A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pedder, George Murray McKinley
PEDDER. (Lieut., 1809. f-p., 14; h-p., 33.)
George Murray McKinley Pedder died 26 Aug. 1847, at St. Simon’s Bay, Simon’s Town, Cape of Good Hope.
This officer entered the Navy, in Jan. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Achille 74, Capt. Geo. Murray, with whom he continued employed on the Home and Baltic stations as Midshipman in the Edgar 74, part of Lord Nelson’s fleet in the action off Copenhagen, and London 98, until transferred, in May, 1802, to the Penelope 36, Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton. In Sept. 1804, on his return from a voyage to the Mediterranean, he joined the Monmouth 64, bearing the flag at North Yarmouth of Rear-Admiral Thos. Macnamara Russell. He next, in April, 1805, sailed in the Blenheim 74, flag-ship of Sir Thos. Troubridge, for the East Indies; where, on 1 April, 1806, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Caroline of 42 guns, Capt. Peter Rainier. In that ship, on 18 Oct. 1806, he contributed, in a manner that won his Captain’s highest approbation, to the capture, near the island of Java, of the Dutch 14-gun brig Zeerop, and, in the course of the same day, after an action of half an hour, of the Maria-Riggersbergen of 40 guns and 270 men, 50 of whom were killed and wounded, with a loss to the Caroline, out of 204 men, of 3 killed and 18 wounded. In company with the Maria-Riggersbergen were the William 14, Patriot 18, and Zee-Ploeg 14, together with some gun-boats who partially assisted her; 30 other gun-boats lay in-shore, but did not attempt to come out.[1] On 27 Jan. 1807 Mr. Pedder was further present at the capture of the St. Raphael Spanish register-ship, mounting 16 guns, with a complement of 97 men, having on board 500,000 dollars in specie, and 1700 quintals of copper, besides a valuable cargo. In securing this rich prize the Caroline had 7 men wounded; the enemy’s vessel, before she surrendered, incurred a loss of 27 killed and wounded. Mr. Pedder was confirmed a Lieutenant 30 Sept. 1809, and was subsequently, until Aug. 1813, employed in the Ganges 74, Capts. Peter Halkett and Geo. Dundas, Argo 44, Capts. Fred. Warren and Cornelius Quinton, and Niemen 38, Capt. Sam. Pym, on the Baltic, Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Cape of Good Hope stations. At the period of his death he was Port-Captain at St. Simon’s Bay.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1808, p. 569.