A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Blight, William
BLIGHT. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 26; h-p., 28.)
William Blight, the son of an officer in the Navy, is brother of Lieut. E. Blight, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 May, 1793, as a Vol., on board the Intrepid 64, Capt. Hon. Chas. Carpenter, and continued to serve in that ship (with but a short interval in Dec. 1796, when he appears to have been employed in the Prince George 98, Capt. John Irwin, lying at Portsmouth), as Midshipman, Master’s Mate, and Acting-Lieutenant, under Capts. Robt. Parker, Edw. Bass, and Wm. Hargood – nearly the whole time in the East and West Indies, where he came into frequent encounter with the enemy – until confirmed, 15 April, 1803, into the Britannia 100, Capt., afterwards Rear-Admiral, the Earl of Northesk. In the latter ship Lieut. Blight participated in the battle of Trafalgar, and during that huge conflict was sent with a party to take possession of the surrendered French 74 L’Aigle, in which he remained, exposed to severe sufferings, until fortunately rescued previous to her total loss in the gale that ensued. He was next employed in navigating to Gibraltar another of the captured ships, the Spanish third-rate Santa Ana. His subsequent appointments, as Lieutenant, were – 14 Feb. 1806, to the Dreadnought 98, as Flag to the Earl of Northesk – 14 Aug. 1806, to the Nereide 36, Capt. Robt. Corbett, of which frigate he ultimately became Senior – 9 Feb. 1809, to the Powerful 74, Capt. Chas. Jas. Johnston – 24 July, 1809, to be Agent for Transports, in which capacity he officiated until 16 Nov. 1815 – and, in Oct. 1819, as First, to the Queen Charlotte, bearing the flag at Portsmouth of Sir Geo. Campbell. While in the Nereide at the attack on Buenos Ayres, in July, 1807, Lieut. Blight was intrusted by Rear-Admiral Murray with the peculiarly dangerous and hazardous service of keeping up a constant communication between the Army and Navy, and for his able discharge of that duty he acquired considerable credit and much official notice.[1] He was subsequently employed in protecting the British trade in the Rio de la Plata, and in cruizing off and blockading the isles of France and Bourbon. On 21 Oct. 1808, we find him assisting at the destruction of two powerful pirate-vessels, in the Persian Gulf, having 700 men on board, and the simultaneous recapture of the Hon.E.I. Co.’s war-cruizer Sylph, after an action of four hours. During the eventful years of 1812-13-14, at the especial request of Lieut.General Lord William Bentinck, he was stationed at Palermo, the head quarters, to conduct the duties of the Transport Department. On 31 May, 1828, the subject of this memoir, who had been promoted to the rank of Commander 12 Feb, 1821, was appointed to the Britannia 120, flag-ship at Plymouth of his old friend the Earl of Northesk, with whom he continued – latterly in the St. Vincent 120 – until the expiration of his lordship’s command in May, 1830. Capt. Blight was advanced to Post rank 22 July following, but he has not since been employed. It is very worthy of remark, that, from the period of his entering the service in 1793 until 1815, this officer was not, altogether, more than two months unemployed.
He married Louisa, sister of Commander J. B. Howell, R.N.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 1211.