A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Moffatt, John
MOFFATT. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 22; h-p., 23.)
John Moffatt is son of a Surgeon in the R.N., who served in various frigate actions, and was on board the Amphion in the battle off Lissa, 13 March, 1811. The united services of himself and his family extend over a period of considerably more than a hundred years, and include the action of 1 June, 1794, the capture of the Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay in 1796, the action under Sir Robt. Calder in July, 1805, and the battle of Trafalgar.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 Dec. 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hercule 74, Capt. Solomon Ferris; in which ship, while under the temporary command of Lieut. John B. Hills, he was present as Midshipman at the capture, between 28 June and 1 July, 1803, of La Mignonne corvette of 16 guns, and 40-gun frigate La Créole, having on board the French General Morgan and 530 troops, and participated in a severe running action with La Poursuivante of 44 guns. These occurrences took place in the West Indies, whence, on removing, in July, 1803, to the Leviathan 74, Capt. Henry Wm. Bayntun, Mr. Moffatt proceeded to the Mediterranean. In Nov. 1804 he there became Master’s Mate of the Aetna bomb, Capts. Rich. Thomas, John Quilliam, and John Yule; under the latter, we believe, of whom, when off Cape Finisterre in 1806, he jumped overboard during a gale, and was nearly lost in an endeavour to save the life of the Gunner’s Mate. In Dec. 1807, at which period he had been serving for about 14 months in the Crescent frigate, Capt. Jas. Carthew, he joined the Vanguard 74, Capts. Alex. Fraser, Thos. Fras. Chas. Mainwaring, and Henry Rich. Glynn. Continuing in that ship (of which he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant 28 May, 1803) until Feb. 1810, he came into frequent contact with the Danish gun-boats and batteries, while affording protection to convoys through the Sound; and assisted on one occasion in driving a man-of-war schooner on the rocks between Elsineur and Copenhagen. On another, having been the first to board a Prussian ship which the Danes had taken and run on shore, he succeeded, although under a heavy fire of field-pieces, in driving the enemy out of her, and in then setting her on fire. In Aug. 1810 he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Acorn sloop, Capt. Robt. Clephane; as at the close of the same year (after he had served for a short time as Mate and Midshipman of the Amphion 32, Capt. Wm. Hoste) he further did of the Cerberus 32, Capt. Henry Whitby. In the boats of the two last-mentioned ships we find him taking part in many important affairs, and in particular at the capture of a convoy under a severe cross fire from the enemy’s musketry at Pesaro. In the {{sc|Cerberus} it was his lot to be present, 13 March, 1811, in the celebrated action off Lissa, where a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, completely routed, after a conflict of six hours, and a loss to the Cerberus of 13 killed and 41 wounded, a Franco-Venetian armament consisting of 284 guns and 2655 men. His conduct on the occasion procured him a commission bearing date the day of the battle. The appointments he next received were, on the Home station – 4 Sept. 1811, to the Zephyr 16, Capt. Thos. Cuthbert Hichens- 13 Feb. 1812, to the Christian VII., 80, Capts. Jas. Andrew Worth and Henry Lidgbird Ball – 23 April following, to the Bulwark 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham – and, 24 Dec. 1813, as Senior, to the Myrtle 20, Capt. Arthur Batt Bingham, with whom he continued until Sept. 1814. While attached in 1813 to the Bulwark, Lieut. Moffatt, in cutting out a French vessel, was attacked and all but cut off by the boats of a squadron; who, however, on his being reinforced, were in their turn driven back and compelled to take refuge under the shelter of their own guns. In Nov. 1820 he obtained charge of a Coast Guard station in Yorkshire; on his removal whence to the Isle of Wight he had the good fortune to prevent the revenue from being defrauded to a considerable amount, and was often in consequence recommended to the notice of the Admiralty. His last appointments were to the command – in 1827, of the Starling 14, stationed in the Channel – 18 July, 1828, of the Sparrow 14, employed, until 1830, in protecting the Jersey fisheries – and, 9 Nov. 1832, for nine months, of the Magpie 4, on the North Sea, Channel, and Lisbon stations.
Lieut. Moffatt is married, and has issue seven children. Agent – J. Hinxman.