A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Kelly, William
KELLY. (Captain, 1844. f-p., 26; h-p., 13.)
William Kelly entered the Navy, early in 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Lively 38, Capt. Geo. M‘Kinley, in which frigate, after participating in various operations in the river Tagus, and witnessing the reduction of Vigo and Santiago, he was wrecked, as Midshipman, off the island of Malta, in Aug. 1810. From Nov. in the latter year until June, 1815, when he took up a commission dated on 8 of the previous March, we find him uninterruptedly employed as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Leonidas 38,[1] Capts. Anselm John Griffiths, Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer, Geo. Fras. Seymour, and Wm. King, on the Mediterranean, Irish, West India, and North American stations. His succeeding appointments were – 5 April, 1816, to the Rosario 10, Capt. Thos. Ladd Peake, with whom he served in the Channel until Dec. 1818 – 28 May and 25 June, 1822, to the Jupiter 60, Capt. Geo. Augustus Westphal, and Pandora 18, Capts. Fred. Hunn and Wm. Gordon, in the latter of which vessels he proceeded to Newfoundland – 10 Dec. 1823, to the Tweed 28, Capt Hunn – next, to the Aurora 46, Capt. Henry Prescott – 23 Nov. 1826, after 21 months of half-pay, to the Gloucester 74, Capt. Joshua Sydney Horton – 2 May, 1828, to the Prince Regent 120, Capt. Hon. Geo. Poulett – and, 11 Nov. following, to the Pallas 42, Capt. Adolphus FitzClarence. Under the latter officer Mr. Kelly was employed in conveying the Earl of Dalhousie and the Bishop of Calcutta from Portsmouth to Bengal, General Viscount Combermere from India home, and Colonel Fox from Halifax. He obtained a second promptal commission 85 April, 1831, and was next employed – from 23 Jan. 1835 until 1838, in the Coast Guard – and from 7 March, 1842, until advanced to his present rank 5 April, 1844, as Second-Captain of the Winchester 50, flag-ship of Hon. Josceline Percy at the Cape of Good Hope. He has since been in command of the Conway 26, on the last-named station. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ The Leonidas effected the capture, 23 May, 1813, of the Paul Jones American privateer, of 16 guns and 85 men.