A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pierce, George
PIERCE. (Commander, 1823. f-p., 22; h-p., 22.)
George Pierce entered the Navy, 5 Aug. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Thunderer 74, Capt. Wm. Bedford, employed at first on the Irish station and afterwards in the Channel; where, and in the Baltic, North Sea, and West Indies, he served from Feb. 1805, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 21 March, 1812, as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, in the Hibernia 110, flag-ship of Lord Gardner, Ville de Paris 110, Capt. Geo. Aldham, Prince of Wales 98, and Ville de Paris again, bearing the flags of Admirals Edw. Thornbrough, Sir Jas. Saumarez, and Lord Gambier, Apelles sloop, Capt. Thos. Oliver, Neptune 98, and Statira 38, flag-ships of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, Dragon 74, bearing the flag of Sir Fras. Laforey, Ganymede and Barbadoes frigates, Capts. Robt. Preston and Edw. Rushworth, and a second time in the Dragon under Sir F. Laforey. In the Prince of Wales he accompanied the expedition of 1807 to Copenhagen; and, while attached to the Apelles, he commanded agun-boat in the attack upon Walcheren in 1809. His appointments in the capacity of Lieutenant (prior to his attainment of which rank he had been upwards of two years on the list for promotion) were – 1 Oct. 1812, to the Mulgrave 74, Capt. Thos. Jas. Maling, stationed in the Mediterranean, where he partook of much boat-service, and was present in the partial action fought with the Toulon fleet 5 Nov. 1813 – 1 Oct. 1814, to the Comus 22, Capt. John Tailour, under whom, while employed on the coast of Africa, he ascended the new Calabar river as high as Duke’s Town (the Comus was the first man-of-war that ever did so) and assisted in the boats at the capture of several slavers – 3 July, 1816, as Senior, after eight months of half-pay, to the Beelzebub bomb, Capts. Wm. Kempthorne and Fred. Thos. Michell, in which vessel he served at the bombardment of Algiers – 18 Dec. 1816, to the Madagascar 46, Capt. Wm. Aug. Baumgardt, lying at Sheerness – 13 May, 1817, to the Tonnant 80, flag-ship of Sir Benj. Hallowell at Cork – 7 Dec. 1818, to the Windsor Castle 74, Capt. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild at Plymouth – and, 29 June, 1821, and 28 March and 6 Dec. 1822, to the Bulwark 76, Gloucester 74, and Prince Regent 120, flag-ships of Sir B. Hallowell in the river Medway. The day preceding his promotion to the rank of Commander, 5 Sept. 1823, he officiated as Aide-de-Camp to Viscount Melville at the opening of the new basin and dock at Sheerness. He was afterwards, from 15 June, 1832, until 1835, employed as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard.
Commander Pierce, during the last nine years, has filled the office of Secretary to the “Sailor’s Home,” in Wells Street, London Docks. In 1843 he was examined before the House of Commons on the state of the Merchant Seamen’s Fund. He is married and has issue.