A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Fead, Francis
FEAD. (Captain, 1826. f-p., 16; h-p., 31.)
Francis Fead died 31 Jan. 1847, at Woolwich. He was son of Gen. Fead, of the Royal Artillery; and uncle of Commander W. F. Fead, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 May, 1800, as a Volunteer, on board the Mercury 28, Capt. Thos. Rogers, and, after escorting the present King of the French to Minorca, joined Sir Wm. Sidney Smith in the Tigre 74. Subsequently to the evacuation of Genoa, he took part in the hostilities against the French in Egypt; where he witnessed the landing of the troops on 8, and served on shore in the battle of 21 March, 1801. On the day previous to the latter event he had brought an Arab in the Tigre’s gig across Lake Mareotis, with intelligence from the Sheik of Damanhour of an attack by the enemy being meditated on the British. During the campaign Mr. Fead also served with the boats in the gallant operations against the small fortified island of Marabut. In Dec. 1802 he next joined the Alcmene 32, Capt. John Stiles, under whom he assisted on one occasion in driving 32 armed vessels into Granville. After 12 months’ servitude, as Master’s Mate, on the West India and American stations, in the Fame 74, Capts. Graham Moore and Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, during which period he went in pursuit, with Sir John Borlase Warren, of Jerome Buonaparte, Mr. Fead was promoted to a Lieutenancy, 30 Dec. 1806, in the Prince 98, Capt. Alex. Frazer. His subsequent subordinate appointments, we find, were, on the Mediterranean, Home, and American stations — 11 Feb. 1807, to the Royal Sovereign 100, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Thornbrough — 14 July, 1812, to the Queen 74, Capt. Lord Colville — 12 May, 1813, to the Monmouth 64, flag ship of Vice-Admiral Thos. Foley — and, 5 March, 1814, to the Leander 50, Capt. Sir Geo. Ralph Collier. While Acting-First-Lieutenant of the Queen, Mr. Fead landed, in command of the boats belonging to that ship, on the north coast of Spain, and, although exposed to a heavy fire, assisted in dragging a heavy gun across a mountainous country towards the fort of Gueteria. He also, when in the Monmouth, cruized in the Channel in command of the Alert and Viper cutters; and, during his attachment to the Leander, he received a violent contusion in an endeavour to rescue the 60th regiment from a situation of extreme peril on the banks of Newfoundland. Assuming command, 4 Oct. 1814, of the Etna bomb, Capt. Fead joined in the ensuing operations against New Orleans, and in Feb. 1815 distinguished himself by his “judicious and officer-like conduct” at the capture of Fort Bowyer, on Mobile Point. Having paid off the Etna in Aug. 1815, he remained on shore until 1 June, 1824, when he received an appointment to the Pylades 18, and was for some time employed in cruizing with an experimental squadron. He invalided from the latter sloop, then on the Jamaica station, 28 June, 1825 — attained Post-rank 1 Nov. 1826 — and on 1 Oct. 1846 accepted the Retirement.
Capt. Fead was a Justice of the Peace for co. Kent, and the originator of many useful improvements in the art of naval gunnery. He married, in 1824, Helen Mary, daughter of the late Robt. Scott, Esq., of Shineliffe Hall, co. Durham, by whom he has left, with other issue, a son, the present Lieut. W. F. G. Fead, R.N. Agents — Hallett and Robinson.