A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pearson, Charles
PEARSON. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 21; h-p., 26.)
Charles Pearson entered the Navy, 12 July, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Prince George 98, Capt. Jas. Walker, whom he successively followed into the Prince 98, Isis 50, Tartar 32, and Vanguard 74. In the Isis he fought at Copenhagen 2 April, 1801; and in the Vanguard he assisted, in 1803, at the capture, besides a variety of smaller vessels, of Le Duquesne 74, and La Créole of 44 guns, with the French General Morgan and 530 troops on board. He was also present at the surrender of the town of St. Marc, St. Domingo; the garrison of which place, amounting to about 1100 men, were brought off by the Vanguard and her prizes to rescue them from the vengeance of the black General, Dessalines. After a further servitude of six months with Capt. Walker, as Midshipman, in the Duquesne, he joined, in the autumn of 1804, the Amphion 32, Capts. Sam. Sutton and Wm. Hoste; under the latter of whom, in 1805, he accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies and back in pursuit of the combined squadrons. He served subsequently in the Mediterranean in the San Ildefonso, Capt. John Quilliam, Amphion again, Capt. Hoste, and Ocean 98, flag-ship of Lord Collingwood; was made Lieutenant, 8 Nov. 1808, into the Meteor bomb, Capt. Jas. Collins; and was next consecutively appointed – 11 July, 1810, to the Columbine sloop, Capts. Jas. ColUns and Wm. Shepheard – in May, 1811, to the Leyden 64, armée en flûte, Capt. Edw. Chetham – 20 Feb. 1812, after five months of half-pay, to the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir John Gore – and, 20 Aug. following, to the Phoebe of 46 guns and 300 men, Capt. Jas. Hillyar. In command of the boats of the Meteor Mr. Pearson cut out one privateer on the coast of Dalmatia, and another (although protected by batteries and a large detachment of French troops) from the Bay of Almeria, on the coast of Spain – the British on both occasions sustaining loss. He served in the boats of the same vessel also at the defence of Rosas; and was employed in her at the siege of Cadiz. In the Phoebe he contributed, 28 March, 1814, in the capacity of Second-Lieutenant, to the capture, off Valparaiso, of the American frigate Essex of 46 guns and 265 men, after a warm action of 2 hours, productive of a loss to the British of 4 men killed and 7 wounded, and to the enemy of 24 killed and 45 wounded. The Senior Lieutenant, Wm. Ingram, being killed during the battle, Mr. Pearson, whose conduct on the occasion obtained him a strong recommendation to the notice of the Admiralty, succeeded to that post, and was sent in charge of the prize to England, where he arrived in company with the Phoebe 13 Nov. following.[1] He was promoted to the rank of Commander by commission bearing date 29 July, 1814; and was subsequently employed, from 6 July, 1830, until 1833, in the Coast Guard at North Yarmouth; and, from 9 Nov. 1833 until 4 Feb. 1837, in the Sparrowhawk 18, in South America. His advancement to Post-rank took place 3 April in the latter year; since which period he has been on half-pay.
Capt. Pearson married, 3 Jan. 1826, Maria, daughter of the late J. Sayers, Esq., of North Yarmouth. Agent – Fred. Dufaur.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 1485.