355
FESTING.
effected the capture and destruction, near Goro, on the coast of Italy, of two gun-boats, and of 21 out of an armed convoy of 23 sail, although the whole were covered by a 4-gun battery, and the beach was lined with armed people.[1] While in the same ship, Mr. Festing, besides taking part in many other boat affairs, served at the reduction of Fiume, in the batteries at the siege of Trieste, and at the capture of the principal towns and forts on the coasts of Istria and Dalmatia. He also, with a detachment of seamen under his orders, landed and for six weeks co-operated with the Austrians under Count Nugent, whose thanks he received for his conduct at the capture and subsequent defence of the town of Comacchio and Fort Magnavacca. From 29 Aug. 1814, until 23 May, 1816, we find him employed in the East Indies and China on board the Tyne 24, and Wellesley 74, both commanded by Capt. John Harper, and Owen Glendower 36, Capt. Brian Hodgson. His next appointments were – 14 April, 1819, to the Camelion 10, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, on the Home station – and, 17 Jan. 1823, to the Brazen 26, Capt. Geo. Wickens Willes, under whom, on the coast of Africa, he assisted at the capture of eight armed slavers and the liberation of 998 persons from bondage. He was promoted from the latter vessel to the rank of Commander 22 Dec. 1826, but remained on half-pay until appointed, 11 July, 1837, to an Inspectorship in the Coast Guard, in which service he continued for the usual period of three years. His last appointment was, 30 Oct. 1841, to the Apollo troop-ship. He was, however, obliged, in consequence of an attack of fever and ague, to invalid 15 Nov. following, since which period he has not been employed.
Commander Festing, who has obtained the acknowledgments of the Admiralty for plunging into the sea and saving the lives of persons who had fallen overboard, was nominated a K.H. for his services on the coast of Italy, 1 Jan. 1837. In 1823 he received a letter of thanks from the Secretary of State for the Home Department for a particular service done to the Crown at that time. He married, in July, 1827, the only daughter of T. B. Wright, Esq., of Hinton Blewett, co. Somerset, by whom he has issue three sons and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
FESTING. (Commander, 1838. f-p., 24; h-p., 16.)
Colson Festing is sixth son of the late Commander Henry Festing, R.N.; and brother of RearAdmiral K. W. G. Festing, R.N., C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Sept. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Volontaire 38, Capt. Chas. Bullen, with whom he continued to serve, latterly as Midshipman of the Cambrian 40, until Dec. 1811; during which period he assisted at the capture of the island of Pomégue, near Marseilles, and the destruction of Fort Rioux, mounting 14 guns, near Cape Croisette, in 1809, besides actively co-operating for many months with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, Where, on 12 and 14 April, 1811, he witnessed the capture of the towns of St. Philon and Palamos. Removing, next, to the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, he shared in a partial action with the French fleet off Toulon, 5 Nov. 1813; after which he joined the Alcmene 38, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, Under whom, independently of the capture of La Flèche national schooner, of 12 guns, he was in warm action, 11 April, 1814, with the batteries of Porto Maurizio. On the paying off of the Caledonia, which ship he had rejoined, Mr. Festing, in Sept. 1814, became Admiralty Midshipman of the Rhin 38, Capt. Chas. Malcolm. After a further servitude, as Master’s Mate, in the Pilot 18, Capt. John Toup Nicolas, and Boyne 98, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, he obtained a commission dated 10 March, 1815, and was employed pro tem., towards the close of the same year, in the Partridge 16, Capt. John Miller Adye. His subsequent appointments as Lieutenant, we find, were, chiefly as First Lieutenant – 7 Dec. 1820, to the Seringapatam 46, Capt. Sam. Warren, on particular service – 3 Aug. 1825, to the Fly 18, Capts. Fred. Augustus Wetherall and Follett Walrond Pennell, on the East India station – 26 Nov. 1830, to the Belvidera 42, Capt. Hon. Rich. Saunders Dundas, in the Mediterranean – and, 4 March, and 27 Aug. 1834, to the President 52, and Vernon 50, both commanded, on the North American, West India, and Mediterranean stations, by Capt. John M‘Kerlie. Attaining the rank of Commander 15 Jan. 1838, he next joined – on 30 of the same month, the Hercules 72, in which ship he served for nearly two years under Capts. J. T. Nicolas and Edw. Barnard – and 11 May, 1841, the Dublin 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Rich. Thomas, in South America. Since the autumn of 1842 he has been on half-pay.
Commander Festing is at the top of the list of Commanders of 1838. He married, 13 Dec. 1842, Margaret, second daughter of the late Rev. Geo. Marwood, of Busby Hall, co. York. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
FESTING, C.B. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 16; h-p., 32.)
Robert Worgan George Festing is second son of Commander Henry Festing, R.N. (who died in 1807), by Mary, only daughter of the Rev. Thos. Morton Colson, of Dorchester, co. Dorset; brother of Commanders B. M. and C. Festing, and of Lieut. T. C. Festing, R.N.; and nephew of Vice-Admiral Sir Rich. Grindall, K.C.B., who bore a distinguished part, as Captain of the Irresistible 74, in Lord Bridport’s action, afterwards commanded the Prince 98, at Trafalgar, and died 23 May, 1820, aged 70 years. Capt. Festing’s eldest brother, Henry, a Captain in the Royal Artillery, now deceased, served throughout the Peninsular war and at Waterloo.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 Feb. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ramillies 74, commanded in the Channel by his uncle, Capt. R. Grindall, whom he accompanied, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1801, into the Formidable 98. During the peace of Amiens he became successively attached, on the West India station, to the Saturn 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral Thos. Totty, Andromeda frigate, Capt. Chas. Feilding, and Excellent 74, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Robt. Stopford. He then rejoined his uncle on board the Prince 98, and, after being lent for three months to the Endymion 40, Capt. Hon. Chas. Paget, sailed for the East Indies in the Culloden 74, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, by whom he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant, 20 March, 1805, of the Tremendous 74, Commodore John Osborn. Being confirmed by the Admiralty 14 Aug. 1806, and re-transferred to the Culloden, Mr. Festing, as Flag-Lieutenant of that ship, contributed to the capture and destruction, 27 Nov. following, of a Dutch frigate, seven brigs-of-war, and about 20 armed and other merchant-vessels, in Batavia roads, and to the further annihilation, 11 Dec. 1807, of the dockyard and stores at Griessee, in the island of Java, and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in the East Indies. On 14 Aug. 1808, he was promoted to the command of the Dasher sloop, in which he continued until appointed Acting-Captain, 1 April, 1811, of the Illustrious 74, Commodore Wm. Broughton. After the conquest of Java, where he was on shore with the army, and assisted Capt. Sayer in command of the batteries, at the surrender of Batavia,[2] Capt. Festing, who was officially posted, 9 Oct. 1811, assumed command of the Psyche 32, and returned to England, where he arrived aboat Aug. 1812. From 26 Sept. 1815, until 5 Aug. 1817, he next served on the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena stations in the Falmouth 20, and Racoon sloop. His last appointment was, 18 March, 1836, to the Cornwallis 74, from which ship he was superseded in the following June. He accepted Flag-rank 1 Oct. 1846.
