A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Day, John
DAY. (Retired Commander, 1846. f-p., 19; h-p., 34.)
John Day entered the Navy, 26 April, 1794, as Midshipman, on board the Stately 64, Capt. Billy Douglas, in which ship, after assisting at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, he beheld the surrender of the Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay, 17 Aug. 1796. He then joined the Braave, Capts. Andw. Todd and Josias Rowley; and, on next removing to the Tremendous 74, Capt. John Osborne, was, in company with the 50-gun ship Adamant, at the destruction of the French 40-gun frigate La Preneuse, off the Isle of France, 11 Dec. 1799. After an additional servitude, at the Cape, of two years, as Acting-Master of the Euphrosyne, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Wilkinson, Mr. Day returned to England in 1802; subsequently to which we find him, in 1804-5, serving, on the Home station, in the Hawk, Unité, and Royal William. Towards the close of the latter year he Bailed for Cadiz with Sir John Duckworth in the Superb 74; and, on proceeding soon afterwards to the West Indies in the Canopus 80, flag-ship of Sir Thos. Louis, bore a part in the battle off St. Domingo, 6 Feb. 1806. During the next six months Mr. Day officiated as Acting-Lieutenant of the Canopus; but at the end of that period, being unconfirmed by the Admiralty, he became Master’s Mate of the Windsor Castle 98, Capt. Chas. Boyles, under whom he witnessed Sir Sam. Hood’s capture of four French frigates off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806, and was present at the passage of the Dardanells in Feb. 1807. In the following April he joined the Glatton 50, Capts. Thos. Seccombe, John Clavell, Henry Hope, and Geo. Miller Bligh; and, after again serving as Acting-Lieutenant in that ship for the space of five months, was at length formally promoted, by commission dated 21 Dec. 1808. From 22 May, 1809, until 6 March, 1813, he next served, still on the Mediterranean station, as First of the Wizard 18, under the command of various officers. His last war-appointment was, on 17 Sept. 1813, to the Andromeda 22, Capt. Rich. Arthur, employed off Gibraltar and Lisbon, whence he returned home early in 1815. He subsequently, in 1841-2, commanded the Pike steamer; and on 3 Nov. 1846 accepted the rank he now holds.