A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dornford, Francis
DORNFORD. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11; h.p., 31.)
Francis Dornford is brother of Lieut. Josiah Dornford, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Diamond 38, Capts. Thos. Elphinstone and Geo. Argles; in which ship he sailed for the West Indies, and served, latterly as Midshipman, until his removal, in Sept. 1809, to the Rainbow 22, Capt. Jas. Wooldridge. On 14 Feb. 1810, we find him bearing part (the 18-gun sloop Avon in company) in a long and destructive action with the French 40-gun frigate La Néréide, near St. Domingo. From April to Sept. 1811, Mr. Dornford next served, as Master’s Mate, on board the Thisbe 28, Capts. Wm. Rogers and Thos. Dick, guard-ship at Greenwich. He afterwards joined, in succession, on the Home and American stations, the Venerable 74, Capt. Sir Home Popham, Pyramus 36, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, and Royal Oak 74, Capt. Pulteney Malcolm. While in the latter ship, he shared in most of the hostilities on the coast of North America; where he was present at the storming of Washington – commanded a gun-boat in the attack on Baltimore – and (previous to a similar participation in the operations against New Orleans) assisted in the boats at the capture, on Lake Borgne, 14 Dec. 1814, of a flotilla of five American gun-vessels under Commodore Jones, which did not surrender until after a fierce contest, in which the British sustained a loss of 17 men killed and 77 wounded. Mr. Dornford, who obtained his commission 2 Feb. 1815, was afterwards employed for four months on board the Brune 38, armée en flûte Capt. Wm. Stanhope Badcock. He has been on half-pay since 9 Sept. 1815.