mate of the Active 38, Capts. C. S. Davers and Rich. Hussey Moubray. He then officiated for some time as Acting-Lieutenant of the Racehorse 18, Capt. Wm. Forbes, off the port of Cadiz, but in the following Sept. resumed his previous rank on board the Magnificent 74, Capt. Geo. Eyres, with whom he continued for upwards of five years, and witnessed the reduction, in Oct. 1809, of Zante, Cephalonia, &c., and, in April, 1810, of Sta. Maura. He next, in Sept. 1813, joined the Namur 74, flag-ship at the Nore of Sir Thos. Williams, from which he was at length promoted to his present rank, 15 Feb. 1815. He has not since been afloat. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.



COWEN. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 14; h-p., 28.)

Maurice Cowen entered the Navy, in Aug. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Saturn 74, Capts. Lord Amelius Beauclerk and Wm. Cumberland, of which ship he became a Midshipman in Aug. 1806. In Dec. 1809, he rejoined Lord Beauclerk in the Royal Oak 74, commanded afterwards by Capt. Pulteney Malcolm; and, on 21 March, 1812, was promoted, from the Podargus 14, Capt. Wm. Robilliard, to the rank of Lieutenant. Mr. Cowan, who had hitherto served in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Channel, now sailed for the East Indies in the Minden 74, Capt. Alex. Skene, with whom he remained, latterly in the Illustrious 74, until Nov. 1813. He afterwards served on the Coast Blockade, from 9 Nov. 1824, until 1830, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, and Hyperion 42, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye, but has not been since employed. Agent – Fred. Dufaur.



COX. (Captain, 1841. f-p., 24; h-p., 23.)

Douglas Cox 1789, born about the year 1789, is son of an old officer in the army, who was severely wounded during the first American war, and died some years ago at Nova Scotia, holding a Staff appointment.

This officer entered the Navy, 6 May, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Boston 32, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, and for many months of 1801 was arduously employed blockading the French 36-gun frigate Semillante on the coast of North America. Joining, in Dec. 1804, the Circe 32, Capt. Jonas Rose, he sailed for the West Indies, where, after assisting at the capture of several heavy privateers, he removed, in July, 1806, to the Northumberland 74, flag-ship of Sir Alex. Cochrane, and was appointed, 12 March, 1807, Sub-Lieutenant of the Attentive gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Robt. Carr. In command of a jolly-boat belonging to the latter vessel, Mr. Cox, with only five hands, very dashingly boarded and carried, in a small harbour near Martinique, a large guardacosta of 2 long six-pounders and 35 men, although the whole of her crew, armed with muskets, were drawn up on the deck from stem to stern, ready to receive him. He also commanded on other equally successful cutting-out occasions, and bore a part in one or two stiff actions with privateers. Towards the close of 1807 he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Port d’Espagne 16, Capt. Jas. Pattison Stewart, on accompanying whom into the Snap 16, he witnessed the reduction of Martinique, and was officially promoted by commission dated 10 March, 1809. Continuing to serve in the same vessel with Capts. Thos. Barclay, Fras. Douglas, and Robt. Lisle Coulson, until Feb. 1811, we further discover Mr. Cox, besides contributing, as First Lieutenant, to the destruction of a merchantman under the fire of some batteries at Guadeloupe, co-operating in the capture of that island, and serving on shore with Brigadier-General Geo. Harcourt at the taking of St. Martin’s. He next cruized for a short time in the North Sea, on board the Lynx 18, Capt. Thos. Percival; and, from May, 1811, until July, 1814, again served with Capt. J. E. Douglas, in the Bellona 74, and Prince of Wales 98, latterly on the Mediterranean station, where he beheld the fall of Genoa, in April, 1814. He was afterwards appointed – 8 Aug. 1814, to the Alpheus 36, Capt. Geo. Langford, in which ship he visited the East Indies and China – and, 29 Jan. 1817, to the Primrose 18, Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, fitting for the Jamaica station. He was there promoted, 9 July following, to the command of the Shearwater sloop, which he brought home and paid off 17 April, 1820. Capt. Cox, who subsequently held an Inspectorship in the Coast Guard from 15 June, 1832, until the close of 1835, attained Post-rank 23 Nov. 1841. He is at present on half-pay.

He has been twice married, and has three children by his first marriage. His present wife was the widow of Commander Chas. Newton Hunter, R.N. Agents – Messrs. Chard.



COX. (Retired Commander, 1825. f-p., 15; h-p., 50.)

Francis Cox entered the Navy, in 1782, as Midshipman, on board La Présidente, Capt. Lord Chas. Fitzgerald, stationed in the Channel; after which he served, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 22 Nov. 1790, in the Crocodile, Capt. Williamson, Le Pégase, Capt. Marshall, Winchelsea, Capt. Edw. Pellew, Pylades, Capt. Davidge Gould, and Salisbury, bearing the flag of Admiral Milbanke – ships that appear to have been variously employed on the East India, Home, and Newfoundland stations. Between March, 1793, and the year 1800, we next find him in succession appointed to the Andromache 38, Capt. Jones, Druid 33,