render, Capt. Richardson, who was the senior naval officer at the time on shore, arranged with Lieutenant-General Fraser the terms upon which the proposal was accepted. During the investment of Flushing he landed at the head of a brigade of seamen, and commanded a battery of 6 24-pounders with much effect. His services throughout the operations were so important and his zeal and bravery so very conspicuous that he elicited the public praise of the Earl of Chatham, the Military Commander-in-Chief, and the high approbation of Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote, who conducted the siege, and of Major-General M‘Leod, commanding officer of the Royal Artillery.[1] On 25 Aug. 1811, being at the mouth of the river Gironde in the Semiramis and in company with the Diana 38, Capt. Richardson, while his consort was engaged with the (lately British) gun-brig Teazer of 12 18-pounder carronades, 2 long 18’s, and 85 men, succeeded, “in a manner that characterized the officer and seaman,” in driving on shore, and burning under the guns of the batteries at Royan, Le Pluvier national brig of 16 guns and 136 men.[2] In consideration of this exploit he received the “warmest acknowledgments” of his senior officer, Capt.Wm. Ferris, of the Diana, and the thanks of the Board of Admiralty. The Semiramis afterwards made a large number of prizes, and among them the Grand Jean Bart privateer of 14 guns and 106 men. During Capt. Richardson’s command of the Topaze a dispute arose between him and the authorities at Canton, which, before it could be adjusted, became so serious, that all commercial intercourse was suspended, the British factory obliged to embark without passes, and the Hon. Company’s ships to leave the Tigris. The disturbances had their origin in the circumstance of a fire from the Topaze having killed 2 out of a number of Chinese who had severely wounded 14 of her crew while employed filling water at Lintin. On 4 June, 1815, Capt. Richardson was nominated a C.B.; and on 29 June, 1841, a K.C.B. He became a Rear-Admiral 10 Jan. 1837; and a Vice-Admiral 17 Dec. 1847. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
RICHARDSON. (Commander, 1802. f-p., 17; h-p., 48.)
John Richardson (a) died about the commencement of 1848.
This officer entered the Navy, 15 March, 1782, as Midshipman, on board the Lenox, Capt. Wm. Bennet, lying at Cork; and was afterwards, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 3 Nov. 1790, employed on the Channel and West India stations in the Artois, Capt. John Macbride, Hyaena 24, Capt. P. Sinclair, Crown 64, Capt. Chas. Morice Pole, Expedition 44, Capts. Chetwynd and Brown, Cumberland 74, Capt. J. Macbride, and Victory 100, Capt. John Knight. Between Sept. 1792 and the date of his advancement to the rank of Commander 29 April, 1802, he served in the West Indies, at Halifax, in the Mediterranean, off Lisbon, and in the North Sea and Channel, on board the Fairy sloop, Capt. Fras. Laforey, Adventure 44, Capt. Edw. Buller, Zealous 74, Capts. Mason, Lord Hervey, and Sam. Hood, Salvador del Mondo, Capt. Wm. Prowse, Belliqueux 64, Capt. John Inglis, Ruby 64, Capts. Gardner and Ferris, and, for a few months, in command of the Censor gun-vessel and Swift cutter. From Sept. 1804 until some time in 1805 he commanded the Albion armed ship in the Channel. He did not afterwards go afloat. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
RICHARDSON. (Commander, 1839.)
John Richardson (b) entered the Navy 3 Feb. 1826; passed his examination in 1832; obtained his first commission 6 June, 1834; and was subsequently appointed – 17 Nov. 1834, to the Pique 36, Capt. Hon. Henry John Rous, employed for 12 months on particular service – 23 March, 1836, to the Asia 84, Capt. Wm. Fisher, fitting for the Mediterranean – and, 9 June, 1838, to the Harlequin 16, Capts. John Elphinstone Erskine and Lord Fras. John Russell, stationed at first in the Mediterranean and next on the coast of Africa. He attained his present rank 9 May, 1839; and, from 26 Dec. 1840 until paid off at the close of 1842, commanded the Phoenix steamer, again in the Mediterranean. He has not been since afloat. Agent – John P. Muspratt.
RICHARDSON. (Lieutenant, 1842.)
Richard M‘Kinley Richardson is son of Capt. Wm. Richardson R.N., K.I.C.
This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1831, on board the Samarang 28, Capt. Wm. Fanshawe Martin; and served for seven years as Midshipman and Mate under the present Sir Edw. Belcher in the Aetna and Sulphur surveying-vessels, commanded for short periods also by Capts. Wm. Geo. Skyring and Fred. Wm. Beechey, on the African, South American, and East India and China stations. While attached to the Sulphur he aided in reducing the forts in the Boca Tigris, served on shore at the storming of the Chinese works below Whampoa Reach,[3] 27 Feb. 1841, took part in the boat-operations connected with the capture of Canton, and was on many occasions strongly recommended by Capt. Belcher. On leaving her he was received on board the Resistance 42, Capt. Chas. Geo. Edw. Patey, stationed in the Mediterranean. Having passed his first examination 3 July, 1838, and his second 8 Nov. 1842, he was promoted, 30 Dec. in the latter year, to the rank of Lieutenant. His appointments have since been – 5 Jan. 1843, as Additional, to the Queen 110, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen in the Mediterranean – 29 March following, to the Monarch 84, Capt. Sam. Chambers, on the same station – in the course of 1844, as Additional, to the Cornwallis and Agincourt 72’s, flag-ships of Sir Wm. Parker and Sir Thos. John Cochrane in the East Indies – 20 May, 1845, for nearly two years, to the Samarang 26, Capt. Sir E. Belcher, employed on surveying service in India – 26 May, 1847, as Additional (for service in the Fearless steam-tender of 76-horse power), to the Ocean 80, guard-ship at Sheerness, Capt. David Price – and, 29 Feb. 1848, to the command of the Pluto steam-vessel of 100-horse power, at present on the coast of Africa. Agent – J. Hinxman.
RICHARDSON. (Lieutenant, 1828. f-p., 17; h-p., 18.)
Samuel Richardson entered the Navy, 10 Jan. 1812, on board the Bacchante 38, in which ship, commanded by the late Sir Wm. Hoste, he continued employed in the Adriatic and on the coast of North America until June, 1815. During that period he had the good fortune to participate in a variety of brilliant boat affairs, and assist at the capture of several of the enemy’s towns and forts. His exertions on a particular occasion, when four out of six prizes were lost in a gale of wind, in saving one of which he himself had charge, procured him the rating of Midshipman. After he left the Bacchante he served – from May, 1816, to Dec. 1818 (in the course of which month he passed his examination), in the Queen Charlotte 100, flagship of Sir Edw. Thornbrough at Portsmouth – from the latter date until March, 1824, in the Rochfort 80, bearing the flags of Sir Thos. Fras. Fremantle and Sir Graham Moore in the Mediterranean – next, in the Albion 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Hoste, guard-ship at Portsmouth – and, from the spring of 1825 until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 25 July, 1828, in the Maidstone 42 and Sybille 48, bearing the broad pendants of Sir Chas. Bullen and Sir Fras. Augustus Collier on the coast of Africa. His last appointment was, about Nov. 1829, to the Wellesley 74, Capt. Sam. Campbell Rowley, employed on particular service. He was placed on
