A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pringle, James
PRINGLE. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 15; h-p., 35.)
James Pringle is son of Jas. Pringle, Esq., of Torwoodlee, Melrose, N.B.
This officer entered the Navy, in May, 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Phaeton 38, Capt. Hon. Robt. Stopford; in which ship, while cruizing in the Bay of Biscay, he came into action, 22 March, 1798, with a French frigate. He continued employed with Capt. Stopford, as Midshipman, in the Excellent and Spencer 74’s, on the West India and Channel stations, until Nov. 1803; and after a further servitude in the Centaur 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Sam. Hood at Barbadoes, was there made Lieutenant, 6 March, 1804, into the Amsterdam. On 22 Dec. following he obtained acting-command of the Pert sloop, also in the West Indies; where, the appointment being confirmed 9 Oct. 1805, he continued until obliged, in Jan. 1807, to invalid. Joining next, in Nov. of the latter year, the Sparrowhawk 18, Capt. Pringle contrived in that vessel to capture – 12 Jan. 1809, L’Espérance of 14 guns and 54 men, off Cherbourg; 19 June, 1810, L’Intrépide of 6 guns and 47 men, off Marseilles; and, 6 Nov. 1811, L’Invincible of 2 guns and 33 men, off Malaga – all of them privateers. On the occasion of a disastrous yet most valorous attack made, 13 Dec. 1810, by the boats of a squadron under Capt. Fras. Wm. Fane, upon the enemy’s shipping in the Mole of Palamos, we find him eliciting the especial praise of the senior officer for his good conduct both at the landing and at the withdrawal of the men.[1] He was afterwards very actively employed on the coast of Valencia and Tarragona under the orders of the present Sir Edw. Codrington.[2] On 19 Jan. 1812 he was taken prisoner by a party of the enemy’s dragoons in the neighbourhood of the latter place;[3] but he was soon liberated by the Baron d’Eroles, then commanding a division of the Catalan army. During his captivity he witnessed the defeat of 800 French infantry, occupying an advantageous position behind the walls of Villa Succa. Attaining Post-rank 1 June, 1812, Capt. Pringle in the following Sept. left the Sparrowhawk. He accepted his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.