A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Mackenzie, Thomas Henry
MACKENZIE. (Lieutenant, 1810. f-p., 20; h-p., 27.)
Thomas Henry Mackenzie, born 1 Nov. 1782, is son of His Excellency Sir Thos. Henry Mackenzie, Kt., Rear-Admiral, and Commander-in-Chief of all her Imperial Majesty Catherine the Second’s forces by land and sea in the Crimea.
This officer entered the Navy, 13 Nov. 1800, as Midshipman, on board the Camel store-ship, Capt. Matthew Buckle, on the Jamaica station, where he continued to serve as Midshipman of the Juno frigate, Capts. Dundas and Manby, until ordered home at the peace of Amiens. In Oct. 1803 he re-embarked on board the Diamond 38, Capt. Thos. Elphinstone, attached to the force in the Channel; and he was next, from Feb. 1804, until May, 1809, employed, both on the Home and Jamaica stations, in the Bacchante 20, Capts. Chas. Dashwood, Macdonald, Jas. Ward, Jas. Rich. Dacres, Bell, and Sam. Hood Inglefield. During that period, besides contributing to the capture of a variety of the enemy’s armed and other vessels, including the Dauphin of 3, and the Griffon of 16 guns, he assisted in gallantly storming the forts of Rio de la Hacha and Samana (see Capt. Dacres), on the north side of the island of St. Domingo. In the execution of the latter service Mr. Mackenzie was unfortunately very severely wounded in the face, and suffered a fracture of the jaw; in consequence whereof he was presented with a gratuity from the Patriotic Fund. On leaving the Bacchante, as above, he joined the Repulse 74, Capts. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and John Halliday; on board which ship we find him present 30 Aug. 1810 when she intrepidly rescued the Philomel sloop of war from capture by interposing herself between that vessel and an advanced division of the Toulon fleet, whom she compelled to put back. He was promoted (after having taken part in several cutting-out affairs) to a Lieutenancy, 18 Aug. 1810, in the Bombay 74, Capts. Wm. Cuming and Norborne Thompson; and was subsequently appointed – in the course of 1812, to the Crocus brig, Capt. Arden Adderley, Bombay again, and Thunder bomb, Capt. Watkin Owen Pell, all on the Mediterranean station – 23 Dec. 1813, to the Reynard 10, Capt. David Latimer St. Clair, under whom he served on the north coast of Spain, and in all the operations of 1814 up the river Gironde, where he witnessed the destruction of a French line-of-battle ship, three brigs of war, several smaller vessels, and of the forts and batteries on the north side of the river – 26 June, 1815, as Senior, to the Bucephalus 32, Capt. Amos Freeman Westropp, in which ship he served off St. Helena and at the Cape of Good Hope until Aug. 1816 – and, lastly, 8 March, 1827, to the command, for five years, of the Semaphore station at Pewley Hill, Guildford. He married 29 June, 1814, and has issue a son and daughter. Agent – J. Hinxman.