A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Mackenzie, Alexander
MACKENZIE. (Lieutenant, 1811. f-p^ 10; h-p., 33.)
Alexander Mackenzie was born 30 June, 1790.
This officer entered the Navy, in May, 1804, as Pst.-cl. Vol., on board the Revenge 74, Capt. Robt. Moorsom, stationed in the Channel; and on becoming Midshipman of the Neptune 98, Capt. Thos. Fras. Fremantle, took part, 21 Oct. 1805, in the battle of Trafalgar. In Nov. 1806 he removed to the Phoebe 36, Capt. Jas. Oswald, in the boats of which frigate, it appears, he was frequently employed in destroying the enemy’s trade and signal-posts along the French shores, and also saw much service on the coast of Portugal. At the expirartion of two years he next, in Nov. 1808, joined the Lavinia 40, Capt. Lord Wm. Stewart, under whom, during the expedition of 1809 to the Walcheren, he assisted in forcing the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadsand, and participated in all the boat operations on the East and West Scheldt. After an attachment of 14 months to the Thames 32, Capt. Hon. Wm. Waldegrave, and Cumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Philip Wodehouse, on the Mediterranean Station, where in the boats of the last-mentioned ship he served for two months in the Faro of Messina, and contributed to the capture and destruction of a large convoy in face of a body of troops in the Bay of St. Eufemia, Mr. Mackenzie was nominated, in Jan. 1811, Acting-Lieutenant of the Warrior 74, Capt. John Wm. Spranger, and was for some time employed with the flotilla at the defence of Cadiz. He was officially promoted 27 April following, and was subsequently appointed – 24 Aug. and 25 Sept. in the same year, to the Dispatch 18 and Colossus 74, Capts. Aberdour and Thos. Alexander, both on the Home station – and 4 March, 1814, as Senior, after an interval of six months, to the Cyane of 32 guns and 171 men, Capt. Gordon Thos. Falcon. On 20 Feb. 1815 it was his fate to be on board the latter vessel when taken, together with her consort, the Levant of 20 guns and 131 men, by the U.S. frigate Constitution of 54 guns and 469 men, at the end of a fierce conflict in which the Cyane, besides being cut to pieces, sustained a loss of 6 men killed and 13, including himself severely, wounded. We may add, that the captives, after having been plundered of all they possessed, were put on shore at Maranham, on the coast of Brazil, and there left to find their way home as best they could. Lieut. Mackenzie has since been on half-pay.
He married a daughter of J. Worth, Esq., of Worth House, co. Devon, and has issue two children.