A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Morshead, John
MORSHEAD. (Lieut., 1836. f-p., 21; h-p., 5.)
John Morshead was born in 1806.
This officer entered the Navy, 17 Nov. 1821, as a Volunteer, on board the Iphigenia 42, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Mends on the coast of Africa; where, on following his chief, as Midshipman, into the Owen Glendower 42, he served on shore at Cape Coast Castle, during the Ashantee war. In the spring of 1825, a few months after he had returned to England and been received on board the Prince Regent 120, flag-ship at Chatham of Sir Benj. Hallowell, he again sailed for the coast of Africa in the Redwing 18, Capt, Douglas Chas. Clavering; and, on his arrival, was transferred to the Maidstone 42, Commodore Chas. Bullen. Invaliding home in Dec. of the same year, he next joined in succession – in March, 1826, the Britannia 120, Capt. Philip Pipon, lying at Plymouth – between Feb. 1828 and June, 1830, the Erebus and Infernal bombs, Capts. Geo. Haye, Edm. Wm. Gilbert, and Brunswick Popham, both in the Mediterranean – and, in June, 1831, the Imogene, Capt. Price Blackwood, whom he accompanied, first to the East Indies, and then to China, where, in Sept. 1834, he commanded a division of guns at the forcing of the passage of the Boca Tigris. He returned to England in Aug. 1835; and on 24 May, 1836, nearly eight years after he had passed his examination, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His appointments have since been – in 1836-7, to the Dublin 50, Harrier 18, and Blonde 42, Capts. Chas. Eden, Wm. Henry Hallowell Carew, and Sir Fras. Mason, all on the South American stations, whence he returned in Nov. 1837 – 21 July, 1838, to the Hastings 74, Capts. Fras. Erskine Loch and John Lawrence, under the latter of whom, during the Syrian war, he was employed in the boats in a successful attempt to remove a quantity of powder from the castle of Beyrout[1] – 6 Nov. 1843 (he had left the Hastings in Feb. 1842), to the Albion 90, Capt. Nicholas Lockyer, from which ship, employed on the Home station, he invalided in Sept. 1845 – and, 19 Nov. 1846, as Additional, to the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Sir John Louis, Admiral-Superintendent at Plymouth, where he is at present serving.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1840, p.2610.