wood is a nephew of the late Admiral Sir Israel Pellew, K.C.B.[1]
This officer entered the Navy, in March, 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Impétueux 74, commanded by his father, then Sir Edw. Pellew, under whom, with the exception of an interval occasioned by the peace of Amiens, he continued employed, as Midshipman, in the same ship and the Tonnant 80, on the Channel and Mediterranean stations, until May, 1804. He next, in April, 1805, joined the Culloden 74, Capt. Christopher Cole, on the East India station; where he was made Lieutenant, 8 Sept. in the same year, into the Sceptre 74, Capt. Joseph Bingham. He shortly afterwards went back to the Culloden 74, flag-ship at the time of his father, by whom he was successively placed in command, 25 July and 18 Sept. 1806, and 30 March, 1807, of the Rattlesnake 18, Terpsichore 32, and Psyche 36. While in the Terpsichore he commanded the boats of a squadron, and exhibited much gallantry, at the capture and destruction, 27 Nov. 1806, of a Dutch frigate, 7 brigs of war, and about 20 armed and other merchant vessels, in Batavia Roads.[2] He also had charge of the boats of a squadron at the destruction of several piratical proas on the coast of Java. In the Psyche he made prize, in the port of Samarang, 31 Aug. 1807, of a schooner of 8 guns, in company with a large merchant brig; and the next day he took, with two other vessels (the Resolutie armed merchant ship of 700 tons, richly laden, and the Ceres, a remarkably fine brig, in the Dutch Company’s service, of 12 guns and 70 men), the Scipio corvette of 24 guns.[3] In Oct. 1807, on 12 of which month he was confirmed in the rank of Commander, we find him nominated Acting-Captain of the Powerful 74; in which ship he was present, 11 Dec. following, at the annihilation, at Griessee, of the docks and stores, and of all the men-of-war remaining to Holland in the East Indies.[4] On 18 Feb. and 5 July, 1808, Capt. Pellew, whose Post commission bears date 14 Oct. in that year, was invested with the command, first of the Cornwallis, alias Akbar 50, and then of the Phaeton 38. In the latter frigate, which during two whole days in 1808 lay in the harbour of Nagasaki in the island of Japan, he accompanied the expedition of 1810 against the Isle of France, and in 1811 co-operated in the reduction of the island of Java. On his arrival at Java in charge of a division of transports, he took command of the boats employed in protecting the debarkation of the troops. During the operations which preceded its final surrender he landed, 31 Aug., on the neighbouring island of Madura, in command, with Capt. Geo. Harris, of the Sir Francis Drake, his senior officer, of a body of seamen and marines, and assisted in the most gallant manner in storming the strong fortress of Samanap, mounting 16 6-pounders; immediately after which he attacked from one point, as did Capt. Harris from another, and utterly routed a force of about 2000 men, protected by 4 field-pieces in their front, on a bridge possessing every advantage of situation. “I gladly acknowledge,” says Capt. Harris, in his official account of this proceeding, “the assistance and advice I have received from Capt. Pellew, who aided every point of service with his well-known zeal, ability, and bravery.”[5] In Aug. 1812 the Phaeton returned to England in escort of 16 Indiamen; for his care and attention to which Capt. Pellew received the thanks of the Court of Directors, accompanied by a present of 500 guineas. Being next, 23 Oct. 1812, appointed to the Iphigenia 36, he proceeded to the Mediterranean; on his arrival on which station he removed, in Jan. 1813, to the Resistance of 46 guns. On 5 Oct. following he aided, in company with the Edinburgh 74, Impérieuse 38, and Swallow, Éclair, and Pylades sloops, in silencing the fire of several batteries at Port d’Anzo, where a convoy of 29 vessels fell into the hands of the British. In Feb. 1814 Capt. Pellew left the Resistance. His last appointment was, 25 Aug. 1818, to the Révolutionnaire 46, again in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in June, 1822. He attained Flag-rank 9 Nov. 1846.
In June, 1815, the Rear-Admiral was nominated a C.B.; and in Jan. 1836 he received, with the honour of Knighthood, the insignia of a K.C.H. He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen 4 July, 1842. He married, 5 June, 1816, Harriet, only daughter of the late Sir Godfrey Webster, Bart., by whom he has issue an only daughter, the wife of Lord Walpole, eldest son of the Earl of Orford. Agent – John P. Muspratt.
PELLEW. (Lieutenant, 1843.)
The Honourable Pownoll Fleetwood Pellew, born 26 July, 1823, is eldest son of Pownoll Bastard, second Viscount Exmouth, Captain R.N. (1806), who died 2 Dec. 1833, by his second wife, Georgina Janet, eldest daughter of Mungo Dick, Esq.; half-brother of the present Viscount; and nephew of Rear-Admiral Hon. F. B. R. Pellew, Kt., C.B., K.C.H.
This officer entered the Navy 18 Aug. 1836; passed his examination 8 Aug. 1842; and after serving, as Mate, in the Cornwallis 72, Capt. Peter Richards, Conway 26, Capt. Robt. Fair, and Victoria and Albert steam-yacht, Capt. Lord Adolphus FitzClarence, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 30 Dec. 1843. His appointments have since been – 2 Feb. 1844, as Additional, to his former ship the Cornwallis – 2 July, 1844, in a similar capacity, to the Collingwood 80, bearing the flag of Sir Geo. Fras. Seymour in the Pacific – and, 8 Oct. 1847, to the Howe 120, Capt. Sir Jas. Stirling, now employed on Particular Service.
PELLY. (Commander, 1844.)
Richard Wilson Pelly, born 1 Nov. 1814, is fifth son of Sir John Henry Pelly, Bart., of Upton, co. Essex, by Emma, sixth daughter of Henry Boulton, Esq., of Thorncroft, co. Surrey; and nephew of the late Capt. Chas. Pelly, R.N.[6]
- ↑ Sir Israel Pellew was born at Dover 25 Aug. 1758, and entered the Navy in 1771, on board the Falcon sloop. After serving in the Albion and witnessing, in the Flora, the capture of the frigate Fox, he joined the Royal George 100, and in 1779 was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In Jan. 1783, in command of the Resolution cutter, of 12 guns and 75 men, he took, after a chase of 14 hours and a smart action of about an hour and a quarter, the Flushinger Dutch privateer, pierced for 14 guns, mounting twelve 14-pounders, with a complement of 68 men. He was advanced to the rank of Commander 23 Nov. 1790; and on 25 June, 1793, having been a volunteer with his brother on board the Nymphe at the capture of La Cléopâtre, he was presented with a Post commission. He afterwards commanded, until the peace of Amiens, the Squirrel 20, and Amphion, Greyhound, and Cleopatra frigates; and was on board the Amphion when she blew up in Plymouth Sound 22 Sept. 1796. Being appointed, in 1804, to the Conqueror 74, he served in that ship at the battle of Trafalgar, and was employed, previously to the convention of Cintra, in blockading the Russian fleet in the Tagus. Prior to the action off Cape Trafalgar he had accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies and back, in quest of the combined squadrons. In July, 1810, at which period he had been for upwards of a year in superintendence of the ships afloat at Plymouth, he attained the ranlt of Rear-Admiral. In 1811 he became Captain of the Mediterranean fleet, under his brother. Sir Edward Pellew, with whom he remained until 1815. He was created a K.C.B. in Jan. of the latter year; a Vice-Admiral in Aug. 1819; and an Admiral in July, 1830. He died at Plymouth 19 July, 1832, after a protracted and severe illness.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 894.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1808, p. 537.
- ↑ Immediately prior to the above event, Capt. Pellew and one or two others, who had been sent on shore with a flag of truce, were detained by the Dutch Commodore and placed under arrest: they were soon, however, released.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1812, pp. 116, 120.
- ↑ Capt. Chas. Pelly was wounded, when a Lieutenant, in a sanguinary attack, made in Aug. 1801, on the French invasion flotilla. In March, 1804, at which time he commanded the Beaver 14, he served with the boats of that vessel and the Scorpion 18, under Capt. Geo. Nicholas Hardinge, at the cutting out, in the Vlie passage, after a most spirited and determined conflict, of the Dutch brig Atalante of 16 long 12-pounders and 76 men. When Captain of the Bucephalus 36, he co-operated in the reduction of the island of Java in 1811, and displayed much gallantry in pursuing for several days the French 40-gun frigates Nymphe and Méduse.
