A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pettet, John
PETTET. (Lieutenant, 1828.)
John Pettet was born 13 May, 1796. He had a relative in the service, Mark Pettet, who was wounded at New Orleans; and also a brother and brother-in-law, both of whom died Lieutenants.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 Oct. 1810, as a Volunteer, on board the Monarch 74, Capt. Rich. Lee; in which ship, and in the Bellerophon and Scarborough 74’s, the former bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier, and the latter commanded by Capts John Halsted and Chas. Jas. Johnston, he served in the North Sea, part of the time as Midshipman, until May, 1814. After a further employment, of eight months on the same station in the Mercurius 16 and Plumper 12, Capts. Thos. Renwick and Geo. Domett, he joined, in Sept. 1815, the Romney 50, Capt. John Mackellar, fitting for the West Indies; where he continued, in the Salisbury 58, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral John Erskine Douglas, Rifleman 18, Capts. Robt. Rochfort Felix and Norwich Duff, and again, as Master’s Mate, in the Salisbury, until the spring of 1818. Prior to joining the Rifleman he appears to have been lent to the Briseis 10, Capt. Geo. Domett, and to have been wrecked in that vessel on a desolate part of the island of Cuba 5 Nov. 1816; from which period, until picked up 11 weeks and a half afterwards by the Landrail, he remained exposed, with his fellow-sufferers, to the greatest hardships, being nearly destitute the whole time of provisions and clothing. In March, 1819, having passed his examination in the preceding Nov., he was received, as Admiralty-Midshipman, on board the Severn 50, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, lying in the Downs, for the purposes of the Coast Blockade. He left that service in Feb. 1820; and during the nine following years was employed, on the Jamaica, Home, and African stations, in the Tribune 42, Capt. Nesbit Josiah Willoughby, Euryalus 42, Capt. Thos. Huskisson. Nautilus 18 and Bann 22, both commanded by Capt. John Ralph Blois, Scout 18, Capts. John Theed and Jas. Wigston, Pheasant 18, Capt. Douglas Chas. Clavering, Prince Regent 120, Capt. Wm. Henry Webley Parry, Conflict 12, Lieut.Commander Christie, Maidstone 42, Commodore Chas. Bullen, Esk 20, Capt. Wm. Jardine Purchas, Sybille 48, Commodore Fras. Augustus Collier, and Plumper 12, Lieut.-Commander Edw. Medley. In the Bann and Pheasant he performed the duties of Second-Master and Master; and, while serving in the Sybille, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, by commission bearing date 14 July, 1828. During his sojourn on the coast of Africa where he saw much detached service, he had the good fortune to participate in the capture of a large number of slaves. He returned home in the Plumper in the early part of 1829, with at least 40 persons charged with piracy under his care; and has since been on half-pay.
We had nearly omitted to record that, while attached, in 1819, to the Coast Blockade, he had very materially contributed to the rescue of the Dawn brig, by getting her off the rocks near Dover, and conducting her thence to Ramsgate, although she had lost her rudder and had six feet water in the hold.