A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Clephan, James
CLEPHAN. (Retired Captain, 1840. f-p., 20; h-p., 33.)
James Clephan was born in Fifeshire, N.B. This officer entered the Navy (through the hands of a press-gang, after having served his time as an apprentice in the merchant-service), 23 July, 1794, as A.B., on board the Sibyl 28, Capt. Hon. Chas. Jones, afterwards Viscount Ranelagh, with whom he joined, 7 Oct. 1795, as Master’s Mate, the Doris 36, in which frigate he continued to serve, in the North Sea and on the Irish station, latterly under Capts. John Halliday and Chas. Brisbane, until July, 1801. On the night of 21 of the latter month we find him assisting, in the boats of the Doris and of the Beaulieu and Uranie frigates, all commanded by Lieut. Keith Maxwell, at the cutting-out of La Chevrette corvette, of 20 long nine-pounders and 350 men, under the batteries in Camaret Bay, near Brest, a position deemed almost impregnable, after a deadly conflict, in which the enemy lost their Captain, 6 other officers, and 85 men killed, and 1 Lieutenant, 4 Midshipmen, and 57 men wounded – and the British 1 Lieutenant, R.M., 1 Midshipman, and 9 men slain, and 2 Lieutenants, 1 Master’s Mate, 3 Midshipmen, and 51 men wounded. For his distinguished gallantry on that memorable occasion, when, although knocked overboard while ascending her side, he was the first to gain the enemy’s deck, and there received several slight wounds, Mr. Clephan was promoted, on 31 of the same month, to a well-earned Lieutenancy in the Namur 98, Capt. Hon. Michael De Courcy. While belonging next, from 11 March, 1803, to Dec. 1809, to the Spartiate 74, Capts. Geo. Murray, John Manley, and Sir Fras. Laforey, he visited the Mediterranean, took part in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805, and was for four years employed as her First-Lieutenant in the West Indies. Having been promoted to the rank of Commander, from the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir F. Laforey, 20 April, 1811, the subject of this notice was, on 15 June following, appointed to the Charybdis sloop, in which he captured, 31 Dec. 1812, near the island of Saba, the American privateer Blockade, of 10 guns and 66 men. In 1814-15 he also shared in the expedition against New Orleans, and on its failure conveyed to Sir Geo. Cockburn off Cumberland Island the despatches announcing the intelligence. Capt. Clephan went on half-pay 23 Aug. 1815, and, unable to procure further employment, accepted his present rank 29 Oct. 1840.