A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gordon, Henry Cranmer
GORDON. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 9; h-p., 32.)
Henry Cranmer Gordon entered the Navy, 26 Dec. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Meleager 36, Capts. John Broughton and Fred. Warren, in which frigate he visited the latitude of Greenland, and was ultimately wrecked, as Midshipman, on Barebush Key, near Port Royal, Jamaica, 30 July, 1808. After that catastrophe Mr. Gordon served for nearly six years with Capt. Wm. Pryce Cumby in the Polyphemus 64, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Bartholomew Sam. Rowley, and Hyperion 36. During that period he witnessed the surrender of the town of St. Domingo to the British and Spanish arms in July, 1809; made a voyage to Davis Strait, where he cruized during the whole of the summer of 1812 for the protection of the whale-fishery; then escorted convoy from Newfoundland to Barbadoes; was afterwards frozen up in St. John’s Harbour; and was further actively employed in the Channel. He next became attached for a period of six months to the Puissant 74, Capt. Benj. Wm. Page, and then sailed for the East Indies in the Cornwallis 74, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Burlton. He there acted for a short period as Lieutenant of the Wellesley 74, Capt. John Harper, but since the receipt of his commission, which bears date 4 Feb. 1815, has been on half-pay.