A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Mackay, Donald Hugh
MACKAY. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1838. f-p., 20; h-p., 35.)
The Honourable Donald Hugh Mackay, born 31 Dec. 1780, is second surviving son of Hon. Geo. Mackay, of Skibo, M.P.,in 1754, for co. Sutherland, and afterwards Master of the Mint of Scotland, by Anne, third daughter of Eric Sutherland, only son of the attainted Lord Duffus, who was at first a Captain in the British, and then a Flag-officer in the Russian Navy. He is nephew of Lieut.-General Hon. Alex. Mackay, appointed in 1780 Commander-in-chief of the Forces in Scotland; and brother of the present Lord Keay.
This officer entered the Royal Naval Academy in Jan. 1792; and embarked, in Oct. 1794, as Midshipman, on board the Daedalus 32, Capt. Thos. Williams; on accompanying whom into the Unicorn of 38 guns, he assisted at the capture of the Dutch brig of war Comet of 18 guns, as also, we are informed, after a severe action, of the French frigate La Tribune of 44 guns and 339 men, 37 of whom were killed and 15 wounded, with impunity to the British. After an active servitude of more than 18 months with Sir Rich. Strachan, in the Melampus and Diamond frigates, on the Home station, he was made Lieutenant, 27 March, 1798, into the Ariadne 20, Capt. Jas. Bradley, in which ship, it appears, he accompanied an expedition under Sir Home Popham having for its object the destruction of the locks and sluice-gates of the Bruges Canal. He removed, towards the close of the same year, to the Melpomène 38, Capt. Sir Chas. Hamilton; and on next, in 1799, joining the Isis 50, flag-ship of the late Sir Andw. Mitchell, he witnessed the fall of the Helder fortress and the surrender of the Texel squadron, and commanded a tender at the capture of four Dutch gun-vessels forming part of the flotilla collected for the protection of Amsterdam. Prior to his advancement to the rank of Commander, 29 April, 1802, Mr. Mackay further served with the Channel fleet, in the Formidable 98, Capt. Edw. Thornbrough, and, again with Sir A. Mitchell, in the Windsor Castle of similar force. His ensuing appointments were, 20 April and 26 Sept. 1804, to the command of the Prince William armed ship (employed in the escort of North Sea convoys) and Scout sloop, on the Mediterranean station. He attained Post-rank 22 Jan. 1806, and was afterwards invested with the Captaincy – 20 June, 1807, of the Druid frigate, on the coast of Ireland – 9 Aug. 1808, for three months, of the Inflexible 64, fitting for Halifax – 20 Sept. 1811, 13 Sept. 1812, and 4 Jan. 1815, of the Volage 26, Malacca 42, and Minden 74, all on the East India station, whence he returned about April, 1816 – and, 7 Nov. 1831, of the Revenge 78, which ship, after having been intermediately attached to the force off Lisbon, was put out of commission in the early part of 1834. During his command of the Volage, Capt. Mackay conveyed Sir Evan Nepean, Bart., to his government at Bombay, and was actively employed, under the orders of Sir Sam. Hood, in the Eastern A-rchipelago and China Seas, where his duties were of a very arduous character. In the Malacca he cooperated with a sqnadron under Capt. Geo. Sayer in a serious attack made in June, 1813, upon the piratical settlement of Sambas, in the island of Borneo. He attained Flag-rank 28 June, 1838. Agent – John P. Muspratt.