A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Marshall, John (a)
MARSHALL. (Retired Commander, 1844.)
John Marshall (a) – whose name had been borne in 1790 on the books of the Marlborough 74, Capt. Cornish, and Queen Charlotte 100, bearing the flag of Lord Howe – embarked, in 1793, as A.B., on board the Egmont 74, Capts. Archibald Dickson and John Sutton; in which ship he cooperated in the reduction of Corsica, and was present in Hotham’s actions of 14 March and 13 July, 1795, and in the battle fought off Cape St. Vincent 14 Feb. 1797. He also, in 1796, assisted at the evacuation of the island above named. At the close of 1799, after having further served with Capt. Sutton in the Superb 74, with Lord Bridport in the Royal George 100, and with Sir Thos. Boulden Thompson as Acting-Lieutenant in the Bellona 74, on the Home station, Mr. Marshall was unfortunately obliged to be invalided and sent to the hospital at Plymouth. Being, however, officially promoted, 18 Feb. 1800, to a Lieutenancy in the Renommée frigate, Capt. M‘Kellar, he was employed in the course of that year in the expedition to Egypt. His next appointment was, 17 Sept. 1802, to the Port Mahon brig, Capts. Walter Grosett, ___ Neville, ___ M‘Donald, ___ Murray, and Sam. Chambers, on the Jamaica station; where, under Capt. Chambers, he assisted at the capture, recapture, and destruction of at least fifty vessels; among which were El Galgo Spanish packet, the Amaranza letter-of-marque, and El Courier privateer. He further, 25 June, 1806, united in chasing the San Josef letter-of-marque brig (armed with 1 long 18-pounder on a pivot amidships, and 4 12-pounder carronades and 2 long 4-pounders on her sides, with swivels, pikes, and muskets, and 30 men), into the intricate harbour of Banes, in the island of Cuba; and then, taking command of the boats of the Port Mahon, succeeded with the utmost gallantry in cutting her out without the loss of a man; although the vessel was protected by the fire from, and moored by a line to, a tower mounting 2 heavy guns, and notwithstanding too that in endeavouring to conduct her out of the harbour she grounded within pistol-shot of the battery, and was struck by several shot from it.[1] He left the Port Mahon, of which he appears to have been for some time in charge, in 1807; and was afterwards employed in the Impress service at Poole, and in visiting Quebec and other parts of North America in the Woolwich 44, armée en flûte, Capt. Thos. Ball Sulivan. Ill health, again, in Aug. 1813, compelled him to leave his ship and to enter the hospital at Bermuda. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 26 Nov. 1830: and on the Senior 30 July, 1844.
- ↑ Vide Gaz, 1806, p. 1537.