A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dobson, William Burdett
DOBSON. (Captain, 1841. f-p., 18; f-p., 23.)
William Burdett Dobson is son of Admiral Man Dobson.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 Dec. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Africa 64, Capts. Henry Wm. Bayntun and John Barrett, one of the squadron employed under Rear-Admiral Murray, during Lieut.-General Whitelocke’s unsuccessful attack on Buenos Ayres, in July, 1807. In Feb. 1808, he removed, as Midshipman, to the Polyphemus 64, Capt. Wm. Pryce Cumby, flag-ship for some time of Vice-Admiral Bartholomew Sam. Rowley; and in April and June, 1809, he was present at the capture of the French 74-gun ship D’Haupoult, and the surrender, after an arduous blockade, of the city of St. Domingo. Towards the close of 1809 Mr. Dobson appears to have been lent for some months to the Daedalus 32, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield. While subsequently attached with Capt. Cumby, between 26 March, 1811, and 3 Jan. 1814, to the Hyperion 42, he visited, as Master’s Mate, the latitude of Greenland, for the protection of the fisheries – was for four months frozen up in the harbour of St. John’s, Newfoundland, during the winter of 1812 – and on two occasions was sent away in charge of prizes of 400 and 500 tons each. Having passed his examination on 12 Dec. in the latter year, he was promoted, on leaving the Hyperion, to a Lieutenancy in the Royal Sovereign 100, Capts. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, Chas. Thurlow Smith, and Robt. Lambert, on the Mediterranean station. He was afterwards appointed – 17 Sept. 1814, to the Tanais 38, Capt. Joseph James, employed off the coast of Ireland and in the West Indies – 19 Dec. 1816, to the Cadmus 10, Capt. Joseph Gedge, on the Home station, from which frigate he was paid off 25 Feb. 1817 – and, 3 April, 1823, as Senior Lieutenant, to the Larne 20, Capts. Fred. Marryat and John Kingcome. In the early part of 1824 Mr. Dobson joined in the hostilities then commencing against the Burmese; and from that period, until the departure of the Larne, in May, 1825, he was in continual mention by Capts. Alexander and Chads for his zealous exertions and cool intrepidity on all occasions.[1] Among other operations, he was present at the capture of Rangoon and of Dallah, in May, 1824; and while in charge of the armed transport Satellite, had the command of all the shipping at Rangoon, and was most arduously and hazardously employed, from Aug. to Nov., 10 miles in advance of the other men-of-war, and three miles above the advanced position of the army. On 4 Aug. he assisted in capturing the fort of Syriam, where the natives had stockaded themselves. He was wounded in the hand in Sept., while contributing to the capture of Panlang; and in Oct. he distinguished himself in a brilliant and decisive attack on the fortified village of Than-ta-bain. From 30 Nov. to 9 Dec. we next discover Mr. Dobson, who still commanded the Satellite, constantly in collision with the enemy near Dallah; at the final assault on the works of which place he headed the soldiery, and was nearly the first to enter. On 6 Feb. 1825, he was further instrumental to the capture of a large 36-gun stockade at Than-ta-bain, by laying the Satellite in a position to enfilade the strongest of the enemy’s works; and from 5 March to 19 April he was intrusted with the command of the naval station at Panlang, and with the responsible duty of forwarding supplies for the whole combined force during its advance on Ava. As a reward for these important services he was promoted to the command, 25 July, 1825, of the Larne, which sloop, after visiting Van Diemen’s Land, New Zealand, and other places, he paid off, 4 April, 1827. Capt. Dobson’s next appointment was, 23 July, 1830, to the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, with whom he continued until the abolition of the Coast Blockade in May, 1831. He was subsequently employed as an Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard, from 5 May, 1834, until July, 1837; but since his attainment of Post-rank, 23 Nov. 1841, has been on half-pay.
He married, 21 Nov. 1837, Marian Frances, only daughter of the late Capt. Edw. Lowther Crofton, R.N. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1825, pp. 1493-94, 2277.