A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Oake, Josiah
OAKE. (Captain, 1846. f-p., 22; h-p., 19.)
Josiah Oake entered the Navy, 14 July, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Sampson 64, Capt. Wm. Cuming, in which ship and the Diadem, of similar force, he continued employed in South America (where he witnessed the capture of Maldonado and Monte Video) and at the Cape of Good Hope until the spring of 1808 – the latter part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman. He then joined the Salvador del Mundo, flag-ship at Plymouth of Admiral Young; and next, in Dec. 1808, July 1810, and May 1811, the Bellerophon 74, Capt. Sam. Warren, Cormorant, Master-Commander Josiah Oake, and Aigle 36, Capt. Sir John Louis. In those ships he served on the Baltic, Lisbon, Mediterranean, and West India stations for a period of six years and a half. He assisted, in the Aigle, at the capture and destruction of a French convoy under the guns of Porto Maurizio, 11 April, 1814. In March, 1815, he took up a commission bearing date 2 of the preceding March; and he was subsequently, 23 Jan. 1821 and 10 Feb. 1825, appointed to the Adventure surveying-vessel, and Zebra 18, Capts. Wm. Henry Smyth and Edw. Rich. Williams, both in the Mediterranean. Being awarded a second promotal commission 28 April, 1827, he served as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard from 24 June, 1836, until the summer of 1839, and in command, on the coast of Africa, of the Ferret 6, from 1 Dec. 1841 until 1845. He attained his present rank 9 Nov. 1846. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.