Person Page - 407

Appointed Second Lieut, in the Royal Marines, 5th Sept. 1779, and served in America and the West Indies the remainder of that war, during which time he was engaged with the enemy’s fleets in two general actions, and also one in the Magicienne frigate, under the command of the late Sir T. Graves. During the peace of 1783, he served on board several ships on home and foreign stations, and at the commencement of hostilities with France, in 1793, he embarked on board the Phoebe, which was actively employed on the coast of France; and when promoted to the rank of Capt. served in the Hector, Leviathan, and Swiftsure. He had the command of the marines of the squadron at the attack of Minorca, and was landed with a battalion under the command of Maj.-Gen. Strickland, and was at the sieges of St. Elmos and Cappowy, and at the total expulsion of the French from the King of Naples' dominions; afterwards he was appointed by Lord Keith, Maj. of the battalion, and landed to do duty in Egypt under Sir R. Abercromby: the battalion received the thanks of that officer for their conduct in the action of the 13th March. He was next ordered to embark on board H.M. ship Swiftsure, which was captured on her passage to Malta by a squadron of the enemy, under Admiral Ganthom, after a spirited resistance made by Admiral Sir B. Hallowell. In Sept. 1804, he was selected to command the first company of the Royal Marine Artillery, and in July, 1809, the command of the four artillery companies devolved on him, and their services being approved of, they were augmented to 656, which he rendered efficient as artillery both by sea and land; and afterwards volunteered his services with the remaining brigade to Holland, where he was placed under the command of Lord Lynedock, who brigaded them with the Royal Artillery under the command of Sir George Wood.