A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Forbes, Andrew
FORBES. (Captain, 1834. f-p., 14; h-p., 27.)
Andrew Forbes was born in Nov. 1793.
This officer entered the Navy, 17 Nov. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Narcissus 32, Capt. Chas. Malcolm, and (with the exception of an attachment of a few months in 1811 to the Adamant 50, bearing the flag at Leith of Rear-Admiral Wm. Albany Otway) served under the late Sir Pulteney Malcolm, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, from March, 1807, to Oct. 1813, in the Donegal 74, Royal Oak 74, San Josef 110, and Queen Charlotte 100. While in the Donegal he escorted Sir Arthur Wellesley’s army from Cork to Portugal in 1808; was present at the destruction, 24 Feb. 1809, of three frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne; served in the boats during Lord Gambier’s ensuing operations against the French shipping in Basque Roads; and, on 15 Nov. 1810, assisted in an attack made by Capt. Chas. Grant, of the Diana, on the two French frigates Amazone and Eliza, protected by the fire of several strong batteries, near Cherbourg. Being appointed Acting-Lieutenant, in Oct. 1813, of the Vengeur 74, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, Mr. Forbes in the following year accompanied the expedition to New Orleans, where he took command of the ship’s boats, and was very active on the Mississippi. In Feb. 1815 (on 17 of which month he was officially promoted) he appears to have been similarly employed during the investment of Fort Bowyer, and to have made prize of several vessels. He left the Vengeur in Oct. 1815, and, as Lieutenant, was afterwards appointed – 18 Feb. 1821, to the Tyne 26, Capt. Jas. Kearny White, fitting at Portsmouth – and, 13 Feb. and 5 July, 1822, to the Falmouth 20, and Scout 18, Capts. Edw. Purcell and Jas. Wigston, on the West India station. He was there promoted to the command, 16 June, 1823, of the Thracian 18, in which sloop he continued to serve until Oct. 1825. Capt. Forbes, who has not since been afloat, attained Post-rank 27 Aug. 1834.