A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bailey, John William
BAILEY. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p. 46; h-p., 9.)
John William Bailey was born 3 January, 1781. This officer entered. the Navy, in 1792, on board the Royal George 100, lying at Falmouth; and afterwards, until the receipt of his first commission, 23 Aug. 1800, served in the Resistance 44, Capt. Edw. Pakenham, Weazle 14, Capt. Hon. John Murray, Hornet 18, Capt. Christmas Paul, Pegasus 28, Capts. Geo. Countess and Ross Donnelly, Thames 32, Capt. Wm. Lukin, Calypso 18, Capts. Rich. Worsley and Wm. Collis, and Royal Sovereign 100, flag-ship of Sir Alan Gardner, all on the Home station. While attached to the Weazle in 1794 we find him participating in a very spirited action off Havre de Grace with a French ship from St. Domingo, mounting 18 twelve-pounders, a cutter, and lugger; the two latter of which were silenced, and the former driven on shore with the loss of her foremast and bowsprit – the Weazle’s force on the occasion consisting only of 12 long fours and 2 twelve-pounder carronades. In Sept. 1800, Lieut. Bailey joined the Wright armedship, Capt. Thos. Campbell, on the North Sea station, where he was next appointed 29 May, 1802, to the Jalouse 18, Capt. Christ. Strachey. On 14 June, 1803, the latter vessel, in company with L’Immortalité 36 and Cruiser 18, effected the capture, after an hour’s engagement with the batteries on the east side of Cape Grisnez, of two French gun-vessels, forming part of the French invasion flotilla – others of which she also assisted in destroying. Lieut. Bailey continued to serve in the Jalouse, latterly on the Mediterranean station, until appointed, 5 Aug. 1806, to the Atlas 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral John Child Purvis, off Cadiz, at the blockade of which port she appears to have been employed for the unprecedented period of 19 months and 12 days without once letting go an anchor. In 1808, in consequence of a severe injury received in the execution of his duty, he was compelled to invalid and return home, thereby losing a very fair chance of the promotion to which, as First Lieutenant of the Atlas, he had already in part become entitled. On 22 Sept. in the same year, however, although not perfectly recovered, he entered the Transport service, in which he continued, for the long space of 30 years, in the active and zealous discharge of duties of high importance. In 1809 he was conspicuously employed, after the battle of Corunna, in embarking the troops – 500 of whom he conveyed to England. He acquired also the sterling approbation of Lieut.-Gen. Lord Wm. Bentinck for his conduct as officer in charge of the Transport department during the operations against Genoa, Leghorn, and Marseilles; and when at Genoa, in 1814, was selected to convey the Imperial Guard, the suite, and effects of Napoleon Buonaparte from Savona to Elba, and afterwards to escort thither from Genoa the Comtesse Bertrand. For the services last mentioned he received the personal acknowledgments of the Emperor, with an elegant ring set in brilliants, as a memento of his high esteem. He had been previously presented, for his services in Sicily and at Marseilles, with the Order of St. Ferdinand and Merit from the King of Naples, and the decoration of the “Lys” from Louis XVIII. After filling at various periods the duties of Resident-Agent at Malta, Gowes, and Portsmouth, Mr. Bailey was at length, 15 March, 1831, permanently appointed to Deptford, where he remained until compelled to retire at the close of 1838, from the effects of severe bodily injuries received in the public service. He was placed, 3 June, 1840, on the Retired Commander’s list of 1830, and on 27 Feb. 1845, was promoted to the list of 1816. Commander Bailey, from 1800 until the death of King William IV., was honoured with the patronage and correspondence of that monarch, and to his Majesty’s commands owed his long tenure of office.
He is married, and has, with other issue, a son, Lucius Curtis, Master, R.N. (1838), now surveying (he Irish Channel, in the Firefly steam-vessel Capt. Fred. Wm. Beechey. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.