A Naval Biographical Dictionary/McDougall, John (a)
M‘DOUGALL. (Retired Commander, 1844. f-p., 20; h-p., 34.)
John M‘Dougall entered the Navy, 1 April, 1793, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Vestal 28, Capt. John M‘Dougall, attached to the force on the Home station, where he further, until the receipt of his first commission, bearing date 26 April, 1800, served as Midshipman and Acting-Lieutenant in the Asia 64, Capt. J. M‘Dougall, Savage sloop, Capt. G. Winckworth, and Edgar 74, Capts. J. M‘Dougall and Edw. Buller. He was then employed for several months at the blockade of Dunkerque in the Atalante sloop, Capt. Anselm John Griffiths; on leaving which vessel he proceeded to the West Indies, and there cruized, during the remainder of the war, in the Crescent 36, Capts. Wm. Grenville Lobb and Jas. Carthew. In July, 1804, after he had been for 14 months employed in the Sea-Fencibles at Southend in Essex, Mr.M‘Dougall obtained an appointment to the Hecla bomb, in which vessel, commanded by Capts. Sykes and Scott, we find him assisting at the bombardment of Havre in July and Aug. 1804. Joining next the Caesar 80, Capt. (afterwards Rear-Admiral) Sir Rich. John Strachan, he was afforded an opportunity of participating in that ship in the action off Ferrol 4 Nov. 1805. In Dec. 1806, his health compelling him to invalid, he sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in a merchant-vessel, carrying with him Sir R. J. Strachan’s despatches. It was his misfortune however, on 13 of the following month, to fall, when off Scilly, into the hands of a French privateer, by whom he was taken a prisoner to France, where he remained in captivity until April 1814. Returning then to England, he assumed, 11 May, 1815, the command, which he held until 23 March, 1816, of the Telegraph station at Beacon Hill in Kent. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 1 Dec. 1830; and on the Senior 9 Dec. 1844.