A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Prickett, Thomas
PRICKETT. (Captain, 1824. f-p., 15; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Prickett, born 23 April, 1789, is son of the late Commander John Prickett, R.N.;[1] and brother of Lieut. John David Prickett, R.N., who was Senior of the Busy sloop, Capt. Rich. Keilly, when that vessel, with all on board, was lost on the Halifax station in 1807.
This officer entered the Navy, 3 Dec. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Borer gun-brig, commanded by his father, Lieut. John Prickett, with whom he served in the Channel until May, 1802, part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman. Joining in the following July the Centaur 74, he sailed in that ship with the broad pendant of Sir Sam. Hood for the West Indies, where, in the attack of 1803 upon Ste. Lucie, he took command of a boat and was employed in landing the troops. After serving for a short time on the Home station in the Foudroyant 80, Capt. Peter Spicer, and Uranie 38, Capt. Hon. Chas. Herbert, he returned to the West Indies, and became attached in succession to the Theseus and Hercule 74’s, flag-ships of Vice-Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres, by whom he was nominated Sub-Lieutenant of the Morne Fortunée schooner, Lieut.-Commander John Jas. Rorie. Being made full Lieutenant, 28 April, 1805, into the Renard of 18 guns and 121 men, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, Mr. Prickett, as Senior of that sloop, assisted at the capture, among other vessels, of La Bellone privateer of 4 guns and 50 men, and on 28 May, 1806, after an arduous chase of three days and nights, of La Diligente national brig, mounting 14 long 6-pounders and 2 brass 36-pounder carronades, with a complement of 125 men. In command of the boats of the Elk 18, into which vessel he had followed Capt. Coghlan as First-Lieutenant in the spring of 1807, he succeeded in cutting out a schooner from under the protection of 6 gun-boats. He was for six weeks also engaged as a volunteer in cruizing in a boat for the interception of the enemy’s small privateers; and for his general services in the Elk he had the gratification of receiving, with Capt. Coghlan, the thanks of the Governor and House of Assembly at Jamaica. While employed next, as Senior, in the Griffon sloop, Capt. John Gore, Mr. Prickett was present at the blockade and surrender of the city of San Domingo, and, owing to the illness of his Captain, had many anxious duties to perform. Returning to England about Aug. 1809, he became, in Jan. 1810, Flag-Lieutenant in the Gladiator to the second in command at Portsmouth, Vice-Admiral Herbert Sawyer, with whom he afterwards served in the same capacity in the Belvidera 36 and Africa 64, on the coast of North America, until advanced to the rank of Commander 30 Jan. 1813. During a few months of that period he held the acting-command of the Little Belt 18, and made many prizes. In the Teaser 14, to which vessel he was appointed 25 March, 1814, Capt. Prickett took an American privateer of superior force, as also of a valuable East Indiaman – a service for which he was complimented by the First Lord of the Admiralty, and, at the request of the Commander-in-Chief, immediately removed, 25 Dec. in the same year, to the Pelican 16, a much finer sloop. Continuing in her but a short period, he was next, 9 Aug. 1823, appointed to the Victor 18, fitting for the coast of Africa, where he cruized with success in suppression of the slave-trade, and where, on being nominated Acting-Captain of the Owen Glendower 42, he became senior officer. In the latter capacity he rendered cordial co-operation and assistance to Lieut.-Colonel Sutherland, the Commandant at Cape Coast Castle, when threatened with an attack by the King of Ashantee, who was rapidly approaching with 10,000 men to form a junction with a body already encamped near that fortress.[2] He acquired his present rank 20 Aug. 1824, and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846. While in command of the Pelican Capt. Prickett jumped overboard and saved the lives of two seamen, imminently hazarding his own existence, and by his exertions occasioning material injury to his health. We understand that death alone prevented his late Majesty from conferring on him the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, in acknowledgment of his services.
- ↑ John Prickett, a veteran who served his country with zeal for upwards of 50 years, obtained his first commission in April, 1794, and was one of those few meritorious officers who were advanced to the rank of Lieutenant from that of Master. In Jan. 1795 he assisted, as third of the Blanche of 38 guns and 198 men, at the capture of La Pique of 38 guns and about 279 men, after a deadly action of nearly four hours and a half, in which the British sustained a loss of 8 persons, including their Captain, Rob. Faulknor, killed, and 21 wounded, and the enemy of 76 killed and 110 wounded. During the latter part of the French revolutionary war he commanded the Borer gun-brig. He afterwards had charge of a division of transports, and was employed in co-operating with the army under the Duke of Wellington. In 1811 he was appointed senior of the Warrior 74, commanded by the late Viscount Torrington. He attained the rank of Commander 12 Aug. 1812, and died early in the year 1823.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1824, p. 1273.