Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/387

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373

FORSYTH—FORTESCUE—FOSBERY—FOSSE—FOSTER—FOTHERGILL.

and on that occasion was officially mentioned by General Sir John Lambert. On 2 March, 1819, in consequence of his having entered into the naval service of Chili, Commander Forster was struck off the list of British officers, but he was restored in 1832, and has since been on half-pay.

For his foreign services, the greater portion of which were performed in the capacity of Commander-in-Chief, the Government of Peru bestowed upon Commander Forster the highest conferrable military honour – the first class of the “Founder of the Order of the Sun.” Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.



FORSYTH. (Lieutenant, 1843.)

Charles Codrington Forsyth entered the Navy 18 Dec. 1826; passed his examination 25 Nov. 1836; and for several years immediately preceding his promotion, which took place 31 Oct. 1843, served, as Mate, on board the Beagle surveying-vessel at Australia, Capts. John Clements Wickham and John Lort Stokes. Since 1 Jan. 1844, he has been employed at the Cape of Good Hope, on board the Helena 16, Capt. Sir Cornwallis Rioketts.



FORSYTH. (Lieutenant, 1845.)

William Codrington Forsyth passed his examination 15 July, 1833; obtained an appointment in the Coast Guard 24 Feb. 1840; and, in 1844, removed to the Volcano steam-sloop, Lieut.-Commanders Edw. Chas. Miller and John Hay Crang, on the Mediterranean station. He was there promoted to a Lieutena,ncy, 1 Dec. 1845, in the Hibernia 104, flag-ship of Sir Wm. Parker; and, since 23 Jan. 1847, has been serving with the Channel squadron on board the Albion 90.



FORTESCUE. (Lieut., 1823. f-p., 9; h-p., 27.)

Henry Fortescue entered the Navy, 27 April, 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Christian VII. 80, Capt. Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, employed in the North Sea, where he followed that officer, in Feb. 1812, into the Impregnable 98. From July, 1813, until April, 1818, he Successively served, on the North American, Irish, Home, Mediterranean, and East India stations, in the Endymion 40, Capt. Henry Hope, Saturn 74, Capts. Jas. Nash and Thos. Brown, Franchise 36, Capt. Sir Thos. John Cochrane, St. George and Impregnable 98’s, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Nash, and Minden 74, Capt. Wm. Paterson – in which latter ship he shared in the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816. In Dec. 1821, Mr. Fortescue joined the Andromache frigate, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Joseph Nourse at the Cape of Good Hope, where he became Acting-Lieutenant, in Nov. 1822, of the Menai 24, Capt. Fairfax Moresby. He was officially promoted 5 April, 1823, but since Sept. in that year has been unemployed.



FORTESCUE. (Lieutenant, 1846.)

Thomas Dyke Acland Fortescue, born 20 July, 1821, is second son of Matthew Fortescue, Esq., by Erskine, fourth daughter of Jas. Christie, Esq., of Ducie, co. Fife; and grandson of Capt. Hon. Matthew Fortescue, R.N. (1782), who was only brother of the first, and uncle of the present Earl Fortescue, and died 19 Nov. 1842, in his 89th year.

This officer passed his examination 1 June, 1844; was appointed Mate, 29 May, 1846, of the Eurydice 22, Capt. Geo. Elliot, fitting at Portsmouth; and attained his present rank on 8 of the following Oct.



FOSBERY. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 8; h-p., 32.)

Godfrey Fosbery, born 24 Sept. 1791, is son of the late Fras. Fosbery, Esq., of Curragh Bridge, co. Limerick, by Philippa, sister of the late Sir Wm. Godfrey, Bart., of Kilcoleman Abbey, co. Kerry, and aunt of the late Dowager Marchioness of Donegal. He is cousin and brother-in-law of the present Geo. Fosbery, Esq., of Clorane and Curragh Bridge.

This officer entered the Navy, 7 Feb. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board La Virginie, of 46 guns and 281 men, Capt. Edw. Brace, on the Irish station. While in that ship, independently of the capture of two Spanish privateers carrying 14 guns each, he assisted in taking, 19 May, 1808, the Dutch frigate Guelderland, of 36 guns and 253 men, after an obstinate conflict of an hour and a half, in which the enemy lost 25 men killed and 50 wounded, and the British 1 killed and 2 wounded. On 16 Jan. 1810, Mr. Fosbery, who had attained the rating of Midshipman, was taken prisoner while on board a prize off Ushant. Being released in May, 1814, he joined for a few weeks, as a Supernumerary, the Prince 98, Capt. Geo. Fowke, lying at Spithead. He obtained his commission 16 March, 1815; and has since been on half-pay.

Lieut. Fosbery, who now holds the office of Inspector of the City of London Police Force, married, 21 Aug. 1823, Catherine Lyons, daughter of the late John Walcott, Esq., of Croagh Walcott, co. Limerick, and has had issue 12 children, 9 of whom are living.



FOSSE. (Lieutenant, 1809. f.-p., 15; h-p., 32.)

William Fosse entered the Navy, 8 March, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Alligator sloop, Capt. Geo. Bowen, on the Mediterranean station, where, in July, 1802, he became Midshipman of the Pegasus, Capt. John Pengelly. In 1804-5 he joined the Eurydice 24, Capts. John Nicholas and Wm. Hoste, and Triumph 74, Capts. Henry Inman and Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy, on the African and Home stations; after which he became successively attached to the Sampson and Diadem 64’s, flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Chas. Stirling, under whom he assisted at the storming of Monte Video in Feb. 1807. In April of the latter year he obtained a Sub-Lieutenancy in the Protector gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Geo. Mitchener, from which vessel, then on the Leith station, he was promoted to be Acting-Lieutenant, 25 Jan. 1809, of the Spitfire sloop, Capt. John Ellis. Being confirmed in his present rank 6 Oct. following, he afterwards, from 29 Aug. 1811, until 28 Aug. 1815, served, on the West India and other stations, in the Tigre 74, Capt. John Halliday. Since the date last mentioned he has not been afloat.



FOSTER. (Lieutenant, 1828.)

Henry Decolas Foster entered the Navy 23 July, 1813; passed his examination in 1819; and obtained his commission 6 Sept. 1828. He was afterwards employed for some time in the Helicon 10, Capt. Robt. Henry Stanhope. He joined the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, 26 Nov. 1830; entered the Coast Guard 5 April, 1831; was transferred, as First-Lieutenant, to the Stag 46, Capt. Thos. Ball Sulivan, on the South American station, 6 Dec. 1836; returned to England in 1839, after an absence of more than two years; and, since 9 Oct. 1840, has again been in the Coast Guard.



FOTHERGILL. (Lieutenant, 1830.)

William Fothergill entered the Navy 18 May, 1811; passed his examination in 1818; and was promoted to the rank he now holds 22 July, 1830. With the exception of a command, from 11 Oct. 1834, to Sept. 1837, of the Stork Revenue-vessel, he has been uninterruptedly employed in the Coast Guard since 27 March, 1833.



FOWELL. (Lieutenant, 1842.)

Samuel Fowell, entered the Navy 17 March 1823; passed his examination 1 June, 1836; and at the period of his promotion, which took place 13 May, 1842, was officiating as Mate on board the Cornwallis 72, bearing the flag in the East Indies of Sir Wm. Parker. We find him, on 18 of the same month, and prior to the receipt of his commission, serving on shore at the capture from the