Lieutenant, in the Downs, to Vice-Admiral Thos. Foley – 26 Aug. 1813, to the post of Agent for Transports Afloat, which he retained until 31 Oct. 1814 – 26 April, 1815, for five months, to the Actaeon 16, Capt. John Ross, employed in cruizing to the westward – in 1821, to the Coast Guard – 23 Hov. 1822, to a four-years’ command of the Diligence Revenue-cruizer – and, 18 Dec. 1826, to the charge, which he retained until 23 Dec. 1831, of the Semaphore station at Lump’s Fort. While he was in the St. George he succeeded, with a detachment of boats, covered by the guns of the Standard 64, in bringing off a large Swedish vessel which had drifted within range of a battery in the Great Belt. Unsuccessful, after he left the Semaphore service, in his efforts to procure employment, he accepted, 14 Jan. 1847, the rank he now holds. We cannot close the present narrative without alluding to one or two severe disappointments experienced by the subject of it during the term of his professional career. While Flag-Lieutenant to Vice-Admiral Foley he had the honour of steering the barge of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence on the occasion of his reviewing the North Sea fleet in the Downs; a circumstance which would have been followed by his immediate promotion to the rank of Commander, had not H.R.H., considering that the post he then filled would ensure him that boon, suggested that the service he had performed should, on his obtaining it, be made a recommendation for an appointment. After he had been, however, nearly two years and a half Flag-Lieutenant, he found himself under the necessity of resigning in order to make room for another upon whom Vice-Admiral Foley wished to confer the commission at his disposal! He married in 1808, and has issue five sons and one daughter.
PIKE. (Retired Commander, 1840. f-p., 17; h-p., 32.)
Walter Pike was born 11 March, 1785.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 July, 1798, as A.B., on board the Achille 74, Capts. Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope, Geo. Murray, and Edw. Buller, with whom he continued employed in the Channel, principally in the capacity of Midshipman, until transferred, in April, 1802, to the Endymion 40, Capts. Philip Chas. Durham and John Larmour, lying at Portsmouth. After a servitude of two years as Master’s Mate in the Isis 50, flag-ship at Newfoundland of Vice-Admiral Jas. Gambier, he became successively attached, in the course of 1804, to the Royal William, Swiftsure 74, and Glory 98, bearing the flags at Spithead and at Cadiz of Admirals Geo. Montagu and Sir John Orde. Of the ship last mentioned he was confirmed a Lieutenant 20 Feb. 1805. His succeeding appointments were – 22 June, 1805, to the Wolverene sloop, Capt. Thos. Smyth, at Plymouth – 3 Sept. following, to the Euryalus 36, commanded in the Mediterranean by Capts. Hon. Henry Blackwood and Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, under the former of whom he took part in the battle of Trafalgar – 25 Feb. 1809, as First-Lieutenant, to the Mermaid 32, Capt. Major Jacob Henniker, in which ship he visited Lisbon and Quebec – and 8 May, 1810, with similar rank, to the Achates of 16 guns, Capts. John Davies, Isaac Hawkins Morrison, and Thos. Lamb Polden Laughame. Under Capt. Morrison he shared, 21 Oct. 1813, in a very gallant running action of several hours’ duration, fought off the coast of France between the Achates, whose sails and rigging suffered much, and La Trave, a French frigate of 44 guns and 321 men, which had been previously dismasted in a gale of wind, and which was captured two days afterwards by the Andromache 38, Capt. Geo. Tobin. He also, in the same vessel, witnessed the surrender, to the Eurotas of 46 guns and 320 men, of another French frigate, La Clorinde, mounting 44 guns and 12 brass swivels, with a complement of 360 picked men, 25 Feb. 1814. The Achates was paid off in Nov. 1815; and Mr. Pike, who did not again go afloat, accepted, 12 Aug. 1840, the rank he now holds.
PILCH. (Commander, 1813. f-p., 25; h-p., 39.)
Robert Pilch died in 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1783, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Thetis frigate, Capt. John Blankett, with whom he was for four years employed in the Mediterranean. With the exception of a brief attachment, in 1790, to the Prince 98, bearing the flag of Sir John Jervis in the Channel, he did not again go afloat until 1794. He then joined the Victorious and Venerable 74’s, both under the orders of Sir John Orde; whom, in 1795, he followed as Master’s Mate into the Prince George 98, commanded subsequently by Capt. Wm. Edge. Becoming attached next to the Glory 98 and Thunderer 74, each bearing the flag of Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian, he assisted, in the latter ship, at the reduction of Ste. Lucie in May, 1796. Being confirmed a Lieutenant in the Thunderer by commission dated 22 Dec. 1796, he continued to serve in her on the Jamaica station, under Capts. Jas. Bowen, Wm. Ogilvie, John Loring, John Cochet, John Crawley, Temple Hardy, Robt. Mends, Wm. Henry Bayntun, and Henry Vansittart, until June, 1801. His subsequent appointments were – 20 July, 1801, to the Bellerophon 74, Capts. Lord Garlies and John Loring, employed at first in the Channel and afterwards in the West Indies, where, in command of the launches of that ship and the Elephant 74, he captured, 23 Nov. 1803, under a very smart fire from the enemy’s great guns and musketry, the French national schooner La Découverte, mounting 6 long 6-pounders and 6 swivels, with a complement of 52 men, lying in the Caracol Passage, near Cape François, St. Domingo – 1 Nov. 1804, to the Glory 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir John Orde and Chas. Stirling off Cadiz and in the Channel, and, under the latter officer, part of Sir Robt. Calder’s fleet in the action off Cape Finisterre 22 July, 1805 – 22 July and 7 Dec. 1806, to the Sampson and Diadem 64’s, each bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Stirling, with whom, subsequently to the capture of Monte Video in Feb. 1807, he proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope – 13 June, 1808, again to the Bellerophon 74, Capt. Sam. Warren, stationed in the North Sea and Baltic, on which latter station, after having taken possession, with the boats, of three vessels, he made a dash at, and in the most gallant manner carried, 19 June, 1809, one of four batteries by which they had been covered, mounting 4 24-pounders and garrisoned by 103 men, a service that elicited the acknowledgments of the Admiralty[1] – and 4 Sept. 1810, and 17 June, 1813, to the President 38 and Blenheim 74, likewise commanded by Capt. Warren, the former at the reduction of Java, the latter in the North Sea. He was advanced to the rank of Commander 4 Dec. 1813, and not afterwards employed. Agents-Messrs. Ommanney.
PILCH, K.W. (Lieutenant, 1814. f-p., 31; h-p., 12.)
William Pilch entered the Navy, 4 Oct. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Bellerophon 74, Capts. John Loring, John Cooke, and Edward Rotheram. In Dec. 1805, after having shared in the battle of Trafalgar, he removed to the Glory 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Chas. Stirling, with whom he continued employed in the Sampson and Diadem 64’s, on the Home, North American, and Cape of Good Hope stations, until April, 1808. In the ship last mentioned he served as Midshipman at the capture of Monte Video in Feb. 1807. On leaving her he joined the Defiance 74, Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham; previously to following whom, in Sept. 1810, into the Northumberland 74, we find him present with a squadron under Rear-Admiral Hon. Robt. Stopford, at the destruction, 24 Feb. 1809, of three French frigates under
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1101.
