A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Clay, Edward Sneyd
CLAY. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1837. f-p., 23; h-p., 40.)
Edward Sneyd Clay died 3 Feb. 1846, at Southwell, co. Nottingham, aged 78.
This officer entered the Navy, 15 April, 1783, as Midshipman, on board the Hector 74, Capt. Sir Jas. Hamilton, and, until March, 1794, served, on the Home, West India, and Mediterranean stations, in the Europa 50, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Jas. Gambier, Catherine yacht, Capt. Sir Geo. Young, Phaeton 38, Capt. Geo. Dawson, Solebay 32, Capt. Wm. Squire, and Alcide 74, Capt. Robt. Linzee, in which latter ship he was present at the occupation of Toulon and capture of St. Fiorenza, in 1793-4. Attaining the rank of Lieutenant on 19 March in the latter year, he joined, in succession, the Mulette 20, Capts. Joseph Bullen and Rich. Goddard, Magnificent 74, Capt. W. Squire, Montagu 74, Capt. John Knight, and Venerable and Kent 74’s, flagships of Lord Duncan. In the Venerable Mr. Clay was wounded in the battle off Camperdown, 11 Oct. 1797;[1] and, from the Kent, was sent home. In Aug. 1799, in compliment to his intelligence and merit, with the despatches announcing the successful issue of the expedition to the Helder.[2] He obtained command of the Zebra sloop, 3 Dec. 1799; paid that vessel off, after intermediately serving in the North Sea and participating in the battle of Copenhagen, 29 Oct. 1801; and, on 29 April, 1802, was raised to Post-rank. From 20 July, 1805, until May, 1808, Capt. Clay was next employed as Regulating Officer at Belfast. He then joined the St. George 98; and was afterwards appointed – 6 Feb. 1809, to the Téméraire 98, in the Baltic – 14 May, 1810, to the Nymphe 36, in which frigate he took the Danish privateer Norwegian Girl, of 2 guns and 19 men, 26 Oct. following, and was eventually wrecked at the entrance of the Frith of Forth on 18 Dec. in the same year – and 16 July, 1812, to the Raisonnable 64, at Sheerness. Rear-Admiral Clay, who had not been afloat since June, 1814, and was in receipt of a pension for wounds of 250l., attained Flag-rank 10 Jan. 1837.
He died a widower, having lost his wife 20 April, 1837. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.