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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Letch, Charles

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1802827A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Letch, CharlesWilliam Richard O'Byrne

LETCH. (Retired Commander, 1837. f-p., 16; h-p., 33.)

Charles Letch was born in Nov. 1782.

This officer entered the Navy, 8 July, 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Dragon 74, Capts. Geo. Campbell, Fred. Lewis Maitland, John Aylmer, and Edw. Griffith, in which ship he continued to serve as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Channel and also in the Mediterranean (where he attended the expedition of 1801 to Egypt), until nominated, in Jan. 1805, Sub-Lieutenant of the Daring gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Chas. C. Ormsby, then at Portsmouth. He was made Lieutenant, 19 March, 1805, into the Albacore sloop, Capt. Major Jacob Henniker, but, exchanging back a few months afterwards into the Dragon, continued in that ship, which was latterly commanded by Capt. Matthew Henry Scott, until paid off at the close of 1808. He then became First-Lieutenant of the Plover 18, Capt. Philip Browne, with whom (following him in July, 1811, into the Hermes 20) we find him employed, on the Home and South American stations, until the end of the war. He assisted during that period at the capture of many privateers, and was in the Plover in the expedition to the Walcheren, where he served under the broad pendant of the present Sir Geo. Cockbnm, who, both personally and by letter, expressed his acknowledgments for the meritorious conduct he had displayed. He accepted his present rank 15 July, 1837. Agents – Messrs. Chard.