Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/44

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30

AYLMER—AYNSLEY—AYRE—AYSCOUGH.

same year; but from that period he appears to have remained on half-pay until 1 June, 1809, when we find him assuming command of the Narcissus 32. In the early part of 1810, Capt. Aylmer, while cruizing in the Channel, captured two privateers, the Duguay Trouin, and Aimable Josephine, carrying between them 28 guns and 180 men; and, in the course of the ensuing summer, he united with Sir Robt. Mends in a series of very active operations on the north coast of Spain, where he commanded the naval brigade in concert with the patriot forces under General Porlier, came frequently into victorious contact with the enemy between Santona and Santander, and evinced all the zeal and ability of an excellent officer.[1] In Jan. 1812, he next joined the Fortunée 36, in which he cruized for four months on the Irish station. After an interval of half-pay he was appointed, on 14 of the following Sept., to the Pactolus 38, and while in that frigate, in the summer of 1815, he conducted an eminently successful expedition to the Gironde in support of the French King, which terminated in the royal colours being hoisted on the castle of Bordeaux and in the surrounding districts[2]. Previously to the latter event, the Pactolus, besides escorting the Duke of Cambridge to Cuxhaven, and his late Majesty to the Scheldt, had, we believe, assisted at the bombardment of Stonington, in America. Capt. Aylmer, whose last appointment was to the Severn, of 50 guns, commanded that ship at the memorable battle of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816, and was in consequence nominated a C.B.[3] The insignia of a K.F.M. were also conferred upon him, in consideration of his having conveyed to Naples the whole of the emancipated Italian slaves and 357,000 dollars, which the Dey of Algiers had been compelled to return to the King of the Two Sicilies. He was appointed Naval Aide-de-Camp to William IV. 4 Aug. 1830; and on 10 Jan. 1837, was promoted to Flag-rank. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.



AYLMER. (Retired Commander, 1836)

John Aylmer was discharged from the Royal Naval College 10 April, 1786. He was confirmed to a Lieutenancy, 9 Oct. 1801, in the Dragon 74, Capt. John Aylmer, then in the Mediterranean; and was afterwards successively appointed, on the Home and West India stations, to the Morgiana sloop. Diamond 38, Windsor Castle 98, Amethyst frigate, Aimable 32, Fisgard 38, Hercule 74, Ariadne 20, and Namur 74, Capts. Rainsford, Elphinstone, Albemarle Bertie, Alex. Campbell, Sir Wm. Bolton, Lord Mark Robt. Kerr, Jas. Rich. Dacres, Arthur Farquhar, and another. During the period of his attachment to the Ariadne, we find Mr. Aylmer assisting at the capture, in 1807, of the French privateers Le Trente et Quarante, of 16 guns and 65 men, and Le Chasseur, of 2 guns and 36 men. Having been on half-pay since 30 May, 1808, he at length accepted his present rank, 15 April, 1836. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.



AYNSLEY. (Lieut., 1845. f-p., 12; h-p., 0.)

Charles Murray Aynsley entered the Navy in 1835; passed his examination 24 July, 1841; and after an intermediate servitude as Mate, on the South America and Mediterranean stations, of the Curaçoa 24, Capt. Jenkin Jones, and Scout 18, Capt. Hon. Jas. Robt. Drummond, was awarded a commission, dated 6 Dec. 1845. He has been since serving in the Terrible steam-frigate, Capt. Wm. Ramsay, attached to the Channel squadron.



AYRE. (Lieutenant, 1815. f-p., 8; h-p., 32.)

Charles Ayre entered the Navy, 5 April, 1807, as Master’s Mate, on board the Hound sloop, Capt. Nich. Lockyer, and in that vessel was present at the embarkation of the Marquis de la Romana’s army at Nyeborg, in Aug. 1803. From Oct. 1809, until April, 1812, he served off Cherbourg and in the Downs on board the Naïad 38, Capts. Henry Hill and PhiUp Carteret; and then joining the Junon 38, Capts. Jas. Sanders and Clotworthy Upton, proceeded, as Acting-Lieutenant to North America, where he took part in many of the operations in the Chesapeake, and contributed to a victory gained by the Junon, Narcissus, and Barossa, over 15 of the enemy’s gun-boats whose discomfiture was accomplished after an action of three hours, in which the Junon had 2 men killed and 3 wounded, 20 June, 1813. He subsequently served on board the Mohawk sloop, Capt. Hen. Litchfield, and was Acting-Lieutenant of transports under Capt. Thos. Delafons, in the expedition to New Orleans. He obtained his official promotion 2 Nov. 1815, but has not since been afloat. Agent – Chippendale.



AYSCOUGH. (Lieutenant, 1838.)

Hawkins Godolphin Ayscough is son of Rear-Admiral John Ayscough.

This officer was educated at the Royal Naval College He served for some time on the West India station, under the flag of Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys; was employed in the North Sea during the revolution in the Netherlands; and, having passed his examination in 1834, was presented with a comission by Sir Geo. Cockburn, on that officer striking his flag as Commander-in-Chief in North America and the West Indies, 14 June, 1836. On 28 Dec. following (after an attachment of a few months to the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Josias Rowley in the Mediterranean, and Canopus 84, commanded by Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, on the coast of Spain, during the Carlist insurrection), Mr. Ayscough joined the Barham 50, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry, in which ship he continued until 10 May, 1838. He has since been on half-pay.



AYSCOUGH. (Rear-Admiral, of the White, 1841.)

John Ayscough, born on board H.M.S. Swan, during a desperate action fought by that vessel while on her passage home from North America, is son of the late Capt. John Ayscough, R.N., who was in command of the Swan on the occasion, and lost the use of a leg;[4] brother of Commander Jas. Ayscough, R.N., an officer who distinguished himself as Lieutenant of the Monarch 74, at Copenhagen, in 1801, was afterwards presented by the Patriotic Society with a sword worth 50l., for his gallantry in storming a battery of six 24-pounders, on the island of Martinique, and ultimately fell a victim to the climate of the West Indies, while commanding the Hawke sloop, 8 April, 1808; grand-nephew of the Rev. Fras. Ayscough, D.D., Dean of Bristol, and Preceptor to King George III.; and cousin of Admiral Sir Geo. Cockburn, G.C.B.

This officer entered the Navy (under the auspices of the late Admiral Sir Jas. Wallace), 12 Aug. 1787, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Goliath 74, Capts. Archibald Dickson and Sir Andrew Snape Douglas. We afterwards find him serving, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, on board the Juno and Hebe frigates, and Hector, Alcide, and Monarch 74’s, and employed in the first of those vessels, under Capt. Sam. Hood, in attendance on the King off Weymouth. On 6 Nov. 1793, he obtained a Lieutenancy in the Monarch, flag-ship, on the Newfoundland station, of his patron. Sir Jas. Wallace, with whom he continued to serve, the last two years as First of the Romney 50, until April, 1797. He then joined the Queen Charlotte 100, bearing the flag in the Channel of Lord Howe; and, on 12 of the following May, was promoted to the rank of Commander. Being appointed, 6 July, 1799, to the Blanche troop-ship, Capt. Ayscough attended the ensuing expedition to Holland, where he served as

  1. Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1097.
  2. Vide Gaz. 1815, p. 1513.
  3. Vide Gaz. 1816, p. 1792.
  4. Capt. Ayscoagh, after faithfully serving his country for a period of nearly half a century, died, covered with honourable scars. He had expended a great portion of his private property in raising several thousands of seamen for the service, at the period of the dispute with Spain respecting the occupancy of Falkland’s Islands.