A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Harris, James
HARRIS. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 12; h-p., 32.)
James Harris, born 15 April, 1791, is second son of Joseph Harris, Esq., solicitor, of Leominster, co. Hereford, by Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. Hooper, Esq., a descendant of the celebrated Bishop of that name.
This officer entered the Navy, in Aug. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board La Virginie 38, Capt., afterwards Admiral, Sir John Poo Beresford, in which ship, until she was paid off in Aug. 1804, he was employed cruizing in the North Sea and Downs, and was on one occasion all but lost during a three weeks’ gale. From Dec. in the latter year until advanced to the rank of Commander 23 June, 1815, Mr. Harris further served, under the command of Sir J. P. Beresford, on the Halifax, West India, Home, and North and South American stations, in the Cambrian 38, Theseus and Poictiers 74’s (of which latter ship he was created a Lieutenant 26 Feb. 1810), and, as Signal-officer, in the Duncan 74. While in the Cambrian, Mr. Harris assisted at the capture of three privateers carrying in the whole 40 guns and 225 men; and on one occasion, while serving in the boats, he was not only wounded, but so distinguished himself as to be noted for early promotion. He subsequently, when in the Theseus, commanded the pinnace belonging to that ship, and was employed covering the retreat of the officers and men who had been engaged in the attack on the French squadron in Aix Roads, 11 April, 1809. During the operations of the following day against the enemy, Mr. Harris, then on board the Theseus, received a splinter-wound in the left leg; the injury he had formerly received having been in the right one. The Theseus being next attached to the force at the siege of Flushing, our officer, on the surrender of that place, was sent on shore, with the carpenter and a party of shipwrights and seamen, for the purpose of completing a frigate and two brigs, and of taking to pieces the frame of a 74. In the Poictiers, after having participated in many boat-attacks on the coast of France, Lieut. Harris proceeded off the Tagus; up which river he was sent, in command of that ship’s barge and two cutters, as far as Alhandra, the extreme right of Lord Wellington’s army, then at the lines of Torres Tedras, where he remained until Marshal Masséna’s retreat; on which occasion he followed the troops to Santarem, and rendered much valuable service. He subsequently, when on the North American station, commanded the Poictier’s launch in an attack made in 1812 on Lewis Town, at the entrance of Delaware river; and a few days after that event he had the good fortune, with a single boat’s crew, to effect the capture of an East Indiaman of 20 guns, which within a week was ransomed at 45,000l Commander Harris has not been afloat since the attainment of his present rank.
He married, 31 July, 1821, Elizabeth Anne, only daughter of the Rev. Henry Beavan, Rector of Whitton, co. Radnor, Vioar of Llanguullo, and Rural Dean of the Diocese of St David’s, by whom he has issue one son.