A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lewis, Richard Fellowes
LEWIS. (Lieut., 1838. f-p., 28; h-p., 13.)
Richard Fellowes Lewis, born 16 March, 1799, is nephew of the late Lieut. John Lewis, R.N., a protege of the Duke of Kent, who was First-Lieutenant of H.M.S. Ariadne in 1806, and lost his life in the service of his country.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 Jan. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Barfleur 98, Capts. Joseph Sydney Yorke, Donald M‘Leod, Sam. Hood Linzee, and Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy. During an attachment of nearly six years to that ship we find him serving at the blockade of Lisbon, escorting the Russian Rear-Admiral Seniavin’s squadron to England after the convention of Cintra, assisting as Midshipman at the embarkation of the army after the battle of Corunna, and employed on boat-duty in the river Tagus during the occupation of the lines of Torres Vedras by Lord Wellington’s army. He was next, between June, 1812, and Dec. 1815, stationed at the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena on board the Minden 74, Capt. Alex. Skene, Lion 64, Capt. Henderson Bain, and Medway 74, Capt. Augustus Brine; and while in the last-mentioned ship he assisted at the capture, after an eight hours’ chase, of the United States brig Syren of 18 guns. In Jan. 1816 Mr. Lewis was appointed Chief Clerk to the Master Attendant at the Naval Arsenal at the Cape of Good Hope; in which capacity and that of Chief Clerk to the Comptroller of Customs he continued to officiate until Nov. 1820. Re-embarking in Feb. 1822, he served for four years and ten months, on the Home and South American stations, in the Pioneer schooner, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Favill, Northumberland 74, Spartiate 76, and Cambridge 82, all commanded by Capt. Thos. Jas. Maling, and Gloucester 74, Capt. Joshua Sydney Horton. He left the latter ship in Dec. 1827, and, having passed his examination in Jan. 1823, was employed during the ten following years as Chief Mate in the Tartar and Camelion Revenue-cruizers; in which he proved instrumental to the capture of 967 tubs of spirits and to the destruction of 2917 tubs, as also of eight vessels and boats. When in pursuit, on one occasion, of a smuggler, he was severely wounded in the right hand. His zeal and activity at length procuring him a commission dated 29 Jan. 1838, he was appointed, on 25 May in that year, to a Lieutenancy in the Tribune 24, Capt. Chas. Hamlyn Williams, and ordered to the Mediterranean, where he had the misfortune to be wrecked, near Tarragona, 28 Nov. 1839. He then returned home on board the Minden 74, Capt. Alex. Renton Sharpe; and was lastly, from 2 March, 1840, until superseded at his own request in 1841, employed in the Coast Guard. When in the Cambridge, on the South American station, he saved at different times the lives of two seamen, although at the hazard of his own.
From every Captain with whom he served Lieut. Lewis had the satisfaction of receiving the most flattering testimonials. He married, 12 June, 1830, Miss Eliza Watson, and by that lady has issue a son and three daughters.