A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cheyne, George
CHEYNE. (Commander, 1819. f-p., 15; h-p., 28.)
George Cheyne entered the Navy, 12 Oct. 1804, as Midshipman, on board the Texel, Capt. Donald Campbell, flag-ship on the Leith station of Rear-Admiral Jas. Vashon, from which he removed, as Master’s Mate, 30 Sept. 1805, to the Seagull, of 16 guns and 94 men, Capt. Robt. Cathcart. The latter vessel being captured off the coast of Norway, 19 June, 1808, by a powerful Danish force, consisting of the Lougen, of 20 guns and 160 men, and of 6 gun-boats, all heavily gunned and manned, after a glorious resistance of 2 hours and 30 minutes, in which she lost 8 men killed and 20 wounded, and was reduced to a sinking state, Mr. Cheyne was, with the rest of his shipmates, taken prisoner and confined until the following October. From that date until April, 1813, he appears to have served, on the Home and Baltic stations, in the Nightingale, Capt. Wm. Wilkinson, Ganymede 26, and Alexandria 38, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Cathcart, Victory 100, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Saumarez, and Alexandria again, Capt. R. Cathcart. He was promoted, 21 Dec. 1813, to a Lieutenancy in the Defiance 74, bearing the flag of Sir Geo. Hope in the Baltic; and, on 21 Dec. 1813, joined the Porcupine 24, Capt. John Coode. From 24 Feb. 1814 (on which date he won the admiration of Rear-Admiral Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, by the dashing intrepidity of his conduct in passing the fearful bar of the Adour in an open boat with 5 men), until Aug. following, Mr. Cheyne was employed with the army under the Duke of Wellington near Bayonne.[1] On 20 Sept. in the same year he joined the Queen 74, bearing the flag of the last-named officer in the Mediterranean; and, on 31 Dec. 1815, he removed to the Albion 74, Capt. John Coode, with whom he shared in the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816. The latter ship being paid off in May, 1819, Mr. Cheyne, who had been for a long time her First Lieutenant, was promoted, 12 Aug. following, to the rank of Commander. He has not since been afloat.
He married, 25 April, 1843, Maria, third daughter of the late Tobias John Young, Esq., of Southampton.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 566.