A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brasier, James
BRASIER. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 21; h-p., 27.)
James Brasier entered the Navy, 3 Dec. 1799, as Midshipman, on board the Defence 74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet, one of Sir Hyde Parker’s ships at the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801; and, on subsequently proceeding off Cadiz, commanded a boat belonging to the Defence at the successful repulse of a large number of gun-vessels sent out of that port to attack her during a cahn. In Aug. 1802, he joined La Pique 36, Capts. Wm. Cumberland and Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, and, after witnessing the evacuation of Aux Cayes and Cape François, St. Domingo, the surrender of the three French frigates with the remains of Gen. Rochambeau’s army on board, the capture of several privateers and other armed vessels, and the gallant but unfortunate attack on Curaçoa, was transferred, in Dec. 1805, to the Hercule 74, bearing the flag at Jamaica of Vice- Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres, and on 12 March, 1806, as Acting-Sub-Lieutenant to the Stork 18, Capt. Geo. Le Geyt. For his conduct on 3 Sept. 1806, as one of a detached party under Capt. Edw. Rushworth, at the storming of the fort of Batabano, in the island of Cuba, and seizure of a number of small armed and merchant vessels there collected, Mr. Brasier was appointed, in Jan. 1807, Acting-Lieutenant of the Pomona 38, Capt. John Parish, and, on 10 June, 1807, was confirmed into his former ship, La Pique, Capt. Ross. His after-appointments, as Lieutenant, were – 2 March and 7 May, 1808, to the St. George and Neptune 98’s, Capts. Thos. Bertie and Sir Thos. Williams, in the Channel – 7 Feb. 1809, to the Alfred 74, Capt. Joshua Rowley Watson, in which ship, after having been sent in command of a gunboat to assist at the siege of Flushing, he proceeded to the West Indies, where he took part in the reduction of Guadeloupe in Feb. 1810 – 9 May ensuing, again to the Stork, Capt. Le Geyt, on the same station – 16 Sept. 1811, to the Royal George 100, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir J. Williams, Benj. Hallowell, and Fras. Pickmore, in the Channel and Mediterranean – 10 Nov. 1812, to the Prince of Wales 98, Capt. John Erskine Douglas – 26 Jan. 1813, to the Repulse 74, Capt. Rich. Hussey Moubray, in the boats of which ship he served at the destruction of two important batteries and capture of a convoy near the port of Morjean, 2 May following – 23 Sept. in the same year, as Senior, to the Iphigenia 36, Capt. Andrew King, under whom he served at the reduction of Genoa in April, 1814 – 27 March, 1815, after an unemployed interval of nearly a year, to the Impregnable 98, flag-ship, also in the Mediterranean, of Sir Josias Rowley, which ship was paid off in Dec. 1815 – and, 30 Sept. 1818, to the Spencer 74, bearing the flag of the latter officer on the Irish station, where he served for three years. Capt. Brasier, who obtained his second promotal commission 26 Dec. 1822, subsequently commanded, from 20 Dec. 1832, until he invalided, 26 April, 1833, the Vernon 50, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Cockburn in the West Indies; and, from 23 Jan. 1834, until his advancement to Post rank, 10 Jan. 1837, the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Sir Josias Rowley in the Mediterranean. He has since been unemployed.
Capt. Brasier married, in 1838, Catherine, only surviving daughter of the late John Marshall, Esq., of Bradney, Shropshire. Agent – J. Hinxman.