A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dundas, William
DUNDAS. (Lieut., 1818. f-p., 10; h-p., 29.)
William Dundas died in 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, 17 July, 1808, as Midshipman, on board the Tortoise, Master-Commander Thos. Cook, with whom he visited the Mediterranean and the Brazils. While afterwards filling a Master’s-Mateship, from Nov. 1811 to Aug. 1815, in the Furieuse 36, Capt. Wm. Mounsey, he witnessed the capture of the island of Ponza, and of the town of Via Reggio; and was present at the unsuccessful attack on Leghorn, as also at the occupation of Santa Maria, and of the enemy’s other forts in the Gulf of Spezia, and at the taking of Genoa. Independently of these services, we likewise find Mr. Dundas employed in the boats at the cutting out, 7 May, 1813, from under the tower and batteries of Orbitello, of a xebec mounting 2 6-pounders; and again, 4 Oct. following, at the capture, with a loss to the British of 12 men killed and wounded, of a large convoy, protected by the galling fire of two gun-vessels and several batteries, in the harbour of Marinelo. Proceeding, towards the close of 1815, to the East Indies, as Admiralty-Midshipman of the Challenger 16, Capt. Henry Forbes, Mr. Dundas (who, in the Furieuse, had also served on the North American station) there became Acting-Lieutenant, 12 May, 1816, of the Orlando 36, Capt. John Clavell. After officiating for 13 months in that capacity, he returned to England on board the Melville 74, Capt. Henry Chas. Pemberton. He was eventually promoted, from the Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship at Portsmouth of Sir Edw. Thornbrough, to the rank of Lieutenant, 20 Jan. 1818; but did not again go afloat. Lieut. Dundas was the senior officer of his rank on the list of 1818.