A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Buchanan, Alexander
BUCHANAN. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
Alexander Buchanan was born 5 May, 1793.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 July, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Theseus 74, Capt. Geo. Hope, in which ship he served for some time at the Cape; removed, in June, 1807, to the Ganges 74, Capt. Peter Halkett, under whom he attended the ensuing expedition to Copenhagen; then rejoined Capt. Hope in the Pompée 74, lying at Chatham; became Midshipman, in March, 1808, of the Victory 100, flag-ship in the Baltic of Sir Jas. Saumarez; served next, from May to Nov. 1809, in the Melpomene 38, Capts. Fred. Warren and Peter Parker, and Eagle 74, Capt. Chas. Rowley; and was subsequently, for upwards of three years, actively employed in the Hussar 38, Capts. Alex. Skene, Jas. Coutts Crawford, and Geo. Elliott, on the East India station, where he assisted at the reduction of Java in Aug. 1811. He passed his examination 7 Feb. 1813; received immediately afterwards an order to act as Lieutenant of the Barracouta 18, Capt. Chas. Hawkey; and on 24 Aug. following was officially promoted. He subsequently, from Sept. to Nov. 1815, served in the Martin 18, Capt. Hon. Jas. Arbuthnot, lying at Plymouth, and, for a short time in 1828, in the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, stationed in Newhaven Harbour for the purposes of the extended Coast Blockade. He has not since been employed.
Lieut. Buchanan married, in Jan. 1827, a daughter of the late Rear-Admiral Alex. Shippard, and granddaughter of the late Admiral Sir John Knight, K.C.B., by whom he has issue four sons and two daughters.