A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Peel, William
PEEL. (Commander, 1846. f-p., 9; h-p., 0.)
William Peel , born 2 Nov. 1824, is third son of the Right Hon. Sir Robt. Peel, Bart., M.P., by Julia, youngest daughter of General Sir John Floyd, Bart.
This officer entered the Navy, 7 April, 1838, as Midshipman, on board the Princess Charlotte 104, Capt. Arthur Fanshawe, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Hon. Sir Robt. Stopford, under whom, in Nov. 1840, he witnessed the fall of St. Jean d’Acre. Towards the close of 1841, after having been further employed on the Mediterranean station in the Monarch 84, Capt. Sam. Chambers, he successively joined the William and Mary yacht, Capt. Phipps Hornby, and Cambrian 36; in which latter ship, commanded by Capt. Henry Ducie Chads, we find him, until April, 1843, attached to the force in China. On his return home in the following Sept. in the Belleisle troop-ship, Capt. John Kingcome, he was received on board the Camperdown 104, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Brace at the Nore; and in the following Nov. he joined the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings. On 13 May, 1844, a week after he had passed his examination – an examination so brilliant that it called forth a public eulogium from Sir Thos. Hastings [errata 1], and a very flattering notice from Sir Chas. Napier in the House of Commons – Mr. Peel was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His succeeding appointments appear to have been – 15 May, 1844, to the Winchester 50, flag-ship of Hon. Josceline Percy at the Cape of Good Hope – 13 June following, as Additional, to the Cormorant steam-sloop, Capt. Geo. Thos. Gordon, in the Pacific – 29 Aug. in the same year, to the Thalia 42, Capt. Chas. Hope, similarly stationed – next, we believe, to the America 50., Capt. Hon. John Gordon, by whom he was sent in charge of dispatches from San Blas to Vera Cruz – 27 Feb. 1846, after a brief interval of half-pay, to the Devastation steam-sloop, Capt. Edw. Crouch, equipping at Woolwich – and, 15 May ensuing, to the Constance 50, Capt. Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, lying at Devonport. He attained his present rank 27 June, 1846; and, since 11 Feb. 1847, has been in command of the Daring 12, on the North America and West India station.