A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Poad, James
POAD. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 23; h-p., 21.)
James Poad was born 11 Jan. 1789 at Devonport. This officer entered the Navy, 14 June, 1803, as Third-cl. Vol., on board the Conqueror 74, Capts. Thos. Louis and Israel Pellew, stationed at first in the Channel and afterwards in the Mediterranean. Removing as Midshipman, in March, 1805, to the Victory 100, bearing the flag of Lord Nelson, he accompanied the hero in his celebrated pursuit of the combined squadrons to the West Indies and back, and fought under him in the action off Cape Trafalgar. From 16 Jan. 1806 until May, 1812, he served on the Mediterranean and Lisbon stations, part of the time in the capacity of Master’s Mate, in the Ocean 98, Ville de Paris 110, and Barfleur 98, flag-ships of Lord Collingwood, Rear-Admiral Thos. Fras. Fremantle, and Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley. He was then nominated Acting- Lieutenant of the Mermaid troop-ship, Capt. David Dunn, on the eve, at the time, of her departure for England; where on his arrival, 12 days afterwards, he had the mortification to be superseded. Being, however, 5 July following, appointed Admiralty Midshipman of the Impétueux 74, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Geo. Martin off Lisbon, he was again, 31 of that month, ordered to assume the rank of Lieutenant, and, with it, the command of No. 7 gun-boat at Cadiz. On 24 Aug. in the same year his promotion received oflicial sanction. He was next, from 14 Dec. 1812, until paid off in Nov. 1814, employed in the Mediterranean on board the Union 98, Capt. Robt. Rolles, and Leviathan and Scipion 74’s, Capts. Patrick Campbell and Henry Heathcote; and was subsequently appointed – in 1829, to the office of Agent for Transports Afloat, in which service he continued until wrecked in 1830 on the coast of Sicily[1] – 9 March, 1837, to the charge of the Semaphore station on Haste Hill – in Oct. 1841, to the Rendezvous established at Sunderland for the raising of seamen – and 7 Dec. following, to the Semaphore on Pewley Hill, where he remained upwards of six years.
- ↑ The vessel he was in had on board a detachment of the 90th regiment, conaisting of about 320 men; all of whom, together with 40 women and children, and the greater part of the government stores, were landed in safety.