A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Atkinson, Thomas
ATKINSON. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 8; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Atkinson is son of the late Thos. Atkinson, Esq., of Salisbury, co. Wilts; and brother of the present Lieut. Geo. Atkinson, R.N., as also of Lieut. John Atkinson (1812), who died in 1819. This officer entered the Navy, in Feb. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board L’Aimable frigate, Capt. Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie, with whom he afterwards served for upwards of six years, as Midshipman, in the Medusa 32. During that period he participated in all the operations in the Rio de la Plata, from Oct. 1806, until the Medusa’s return home with Lieut.-Gen. Whitelocke, on the final evacuation of Spanish America in Sept. 1807, including the capture of Maldonado and of the island of Gorriti; assisted in taking several privateers; was for three months exposed to considerable hardships during a fruitless pursuit of two French frigates to the coast of Labrador; and co-operated much with the patriots on the north coast of Spain. He also, on the night of 4 June, 1812, served in the boats, under Lieut. Josiah Thompson, at the capture and destruction, in the harbour of Arcasson, of La Dorade storeship, of 14 guns and 86 men, after a violent conflict, in which the British had 5 men wounded, and in which 63 of the enemy (who had hailed the latter in their approach, and were in every way prepared for the attack) were either killed or compelled to jump overboard. In July, 1812, Mr. Atkinson became Acting-Lieutenant of the Lyra sloop, but it was not until 28 May, 1813, that (having been re-attached to the Medusa, and been employed for some time also in the Impétueux 74, flag-ship off Lisbon of Sir Geo. Martin, and in the Magicienne 36, Capt. Hon. Wm. Gordon) he at length obtained confirmation. Towards the close of the same year we find him serving off the coast of Africa in the Plover 18, Capt. Colin Campbell. He returned to England in March, 1814, on board the Favorite 20, Capt. John Maxwell, and has since been on half-pay.
Lieut. Atkinson married, in 1816, Miss Lewanna Smith, and has issue eight children.