A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gilmour, Alexander
GILMOUR. (Retired Commander, 1836. f-p., 33; h-p., 35.)
Alexander Gilmour entered the Navy, in 1779, as A.B., on board the Fortune cutter, Lieut.-Commanders Brown and Rich. Donell; on his transference from which vessel to a Midshipman’s berth in the St. Fermin, Capt. Jonathan Faulknor, he was captured, in April, 1780, and detained for 14 months a prisoner of war in Spain. From the period of his release, until promoted to a Lieutenancy, 4 Dec. 1795, in the Impregnable 98, Capt. John Thomas, he then served, on the Home and West India stations, in the Dragon, Eurydice, Proselyte, Triumph, Orestes, Advice,[1] Spitfire, Marie Antoinette, and Swan. His after appointments, until 1807, were, to the Juste 80, Orion 74, Glory 98, Castor frigate, and Diomede 50. In the Orion, commanded by Sir Jas. Saumarez, he participated in the glories of 14 Feb. 1797, and 1 Aug. 1798; and, in the Diomede, Capts. Joseph Edmonds and Hugh Downman, he witnessed the capture of the Cape in Jan. 1806, and of Monte Video in Feb. 1807. We subsequently find him commanding the Vengeance and Suffolk, prison-ships at Portsmouth, from 19 Jan. 1808 to Nov. 1812, and, for some months in 1814, the Signal station at Beechey Head. Not having been since employed, he at length accepted the rank of Retired Commander on the Senior List 26 Nov. 1830. His promotion to the Senior took place 28 April, 1836.
Commander Gilmore married, 4 Aug. 1832, Mrs. Harding, widow of Sam. Harding, Esq., formerly of the Victualling Yard, Portsmouth.
- ↑ The Advice cutter, Lieut.-Commander Edward Tyrrel, was wrecked in the Bay of Honduras, in Dec. 1793. Crew saved.