This officer served as midshipman in the Pomone frigate, Captain Robert Barrie; and was appointed acting lieutenant of the Hibernia 120, bearing the flag of Sir W. Sidney Smith, on the Mediterranean station, Oct. 26th, 1812. His first commission bears date Jan. 26th, 1813. We next find him, in Aug. 1813, joining the Glasgow frigate. Captain the Hon. Henry Duncan, in which ship he continued until paid off, Sept. 1st, 1815[1]. He was third lieutenant of the Minden 74, Captain William Paterson, at the battle of Algiers; after which he proceeded in the same ship (destined to receive the flag of Sir Richard King) to the East Indies; and from thence returned home, acting captain of the Melville 74, in Dec. 1817. He obtained the rank of commander, Jan. 20th, 1818; and married, Aug. 31st, 1822, Caroline Ann Augusta, daughter of the late Captain Nixon, a veteran army officer.
BARTHOLOMEW BONIFANT, Esq.
[Commander.]
Is a native of Corsica, and was at school with Napoleon Buonaparte. He obtained the rank of lieutenant in the British navy. Mar. 14th, 1809; served under Captain (now Sir Thomas J.) Cochrane, in the Ethalion frigate, on the West India station; afterwards under the flag of Rear-Admiral Francis Pickmore, in the Mediteranean; commanded for some time a ship employed in conveying bullocks, &c. from Barbary to Minorca and the fleet off Toulon; received an appointment to the Impregnable 98, fitting out for the flag of Sir Josias Rowley, in Mar. 1815; and was flag-lieutenant to Vice-Admiral Pickmore from Feb. 12th, 1817, until the demise of that worthy officer, at St. John’s, Newfoundland, Feb. 24th, 1818. His promotion to the rank of commander took place on the 20th April following.
