A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Digby, Joseph
DIGBY. (Captain, 1815. f-p., 13; h-p., 34.)
Joseph Digby, born 15 July, 1786, is youngest son of the late Hon. and Rev. Wm. Digby, LL.D., Dean of Durham, Vicar of Coles Hill, Chaplain in Ordinary to George III., and Canon of Christchurch, by Charlotte, daughter of Joseph Cox, Esq.; brother of Admiral of the Blue, the late Sir Henry Digby, G.C.B.,[1] and of the late Capt. Chas. Geo. Digby, R.N.; brother-in-law of the late Earl of Ilchester, of Sir John Sheffield, Bart., of Sir John Henry Newbolt, Kt., Chief Justice at Madras, and of Sir Thos. Neave, Bart.; first cousin of the present Earl Digby, and of the late Capt. Stephen Thos. Digby, R.N.; and a relative of Lieut. Edw. Digby, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 12 June, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Dryad 36, Capts. Chas. John Moore Mansfield and Robt. Williams, with whom he served, chiefly on the Irish station, until the summer of 1803. From that period until Sept. 1806, he next officiated as Midshipman, on the Home and East India stations, of the Euryalus 36, Capt. Hon. Henry Blackwood, Culloden 74, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew, Harrier 18, Capt. Edw. Katsey, and Russel 74, Capt. Robt. Caulfeild. While in the Harrier, we find him, in company with the Phaeton 38, present, 2 Aug. 1805, in a severe action of two hours and a half with the French 36-gun frigate Sémillante, and several batteries, at the entrance of the Straits of St. Bernadino, Philippine Islands; on which occasion the Harrier, besides being much cut up, sustained a loss of two men wounded. In Oct. 1806, Mr. Digby was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Duncan alias Dover
While commanding the Alcmene frigate. Sir Henry Digby had the good fortune, in company with the Naiad and Triton, to capture, 18 Oct. 1799, the Spanish frigate Santa Brigida having on board 1,400,000 dollars, besides a cargo of immense value. He afterwards commanded the Africa 64, at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805; and, in 1840-1, was Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. He died 19 Aug. 1842 aged 73. frigate, Capt. Edw. Tucker. Being confirmed by the Admiralty 11 Dec. 1807, he continued actively employed in that ship, still on the Indian station, until Oct. 1809, when he invalided home on board the Rattlesnake 18, Capt. Jas. John Gordon Bremer. After a subsequent cruize of six or eight months in the North Sea as Lieutenant of the Armada 74, Capt. Adam Mackenzie, he was promoted to the rank of Commander by commission dated 8 Feb. 1812. From July, 1813, until advanced to Post-rank 8 Sept. 1815, Capt. Digby next had charge of the Hydra troop-ship, in which, we believe, he attended the expedition to New Orleans. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
He married Miss Jackson, and has issue two sons and a daughter.
- ↑ While commanding the Alcmene frigate. Sir Henry Digby had the good fortune, in company with the Naiad and Triton, to capture, 18 Oct. 1799, the Spanish frigate Santa Brigida having on board 1,400,000 dollars, besides a cargo of immense value. He afterwards commanded the Africa 64, at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805; and, in 1840-1, was Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. He died 19 Aug. 1842 aged 73.