A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brown, George Williams
BROWN. (Retired Commander, 1834. f-p., 13; h-p., 39.)
George Williams Brown entered the Navy, 31 Aug. 1795, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Laurel 28, Capt. Robt. Rolles, on the West India station, where, in May, 1796, he assisted at the reduction of Ste. Lucie, and towards the close of that year removed, as Midshipman, to the Renommée 44, commanded by the same officer, and also by Capt. Wm. Sanderson. He was next transferred, in the summer of 1799, to the Excellent 74, Capt. Hon. Robt. Stopford, under whom, in the Channel, and again in the West Indies, he witnessed, as Master’s Mate, the capture of several armed and other vessels; and, on 29 April, 1802, he was made Lieutenant into the Bellerophon 74, Capt. John Loring. His subsequent appointments were – 7 Jan. 1803, after six months of half-pay, to La Pique 36, Capt. Wm. Cumberland, on the North Sea station, whence, however, he returned to port about April following – 8 March, 1804, to the Lucifer bomb, Capts. Gregory and Robt. Elliott, lying in the Downs – 22 April, 1805, to the Triumph 74, Capt. Hen. Inman, under whom he participated in Sir Robt. Calder’s action with the combined fleets of France and Spain, 22 July ensuing – 15 May, 1806, to the Sampson 64, Capt. Wm. Cuming, one of Rear-Admiral Chas. Stirling’s squadron, when sent to supersede Sir Home Popham in the Rio de la Plata – 24 June, 1807, to the Franchise 36, Capt. Chas. Dashwood, from which ship, after attending the expedition to Copenhagen under Lord Gambler, and proceeding with convoy to the West Indies, he invalided in Aug. 1808 – and, 8 May, 1809, and 9 March and 11 April, 1810, to the sloops Glommen, Capt. Chas. Pickford, Pultusk, Capt. Edw. Flin, and Star, Capts. Wm. Paterson, Wm. Hendrie, and Robt. Lisle Coulson – all likewise in the West Indies. The Glommen was wrecked in Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, in Nov. 1809. Commander Brown, who has not been afloat since 13 Dec. 1810, accepted his present rank 25 Feb. 1834.