A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Muriel, William
MURIEL. (Lieutenant, 1812. f-p., 12; h-p., 30.)
William Muriel, born 7 May, 1794, at Ely, co. Cambridge, is son of Robt. Muriel, Esq., Surgeon.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 Aug. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hero 74, Capts. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner and John Poo Beresford. On 4 Nov. following he fought in Sir Rich. Strachan’s action with the four line-of-battle ships escaped from Trafalgar; and on 13 March, 1806, he witnessed the capture of the Marengo 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Linois, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule. After a servitude of 17 months in the Channel on board the Dragon 74, he rejoined his first Commander, then Rear-Admiral Gardner, in the Bellerophon 74; in the boats of which ship, on her arrival in the Baltic, we find him in perpetual contact with the enemy’s gun-boats, batteries, &c. While next attached, between June, 1810, and Sept. 1812, to the San Josef 110, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Cotton, and Éclair sloop, Capts. Wm. Gregory, John Bellamy, and Fairfax Moresby, he saw much similar service in the Adriatic. On 15 of the month last mentioned he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Mermaid 32, armée en flûte, commanded by the present Sir David Dunn, with whom (the appointment being confirmed by commission dated 5 Dec. 1812) he continued until Nov. 1814. He took part, in consequence, in the siege of Trieste (where e served on shore and in the boats), also in the attack upon Leghorn, and in the capture of Genoa. His last appointment was, 2 Oct. 1817, to the Bulwark 74, Capts. Geo. M‘Kinley, Sam. Warren, Fras. Newcombe, and Alex. Skene; from which ship, stationed at Shecrness, he was lent to the Royal Sovereign yacht, Capt. Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen, for the purpose of escorting the Duke and Duchess of Clarence from Dunkerque to England. He has been on half-pay since 1820.
Lieut. Muriel married, in 1828, Miss Catherine M. Alexander, of London, and by that lady has issue a son and two daughters.