bearing the flag of Sir Peter Parker, Snake sloop, Capt. John Mason Lewis, Pearl 32, Capt. Sam. Jas. Ballard, and Foudroyant 80, flag-ship of Lord Keith, under whom he took part in the operations connected with the expedition to Egypt. Being confirmed a Lieutenant (after having acted for six months as such in the West Indies on board the Defence 74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet) by commission dated 3 July, 1802, Mr. M‘Coy was subsequently appointed in that capacity – 22 Nov. 1803, to the Raisonnable 64, Capts. Wm. Hotham, Robt. Barton, Chas. Malcolm, and Josias Rowley, in which ship, prior to serving on shore at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, he fought in Sir Robert Calder’s action 22 July, 1805 – in Feb. 1806, to the Narcissus 32, Capt. Ross Donnelly, under whom he witnessed the fall of Buenos Ayres – 17 July, 1807 (after nine months of half-pay), to the Resolution 74, Capts. Geo. Burlton and Temple Hardy, part of the force employed in 1809 at the destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads and at the capture of Flushing – 14 Aug. 1811, to the Swiftsure 74, Capts. T. Hardy, Andrew King, Wm. Stewart, Jeremiah Coghlan, and Edw. Stirling Dickson, stationed in the Mediterranean, where he shared in one of Sir Edw. Pellew’s partial actions with the Toulon fleet – and, 16 July, 1814, to the Tremendous 74, Capt. Robt. Campbell. In the following Nov. Mr. M‘Coy, who had been altogether upwards of seven years First-Lieutenant of the Narcissus, Resolution, Swiftsure, and Tremendous, took up a Commander’s commission dated 15 of the previous June. With the exception of an appointment held in the Coast Guard from 6 April, 1831, until the commencement of 1834, he has since been on half-pay.
His only daughter is the wife of Capt. W. L. Castle, R.N.
M‘CREA. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 18; h-p., 26.)
Robert Contart M‘Crea was born 13 Jan. 1793. This officer entered the Navy, 23 Nov. 1803, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Décade frigate, commanded at the blockade of Cherbourg by Capt. Wm. Geo. Rutherford; on accompanying whom as Midshipman into the Swiftsure 74, he went with Lord Nelson in pursuit of the Franco-Spanish fleet to the West Indies, and took part, 21 Oct. 1805, in the battle of Trafalgar. After again serving for a few months off Cherbourg in the Thalia 36, Capt. Thos. Manby, he successively joined, in March and July, 1808, the Victory 100, flag-ship in the Baltic of Sir .Jas. Saumarez, and Salsette 36, Capt. Walter Bathurst. In the latter ship Mr. M‘Crea saw much active service, passed through scenes of a very trying nature, and assisted, in 1809, at the reduction of Flushing. He continued with Capt. Bathurst in the Fame 74, latterly on the Mediterranean station, until April, 1811; and in Jan. 1812 he was a second time placed under the orders of Sir Jas. Saumarez in the Victory, of which ship it was his fortune to be confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted for five months in that capacity, 20 Nov. following. While next attached, between 6 May, 1813, and 27 April, 1815, to the Amphion 32, Capt. Jas. Pattison Stewart, we find him on one occasion, viith two boats under his orders, cutting off two sloops laden with provisions for the relief of Fort Balthz, and driving a third on shore under the enemy’s batteries, in the East Scheldt; and, on another, officiating as third in command of five boats in a desperate attempt made to cut out five French brigs from under the walls of Fort Lillo. Assuming charge, in the early part of 1818, of the Scourge Revenue-cruizer, Mr. M‘Crea, who continued in that vessel until 1821, succeeded in effecting the capture of not less than 13 smuggling luggers, sloops, and cutters. On 4 June, 1824, 10 weeks after he had been nominated Flag-Lieutenant, in the Britannia 120, to Sir Jas. Saumarez, Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth, he was awarded a second promotal commission; but he did not again go afloat until 1834 – on 1 June in which year he obtained an appointment to the Zebra 16. When subsequently on the coast of New Holland that sloop, it appears, was thrown on her beam-ends and compelled to part with her guns; and she was also, when in the Straits of Malacca, struck with lightning and dismasted. In April, 1837, her Commander, who had been advanced to Post-rank on 10 of the previous Jan., succeeded in forcibly removing the ex-Rajah of Quedah from his abode at Bruas, on the coast of Perak, in the Straits of Malacca, and carrying him a prisoner to Pinang. In the performance of this service the boats of the Zebra, under the personal direction of Capt. M‘Crea, had had to sustain a severe action of an hour and a half with a brig and a powerful stockade, defended by a numerous band of Malays, more than 60 of whom are reported to have been killed and wounded. The loss of the British was also very severe. Before they could reach the stockade it had been necessary for them to ascend a narrow, tortuous river, enfringed with jungle on both sides; where, had a few trees been felled and allowed to fall across, they would have been perfectly hemmed in, and their destruction have been inevitable. To mark their estimation of Capt. M‘Crea’s conduct, the East India Company presented him with a piece of plate of the value of 100 guineas. He paid the Zebra off in Oct. 1838; and has not been since employed.
He married, 10 April, 1822, Charlotte, elder daughter of the Rev. W.P. Dobree, Rector of a place in Guernsey, by whom he has issue eight children.
M‘DANIEL. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 8; h-p., 32.)
Jeremiah M‘Daniel entered the Navy, 29 April, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Franchise 36, Capt. Chas. Dashwood, with whom until Jan. 1814 he continued most actively employed as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Pyramus 38, and Cressy 74, on the Baltic, West India, and Mediterranean stations. In the Franchise, in particular, be was present at the bombardment of Copenhagen, and at the capture of the town of Samana, St. Domingo, almost the last port of refuge on the station for the enemy’s privateers. Joining, in July, 1814, the Tonnant 80, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, he served, while in that ship, on shore at the battle of Bladensburg, and was severely wounded in the attack upon Washington.[1] He was in consequence nominated Acting-Lieutenant, 2 Sept. in the same year, of the Majestic 56, Capt. John Hayes; and on 19 of the following Oct. was confirmed into the Dispatch 16, Capt. Wm. Cobbe. He went on half-pay in April, 1815, and has not been since afloat.
MACDONALD. (Retired Commander, 1842.)
Archibald Macdonald, born in Nov. 1786, in co. Linlithgow, N.B., is a younger son of John Macdonald Kinneir, of Sander and Kinneir, and is descended in a direct line from the second son of John, Lord of the Isles. His brother. Sir John Macdonald Kinneir, was Envoy in Persia.
This officer entered the Navy, 8 March, 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Ardent 64, Capt. Thos. Bertie; previously to accompanying whom into the Bellona 74, he attended the expedition of 1799 to the Helder, and was wounded in the action off Copenhagen 2 April, 1801.[2] In Feb. 1802, being then in the West Indies, he removed to the Bellerophon 74, Capt. John Loring; and during his attachment to that ship he assisted at the capture, among other vessels, of Le Duquesne 74, and La Créole of 44 guns, with the French General Morgan and 500 troops on board. After he had for a short time served in the Cumberland 74, Capt. John Serrell, Mr. Macdonald was transferred, in July, 1803, to La Créole, which had been added to the British Navy and placed under the orders of Capt. Austin Bissell. In Jan. 1804, however, the latter ship, during her passage to England, unfortunately foundered, and would have carried all on board to destruction had
