A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Casey, David O'Brien
CASEY. (Lieut., 1799. f-p., 29; h-p., 29.)
David O'Brien Casey entered the Navy, in 1789, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Hyaena 24, Capts. John Aylmer, Jas. Kinneer, and Wm. Hargood, which ship, the first lost by the British during the war, was captured by the French 40-gun frigate Concorde, off Hispaniola, 27 May, 1793. On regaining his liberty soon afterwards, Mr. Casey obtained a Midshipman’s berth in the Hermione 32, Capts. John Hill and Philip Wilkinson, also on the Jamaica station; where, in 1795-6, he became successively attached to the Raisonnable 64, and Swiftsure 74, both flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Wm. Parker, and, as Acting-Lieutenant, to. the Ambuscade 32, Capt. Thos. Twysden; and where he rejoined, early in 1797, the Hermione, then commanded by Capt. Hugh Pigot. A fearful mutiny, on 23 Sept. following, broke out among the crew of the latter ship, and, in the general massacre of the officers which ensued, Mr. Casey, the Master, Gunner, Carpenter, and Cook, were the only persons who escaped destruction. Of these, the subject of this sketch is now the only survivor. On his subsequent return to England, after a captivity of some months at La Guayra, on the Spanish Main, Mr. Casey in succession joined, on the Home station, the Achilles 74, Capts. Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope and Geo. Murray, Royal George 100, bearing the flag of Lord Bridport, and, as Acting-Lieutenant, the Monarch 74, Capt. T. R. Mosse, and another ship, the name of which we do not happen to possess. He was confirmed, 11 Oct. 1799, into the Nemesis 28, Capt. Thos. Baker, and, on 12 Jan. and 25 July, 1800, appears, while cruizing in the Channel, to have assisted at the capture of Le Renard a heavy privateer, and, after a sharp struggle of 25 minutes, of the Danish frigate Freija, and convoy. Towards the close of the latter year we find him, as First Lieutenant of Le Sensible, Capt. Robt. Tause, sailing for the East Indies, where he continued two years; after which he served, until 1805, in the Magicienne and Fortunée frigates, Capt. Henry Vansittart – again, as First Lieutenant, in the Merlin sloop, Capt. Robt. Forbes – and in the Astrea 32, Capt. Jas. Carthew, on the Home and West India stations. He afterwards for eight years commanded a Signal station and a body of Sea Fencibles in Ireland; and was then appointed, 6 March and 10 May, 1813, to the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferris Devonshire, fitting out at Chatham, and, as Senior, to the Clarence 74, Capts. H. Vansittart and Fred. Warren, with whom he served, off Brest, until Aug. 1814. On 6 Dec. 1835, he next obtained charge of the Semaphore at Putney; but resigned that employment on being appointed, 15 Oct. 1839, to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich.
Lieut. Casey is married, and has, with other issue, a son, Thomas Page, Second Lieutenant, R.M. (1843), now serving in the Mediterranean, on board the America 50, Capt. Hon. John Gordon.