A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Loveless, Bassett Jones
LOVELESS. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 13; h-p., 33.)
Bassett Jones Loveless was born, 19 Feb. 1785, at Swansea, Glamorganshire.
This officer entered the Navy, in April, 1801, as A.B., on board the Audacious 74, Capt. Shuldham Peard, and on 6 and 12 July following was present in the actions fought under Sir Jas. Saumarez off Algeciras and in the Gut of Gibraltar. The Audacious being paid off on her return from the West Indies in Sept. 1802, Mr. Loveless next, in March, 1803, joined the Gannet 16, Capts. Edw. Bass and Jas. Robt. Phillips, after cruizing for three years and four months in which vessel on the Channel station, he removed with Capt. Phillips, in July, 1806, to the Bonetta 18, and proceeded to the Baltic, where, during the operations of 1807 against Copenhagen, he came into frequent contact, as Master’s Mate, with the enemy’s block-ships. On leaving the Bonetta, which had been latterly commanded by Capt. Jas. Pringle, Mr. Loveless became in succession attached to the Nautilus 18, Capt. Matthew Smith, Astraea 32, Capt. Edm. Heywood, and Belleisle 74 and Neptune 98, flag-ships of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane. Being wrecked in the Astraea (at the time under the command of Lieut. Edm. Potenger Greenlaw) on a coral reef off Anegada 24 May, 1808, he was reduced to the necessity of remaining for three months on that barren and swampy island, where he endured many privations from the want of clothing and wholesome food. While acting as Lieutenant, from Jan. 1809 to Oct. 1810, of the Fawn 18, Capt. Hon. Geo. Alfred Crofton, we find him assisting at the reduction of Martinique and Guadeloupe; and on one occasion (with but two small boats under his orders, carrying each 5 men) effecting the capture, off Basseterre, of an armed row-boat, manned with 21 men, together with her prize. In Nov. 1810 he was again ordered to perform Midshipman’s duty in the Dragon 74, flag-ship of Sir Fras. Laforey. He was, however, confirmed a Lieutenant 2 Feb. 1811, in the Rosamund sloop, Capt. Dan. Campbell, also in the West Indies, whence, on being appointed, 3 May following, to the Castor 32, Capt. Chas. Dilkes, he proceeded to the Mediterranean. On 23 June, 1813, being off the coast of Catalonia, Lieut. Loveless took command of the Castor’s boats, in conjunction with the present Sir Edwyn Fras. Stanhope, and, after having had 4 of his men lulled and 9 wounded, succeeded in bringing out from under the Castle of Mongat the French privateer La Fortune, of 2 guns, 2 swivels, and 48 men. The vessel had been moored in a very strong manner to the shore, and, when attacked, was lying within pistol-shot distance of a 5-gun battery, of another mounting 2 howitzers, and of a body of about 200 soldiers drawn up on the beach for her protection. On 15 Jan. 1814 Lieut. Loveless succeeded in the large cutter with 15 men in making prize, off Barcelona, and close under the guns of Monjui, of L’Heureux privateer, of 1 12-pounder and 25 men. In this affair, however, besides having 1 of his men mortally wounded, he had the misfortune to lose an arm at the shoulder-joint,[1] and he was in consequence obliged to invalid. Owing to an unsound cure he was for four years subjected to severe suffering, and was under the necessity of submitting to three painful operations. Being compelled to retire from active service, he was appointed, 8 May, 1844, to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich. In addition to a pension from Government of 91l. 5s., the Patriotic Society voted him a gratuity.
The benevolent and humane exertions of Lieut. Loveless in allaying the ravages of cholera at Swansea in 1832 were acknowledged in the presentation to him of a piece of plate by the inhabitants.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 483.