A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cookney, James Thomas
COOKNEY. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
James Thomas Cookney entered the Navy, 23 June, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Donegal 74, Capt. Pulteney Malcolm, under whom he attained the rating of Midshipman 21 Feb. 1807, and served until paid off in Feb. 1811. During that period he escorted the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley from Cork to Portugal; witnessed the destruction, in April, 1809, of the French shipping in Aix Roads; and took part, while at the blockade of Cherbourg, in an attack made on the two French 40-gun frigates Amazone and Eliza, protected by the heavy fire of several formidable batteries, 15 Nov. 1810. After a further attachment of a few months to the Boyne 98, flag-ship at Portsmouth of Sir Harry Burrard Neale, and Menelaus 38, Capt. Sir Peter Parker, he joined, in Dec. 1811, the Iris 36, Capt. Hood Hanway Christian, and was for a considerable time employed in active co-operation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain, where he assisted at the capture of Castro. On 12 Jan. 1815, he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Duncan 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Poo Beresford on the South American station, whence, on being officially promoted, 19 June following, he returned to England. Lieut. Cookney has not been afloat since.