A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gahan, George
GAHAN. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 21; h-p., 21.)
George Gahan, born 12 Aug. 1794, at Plymouth, is of an Irish family of very ancient descent, and nearly allied to many of the nobility of the present day. His father, an old officer in the Navy, was Master’s Mate of the Irresistible in Bridport’s action, afterwards commanded the William and Lucy gun-vessel at Plymouth for several years, and was on board the Delight in Jan. 1808, when that sloop was destroyed by the enemy on the coast of Calabria, on which occasion he was taken prisoner. His grandfather served as an Ensign under George II. at the battle of Dettingen in 1743, and died Commandant of the Isles of Scilly in 1785.
This officer entered the Navy, 7 Aug. 1805, as L.M., on board the Hornet, guard-ship at Scilly, Lieut.-Commander Chas. Williams; joined, in May, 1807, the Salvador del Mundo, bearing the flag at Plymouth of Admiral Wm. Young; and while next attached, from Aug. 1809 to June, 1812, to the Jalouse sloop, Capt. Henry Gage Morris, assisted at the capture, 29 Jan. 1810, of Le Charles privateer, of 14 guns and 90 men, and was much employed in escorting convoys to the West Indies. He then removed to the Childers 18, Capts. John Bedford and John Brand Umfreville, with whom he successively served until Aug. 1815; during which period he appears to have seen much active service, and on 15 Sept. 1814 to have taken part in an unsuccessful attack on Fort Bowyer, Mobile, where the Hermes, one of the British squadron, was destroyed. Wo also find Mr. Gahan frequently officiating as prize-master of captured merchantmen. In Dec. 1815, being then on board the Pique 36, Capt. Hon. Anthony Maitland, at Plymouth, he was promoted for his services to the rank he now holds by commission dated back to 5 of the previous Oct., the day after that on which he had passed his examination. He joined the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Talavera 74, Capts. Hugh Pigot and David Colby, 9 July, 1830. In consequence of injury brought on by his zeal, activity, and perseverance in the suppression of smuggling, he was obliged, on 16 Nov. 1832, to resign an appointment in the Coast Guard, to which service he had been transferred, and enter a naval hospital, where he was confined for the space of nine months. He was, however, re-appointed 22 Sept. 1835, and in Sept. 1837 was invested with a three years’ command of the Dove Revenue-vessel. Since 3 Jan. 1843 he has again been in the Coast Guard.
Lieut. Gahan, who bears a very high character for successful activity, has been presented with a silver medal from the Royal Humane Society for his exertions in saving the lives of three men who had been cast away near Winterton. He married, first, in 1819, his cousin, Elizabeth Gahan, by whom he had one daughter, now living; and, secondly, 18 May, 1838, Honor Cole, third daughter of Wm. Cornish, Esq., of Merazion, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Cornwall, grand-niece of the late Capt. Sir Christopher Cole, R.N., K.C.B., and sister-in-law of Lieut. Jas. Clayton, R.N., by whom he has issue two sons.