A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cole, George Ward
COLE. (Lieutenant, 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 30.)
George Ward Cole entered the Navy, 21 Oct, 1807, as a Volunteer, on board the Lark 18, Capt. Robt. Nicholas, on the Jamaica station, where he soon attained the rating of Midshipman, and served, until 1810, in the Fleur de la Mer schooner, Lieut.-Commander Daly, and Daedalus 32, Capt, Sam, Hood Inglefield. He then joined the Princess of Orange 74, flag-ship in the Downs of Vice-Admiral Geo. Campbell; was employed, from Nov. in the same year until Jan. 1814, in the Cracker 14, Lieut.-Commanders Henry Fyge Jauncey and Mich. Fitton, under the first of whom he took, in the North Sea, 22 Nov. 1810, the Diane privateer, of 4 guns and 22 men; and, in Dec. 1814, was promoted, from the Tonnant 80, flag-ship of Sir Alex. Cochrane, to the command, with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant, of the Destructive gun-vessel. While in attendance on the ensuing expedition against New Orleans, he was slightly wounded during a furious conflict which rendered captive to the British a flotilla of five American gun-boats on Lake Borgne, after the heavy loss to the former of 17 men killed and 77 wounded.[1] Being confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant 29 Mar. 1815, Mr. Cole returned home in the Wasp sloop, Capt. John Fisher, and, after a further servitude of two years, again in the West Indies, on board the Primrose 18, Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, Pique 36, Capts. Jas. Haldane Tait and John M‘Kellar, and Active 38, Capt. Phil. Carteret, was placed on half-pay 9 Oct. 1817. Since that date he has not been afloat.
While in the Primrose, on her passage from England to Jamaica, Lieut. Cole intrepidly plunged overboard, and, at the risk of his own life, saved that of one of the crew. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1815, p. 448.