A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cosnahan, Michael Finch
COSNAHAN. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 32)
Michael Finch Cosnahan entered the Navy, 13 Oct. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pompée 74, Capt. Rich. Dacres, flag-ship, successively, of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith and Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope; in which he appears to have been for some time very actively engaged on the coast of Calabria, and to have been present, in 1807, at the passage of the Dardanells, the destruction of a Turkish squadron ofif Point Pesquies, and the bombardment of Copenhagen. In Feb. 1808 he joined, as Midshipman, the Victory 100, bearing the flag in the Baltic of Sir Jas. Saumarez. He cruized next, from Feb. 1809 until June, 1810, in the Eclipse, Capts. Creyke and Sullivan, on the West India and Home stations; and while afterwards serving with Sir Home Popham, Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, and Capt. Joseph Needham Tayler, in the Venerable 74, and, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Surveillante 38, and Sparrow 16, took part in a variety of stirring operations on the north coast of Spain, where he witnessed the reduction of Lequeytio and Castro in June and July, 1812. Mr. Cosnahan – who subsequently accompanied Sir H. Popham to the East Indies in the Stirling Castle 74, and in the same ship, under Capt. Wm. Butterfield, brought the Guards from Bordeaux to England at the termination of hostilities – was promoted, from the Impregnable 104, Capt. Robt. Hall, 21 Feb. 1815. He has not since been afloat. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.