A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Down, Edward Augustus
DOWN. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 18; h-p., 36.)
Edward Augustus Down, born 16 Feb. 1777, is son of a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who was Midshipman of the Royal Charlotte yacht, Capt. Sir Peter Dennis, when that vessel brought the late Queen Charlotte to England in 1760.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 April, 1793, as Ordinary, on board the Prince 98, Capt. Cuthbert Collingwood, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Geo. Bowyer; on accompanying whom, as Midshipman, into the Barfleur 98, he served in Lord Howe’s actions of 29 May and 1 June, 1794. He afterwards successively followed Capt. Collingwood into the Hector and Excellent 74’s; and in the latter ship was wounded while participating, as Master’s Mate, in the victory gained by Sir John Jervis over the Spanish fleet, 14 Feb. 1797.[1] After serving for a short time with Lord St. Vincent, in the Ville de Paris 110, Mr. Down was promoted to a Lieutenancy, 26 Dec. 1798, in the Santa Dorothea 36, Capt. Hugh Downman; from which ship we find him transferred, in April, 1799, to the Vincejo 18, Capts. Geo. Long, Robt. Yarker, Geo. Chas. Mackenzie, and Jas. Prevost; under the first of whom, while at the blockade of Malta, he witnessed, among other captures, that of Le Guillaume Tell of 84 guns, 31 March, 1800. From 6 Dec. 1803, to May, 1804, he next, in the Utrecht 64, officiated as Flag-Lieutenant, on the Downs station, to Vice-Admiral Philip Patton; after which, until promoted to the rank of Commander, 12 Jan. 1805, he served in La Virginie 38, Capt. John Poo Beresford, and in the Princess Augusta yacht, Capt. Edw. Jas. Foote, employed in attendance on the King off Weymouth. His subsequent appointments were, to the command – 26 March and 18 April, 1805, of the Wellington and Adelphi armed ships – 7 Feb. 1806, of the Bittern 18 – and, 23 Aug. 1808, of the Redwing 18. When in the Adelphi, Capt. Down appears to have been engaged in escorting convoys to the Baltic, Eyder, and Elbe : during his command of the Bittern and Redwing, he captured, on the Mediterranean station, 2 Aug. 1807, El Verga del Rosario, Spanish privateer of 2 guns and 20 mien – 16 Sept. 1811, La Victorieuse French privateer of 4 guns and 40 men – and, 8 May, 1812, a small Neapolitan vessel. He was posted on 12 Aug. in the latter year; and advanced to the rank he now holds 1 Oct. 1846.
Rear-Admiral Down, who has been for many years afflicted with blindness, was admitted to the out-pension of Greenwich Hospital 5 Jan. 1828. He married, 6 Dec. 1815, Elizabeth, third daughter of Philip Patton, Esq., Admiral of the Red (formerly Commander-in-Chief in the Downs, and afterwards a Lord of the Admiralty), who died 31 Dec. 1815, aged 76 years. He has issue six children. Agent – John P. Muspratt.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1797, p. 212.