A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Clark, Joseph
CLARK. (Lieutenant, 1819. f-p., 35; h-p., 5.)
Joseph Clark, born in 1790, has lost five brothers in the naval service of their country, of whom one was wounded, as First-Lieutenant of the Dictator 64, at the reduction of the French West-India Islands in 1794, another served in Sir Robt. Calder’s action, and a third in Sir Rich. Strachan’s.
This officer entered the Navy, 12 April, 1807, as A.B., on board the Sheldrake sloop, Capt. John Thicknesse, stationed in the Channel, where he soon afterwards attained the rating of Midshipman, and then of Master’s Mate. On removing, in July, 1808, to the Hydra 38, Capt. Geo. Mundy, we find Mr. Clark employed for two years in perpetual boat attacks on the enemy’s forts and vessels along the coast of Spain; after which he served, until May, 1816, on board the Hannibal 74, flag-ship in the Baltic of Rear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham, Christian VII. 80, Capt. Ball, off Flushing, Bulwark 74, Rear-Admiral Durham, in the Channel, Iphigenia and Resistance frigates, both commanded in the Mediterranean by Capt. Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, Barrosa 36, Capts. Wm. Henry Shirreff and Wm. M‘Culloch, in the East Indies, and Venerable 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Durham in the West Indies. While in the Resistance he witnessed, 5 Oct. 1813, an attack on the batteries of Port d’Anzo, and the capture of a convoy of 29 vessels anchored for protection under the walls; and he was present, in the Venerable, at the reduction, in 1815, of Martinique and Guadeloupe. From June, 1816, until Sept. 1818, Mr. Clark, as Admiralty-Midshipman, was further employed, on the Mediterranean, Halifax, and Home stations, in the Leander 50, Capt. Edw. Chetham (under whom he was wounded in the left arm at the battle of Algiers), Pactolus 38, Capt. Wm. Hugh Debbie, Florida 24, Capt. Chas. Sibthorp John Hawbayne, and Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander. He then joined the Coast Blockade, and, obtaining his commission 16 Aug. 1819, . continued in the same service, with his name successively on the books of the Severn, Ramillies, and Hyperion, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye, until 1829. For his exertions during that period in saving the crews and cargoes of 10 different vessels, of from 600 to 700 tons each, he was presented by the Committee at Lloyd’s with a sword, a brace of pistols, and a gold medal; as likewise with a gold medal from the King of the Netherlands, for preserving the lives of six of his Majesty’s subjects, wrecked near Beachy Head. With the exception of four years (from 1837 until Sept. 1841), Lieut. Clark has been in the Coast Guard since 2 Aug. 1830.
He married, in 1818, Louisa, youngest daughter of Capt. Geo. Rice, R.N. (who died from the wounds he had received, as First of the Valiant, on the 1st of June, 1794), grand-daughter of Capt. Geo. Burdon, R.N., who, when commanding the Drake sloop, fell in action with the notorious Paul Jones, 25 April, 1778, and niece of the late Admiral Burdon. By that lady he has issue two children.