A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pierce, Thomas
PIERCE. (Lieut,, 1807. f-p., 15; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Pierce entered the Navy, 1 March, 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the William, Capt. Robinson, lying at Woolwich; removed, in the following Sept., to the Zealand 64, Capt. Parr, flag-ship at the Nore; served, from Dec. in the same year, until July, 1802, part of the time as Midshipman, in the Resolution 74, Capts. Wm. Mitchell and Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner, on the Home and West India stations; and in March, 1803, joined the Antelope 50, Commodore Sir Wm. Sidney Smith. On 16 May, 1804, we find him present in a gallant attack made by a squadron under the orders of the latter officer upon a division of the enemy’s flotilla passing alongshore from Flushing to Ostend. Accompanying Sir W. S. Smith subsequently to the Mediterranean In the Pompée 74, he was there, 24 June 1806, nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Sirius 36, Capt. Wm. Prowse; to which vessel he was confirmed by the Admiralty 1 Sept. 1807. He returned home in May, 1808; and while next attached, between Aug. of that year and Dec. 1813, to the Achille 74, Capts. Sir Rich. King, John Hayes, Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, and Aiskew Paffard Hollis, was employed in the Channel, in the expedition to the Walcheren and off the port of Cadiz, and in the Adriatic, where he aided in blockading the French and Venetian squadrons in Venice, consisting of three line-of-battle ships and a frigate ready for sea, and several of each class fitting in the arsenal. From May, 1815, to Jan. 1816, Lieut. Pierce was engaged at Cork in impressing and raising seamen for the service. He has since been on half-pay. Agents – Pettet and Newton.