A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Chrystie, Thomas
CHRYSTIE. (Lieut., 1809. f-p., 15; h-p., 32.)
Thomas Chrystie was born 28 April, 1787, at Balchrystie, in the parish of Newburn, co. Fife.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 July, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Ajax 80, Capt. Hon. Alex. Inglis Cochrane; and, continuing to serve in the same ship until the peace, attended the expeditions to Belleisle, Ferrol, Cadiz, and Egypt. After an intermediate attachment, with Capt. Chas. Stewart, to the Unicorn and Ethalion frigates, on the North Sea station, he joined, 25 Feb. 1805, the Defiance 74, Capts. Philip Chas. Durham and Henry Hotham; and, on 22 July and 21 Oct. following, shared, under the former officer, in Sir Robt. Calder’s action and in the battle of Trafalgar. He afterwards, until 1808, in March of which year he passed his examination, served, on the Home station, in the Eurydice 28, Capt. Sir Wm. Bolton, Snapper schooner, Lieut.-Commander W. B. Champion, Royal Sovereign yacht, Capt. Sir Harry Burrard Neale, and Valorous 20, Capt. Irvine. Proceeding then to the West Indies in the Gloire frigate, Capt. Jas. Carthew, he joined the Neptune 98, bearing the flag of his old Captain, Sir Alex. Cochrane, and while in that ship served on shore at the reduction of Martinique in Feb. 1809. Having attained the rank of Lieutenant on 8 of the latter month, Mr. Chrystie, in the course of the same year, joined the Wolverene brig, Capt. John Simpson, Félicité, Capt. John Lake, and also the Caesar 80, Capt. Chas. Richardson, by whom, in 1810, he was sent with a party of seamen to assist in the defence of the lines at Torres Vedras. On 10 June, 1811, we next find him appointed to the Sceptre 74, Capt. Sam. James Ballard, and in 1812 capturing, in command of the boats of that ship, a fort of 8 guns in Quiberon Bay, where he further destroyed several vessels that had taken shelter under its walls, and defeated two bodies of militia, armed with two field-pieces, one of which was taken and thrown into the sea. On one occasion also, in the month of Sept. 1811, he appears to have been in chase of the boats at the capture of a French merchant-sloop and five chasse-marées.[1] Mr. Chrystie, who, in the Sceptre and Marlborough, was afterwards actively employed in the Chesapeake, accompanied, in 1814-15, as First of the Alceste troop-ship, Capt. Dan. Lawrence, the force sent against New Orleans. He has not been officially employed since Nov. of the latter year. He married 31 Jan. 1837.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1811, p. 1889.