A Naval Biographical Dictionary/McKirdy, John
M‘KIRDY. (Retired Commander, 1837. f-p., 16; h-p., 34.)
John M‘Kirdy entered the Navy, in March, 1797, as L.M., on board the Glenmore frigate, Capt. Geo. Duff; employed off the coast of Ireland; and in 1798 became Midshipman of the Hyaena 24, Capts. Hon. Courtenay Boyle and David Lloyd, stationed at first in the Channel, and then in the Mediterranean; where, in 1799, he joined the Santa Teresa 32, Capt. Robt. Campbell. While in that ship he commanded a boat under Lieut. John Chiene, and had two of his men killed, in cutting out a vessel from under a battery on the coast of Catalonia. He assisted likewise at the capture, 19 June, 1739, of Rear-Admiral Perrée’s squadron of three frigates and two brigs, and served at the blockade of Malta and in the operations on the coasts of Genoa and Egypt. When next in the West Indies in the Blenheim 74, flag-ship of Sir Archibald Dickson, we find him present, as Master’s Mate, in one of two boats commanded by Lieut. Thos. Furber, and aiding, in a most spirited manner, at the boarding and carrying, after a pull of an hour and a half in the heat of the sun, and under a fire of grape and musketry, of La Fortune French privateer, of 2 guns, 6 swivels, and 29 men, 15 Sept. 1803, On 16 of the following Nov. he participated in another gallant exploit of the same nature, also conducted by Lieut. Furber, namely, the cutting out from the harbour of Marin, Martinique, with loss to both parties, of the Harmonie, a notorious privateer of 8 guns and 66 men. He was confirmed a Lieutenant, after having acted for nearly five months as such, in the Heureux 24, Capts. Loftus Otway Bland, Geo. Younghusband, and John Morrison, 8 May, 1804. He continued actively employed in that vessel in the West Indies until she was lost in 1806; and was subsequently appointed – 4 Feb. 1807, to the Malabar 74, Capt. John Temple, stationed in the North Sea – 14 May, 1803, to the Ardent 64, flag-ship at Leith of Vice-Admiral Jas. Vashon – 20 Jan. and 16 Nov. 1809, to the Alcmène 32[1] and Muros brig, Capts. Wm. Henry Brown Tremlett and Clement Sneyd, both on the Channel station – 27 Aug. 1810, to the Hibernia 120, Capt. John Nash, lying at Portsmouth – 14 Nov. following, to the Revenge 74, flag-ship of Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, under whom he officiated as First-Lieutenant at the defence of Cadiz – and, 23 Dec. 1811, to the Cumberland 74, Capt. Thos. Baker. He served in the ship last mentioned in the North Sea and Channel until 22 April, 1314; and on 28 Feb. 1837, not having been further employed, he accepted his present rank. Agents – Burnett and Holmes.
- ↑ The Alcmène was wrecked off Nantes, While blockading two of the enemy’s frigates, 29 April, 1809.