A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rainier, Peter
RAINIER. (Lieutenant, 1835.)
Peter Rainier is son of the late Capt. Peter Rainier, R.N., C.B.;[1] brother of Lieut. Chas. Rainier, R.N.; nephew of Lieut. John Rainier, R.N.; and cousin of the late Rear-Admiral John Spratt Rainier.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 Dec. 1824, on board the Clio 18, Capts. Robt. Aitchison and Robt. Deans, attached to the force in the North Sea; and was afterwards, until Feb. 1835, employed on the Mediterranean, West India, and Lisbon stations, as Midshipman and Mate, in the Asia 84, Capt. Edw. Curzon, Alacrity 10, Capt. Joseph Nias, North Star 28, Capts. Lord Wm. Paget and Hon. Geo. Rolle Walpole Trefusis, Champion 18, Capt. Chas. Hamlyn Williams, and Britannia 120, commanded by his father. He obtained his commission 18 July, 1835; served from the following Sept. until the close of 1836 in the Pylades 18, Capt. Wm. Langford Castle, on the coast of Africa, and from 6 Dec. 1843 until the commencement of 1847 in the Coast Guard; and since 27 July in the latter year has been employed as Admiralty Agent on board a contract mail steam-vessel. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Capt. Peter Rainier (a nephew of Admiral Peter Rainier) attained Post-rank 17 Jan. 1806. On 18 Oct. following, in command of the Caroline of 42 guns, he captured, near the island of Java, the Dutch 14-gun brig Zeerop, and, in the course of the same day, after an action of half an hour, the Maria-Riggersbergen of 40 guns and 270 men, 50 of whom were killed and wounded, with a loss to the Caroline, out of 204 men, of 3 killed and 18 wounded. In company with the Maria-Riggersbergen were the William 14, Patriot 18, and Zee-Ploeg 14, together with some gun-boats who partially assisted ner; 30 other gun-boats lay in shore, but did not attempt to come out. On 27 Jan. 1807, Capt. Rainier was so fortunate as to make prize of the San Raphael Spanish register-ship, mountinig 16 guns, with a complement of 97 men, having on board 500,000 dollars in specie, and 1700 quintals of copper, besides a valuable cargo. In securing this rich prize the Caroline had 7 men wounded: the enemy’s vessel, before she surrendered, incurred a loss of 27 killed and wounded. Towards the close of the war Capt. Rainier commanded the Niger 38, in which ship he assisted at the capture, 6 Jan. 1814, of La Cerès French frigate, of 44 guns and .124 men. From Oct. 1831, until Feb. 1835, he commanded the Britannia 120. He was nominated a C.B. in 1815, and in 1830 Naval Aide-de-Camp to William IV. he died at Southampton 13 April, 1836.