A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Clark, Richard (a)
CLARK. (Retired Commander, 1823. f-p., 24; h-p., 45.)
Richard Clark (a) died 5 Feb. 1845.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 Dec. 1776, as Midshipman, on board the Albion 74, Capt. John Carter Allen; and, continuing to serve with the same officer, in the Egmont and Gibraltar 74’s, until Oct. 1780, was present, in the Egmont, in Keppel’s action with the Comte d’Orvilliers, 27 July, 1778. He then joined the Crescent 28, Capt. Hon. Thos. Pakenham, which ship, in May, 1781, was captured by the French frigates Friponne and La Gloire, having previously, however, struck her colours, after a gallant defence, and a loss of 26 men killed and 67 wounded, to the Dutch ship Brill, of 36 guns. On regaining his liberty, Mr. Clark, in Aug. following, rejoined Capt. Pakenham in the Minerva 38; from which vessel he next removed to the Victory 100, bearing the flag of Lord Howe, whom he accompanied to the relief of Gibraltar in Oct. 1782. We subsequently find him serving as Acting-Lieutenant of the Europa 50, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Jas. Gambler on the West India station; for two years, as Commander of the Squirrel Revenue-cutter, at the port of Looe; and, next, on board the Impregnable 98, and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ships of Sir Rich. Bickerton and Lord Howe. On 16 Aug. 1790, he again received an acting-order as Lieutenant, in the Hussar 28, Capt. Eliab Harvey; and, on 2 Nov. in the same year, he was confirmed in the Bombay Castle 74, Capt. John Thos. Duckworth. After a further servitude of some months under Capt. Harvey in the Santa Marguretta 38, Lieut. Clark assumed command, 26 July, 1794, of the Black Joke hired lugger, and, shortly afterwards, of the Argus, another lugger, in which he served with Lord Bridport in the action of 23 July, 1795. On 26 Dec. 1799, he was invested, from the Neptune 98, Capt. Jas. Vashon, with the charge of the Alert lugger, and remained in that vessel until Oct. 1801. From 14 July, 1803, until 1808 (excepting from May, 1805, to Sept. 1806, when he commanded a Signal station at St. Catharine’s, in the Isle of Wight), Lieut. Clark was, lastly, employed in the Sea Fencibles, at Brixham and Dartmouth. He attained the rank of Retired Commander 13 May, 1823.