A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Clyde, Charles
CLYDE. (Retired Captain, 1840. f-p., 25; h-p., 38.)
Charles Clyde entered the Navy, 15 June, 1784, as A.B., on board the Trimmer sloop, commanded, latterly, by Capt. Chas. Tyler, and employed for the suppression of smuggling in the Bristol Channel. He attained the rating of Midshipman 2 Dec. 1784, and, from July, 1786, until the breaking out of the French revolutionary war, continued to serve on the Home station, on borad the Spider cutter, Lieut.-Commander Edmonstone, Impregnable and Nero, ships of the line, Capt. Thos. Pringle, Hyaena 24, Capt. John Aylmer, Royal George 100, bearing the flag of Admiral Barrington, London 98, Capt. Geo. Blagden Westcott, and, in the Mediterranean, on board the Romney 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Sam. Cranston Goodall. He then followed the latter officer into the Princess Royal 98, in which ship we find him, during the months of Aug. 1793, and Feb. 1794, present in action with the forts at the occupation of Toulon, and at the capture of St. Fiorenza. After a period of five months’ additional servitude in the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Hood, Mr. Clyde, on 18 Aug. 1794, was reappointed, with the rank of Lieutenant, to the Princess Royal, commanded as before; and he had thus an opportunity of witnessing Hotham’s partial actions of 14 March and 13 July, 1795. On 7 Oct. 1796 he next joined the Glory 98, Capt. Brine; and, on 2 May, 1798, he was appointed to the Captain 74, Capts. John Aylmer, Geo. Bowen, Sir Rich. John Strachan, and Chas. Boyles. Under Sir Rich. Strachan, he assisted at the capture, 19 June, 1799, of Rear-Admiral Perree’s squadron of three frigates and two brigs; and, in 1800, attended tile expeditions against Quiberon and Ferrol, besides contributing to the boat-destruction, on 18 Nov. in that year, of a 20-gun corvette, defended by a heavy fire on all sides from the shore in the Morbihan.[1] The Captain being paid off on her return from Jamaica, in 1802, Lieut. Clyde’s subsequent appointments, until promoted to the rank of Commander, 21 Oct. 1810, appear to have been, in July, 1803, to the Sea Fencibles at Maidstone; and, on the North Sea station – 26 Sept. 1804, to the Hindostan, Capt. Alex. Fraser – 16 Feb. 1805, to the Inflexible 64, Capt. Thos. Bayley – 19 July, 1805, to the Dictator 64, Capt. Jas. Macnamara – for six weeks in 1808 to the acting-command of the Quebec 32 – then, again, to the Dictator, Capt. Donald Campbell – and, in Aug. 1809, as First, to the York 74, Capt. Robt. Barton, attached to the force in the Mediterranean. Capt. Clyde, who has been on half-pay ever since 1810, assumed his present rank 10 Sept. 1840.
He married, 20 April, 1818, a daughter of the Rev. Wm. Milton, vicar of Heckfield, co. Hants.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1800, p. 1349.