Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp3.djvu/220

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POST-CAPTAINS OF 1813.
205

spite 76, fitting for the flag of Rear-Admiral Gage, with whom he sailed for the East Indies, Feb. 11, 1826.

This officer married Martha Milligan, eldest daughter of Rear-Admiral Dacres, by whom he has several children. His eldest brother, a Lieutenant-Colonel, commanded the 6th Portuguese regiment, and lost his life from fatigue at the battle of Thoulouse: Philip, his youngest brother, who was a Lieutenant R.M.A. and aid-de-camp to Lieutenant-General Doyle, of the Spanish service, perished at Cadiz. His sisters are married as follow:– Elizabeth, to Lieutenant-Colonel Milling, 81st regiment; – Catherine, to Lieutenant-General Nelson; – Mary, to Colonel Stirke, 12th regiment.

Agent.– J. Hinxman, Esq.



FREDERICK JENNINGS THOMAS, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1813.]

Is the second and youngest son of Sir John Thomas, Bart, of Wenvoe Castle, in Glamorganshire, by Mary, daughter of John Parker, of Harfield Court, co. Gloucester, Esq. His ancestor, Jevan-ap-Harpwaye, of Tresimont, in Herefordshire, married the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas-ap-Thomas, of Wenvoe, and took the name of Thomas, which his descendants have ever since retained.

The subject of this memoir was born in the New Forest, co. Hants, in April 1787; and he commenced his naval career, in 1799, as midshipman on board the Boston frigate. Captain John Erskine Douglas, under whom he served nearly six years, on the Halifax and West India stations[1]. At the early age of 15 years, he displayed an extraordinary degree of coolness, intrepidity, and promptitude, at a time of the greatest difficulty and danger, as, the following circumstance will shew.

Although then so very young, his captain had marked the high opinion he entertained of his ability and steadiness, by giving him the charge of a valuable prize, with orders to conduct