A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ratsey, Nathaniel
RATSEY. (Retired Commander, 1847. f-p., 18; h-p., 32.)
Nathaniel Ratsey is brother of Rear-Admiral Ratsey.
This officer entered the Navy, 19 Dec. 1797, as A.B., on board the Atalanta, Lieut.-Commander Stephen Donovan, stationed off Jersey. From March, 1799, until Feb. 1800, he was employed as Midshipman at the Rendezvous for Seamen at Cowes. During the next eight months he served as before with Lieut. Donovan on board a vessel named the Rowcliffe; and from Oct. 1800 until Feb. 1805 we find him stationed in the West Indies and at Home, in the Excellent 74, Capts. Hon. Robt. Stopford and John Nash, Prince of Wales 98, flag-ship of Sir Robt. Calder, and Insolent and Urgent gun-brigs, Lieut.-Commanders John Row Morris and Edm. Wallington. On 1 March, 1805, he was nominated Sub-Lieutenant of the Furious, Lieut.-Commander Mayson Wright, lying in the Downs; he was promoted to the rank of full Lieutenant 22 Jan. 1806; and he was subsequently appointed – 17 Feb. 1806, to the Mosquito 18, Capt. Sam. Jackson, also in the Downs – 27 Oct. following, to the Glatton 50, Capt. Thos. Seccombe, in the Mediterranean – next, to the Lucifer bomb, Capts. Robt. Elliot and Robt. Hall, Belle Poule 38, Capt. Jas. Brisbane (part of the force employed in the reduction of Zante, Cephalonia, and Sta. Maura), Salsette 36, Capts. Walter Bathurst and John Hollinworth, and Topaze 38, Capt. Henry Harvey, all on the station last named – 12 March, 1812, to the Orion 74, Capt. Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, lying at Portsmouth – 22 Oct. 1813, to the command of the Snipe gun-brig, in the Baltic – 8 March, 1814, to the Esk 20, Capt. Geo. Gustavus Lennock, under whom, during a servitude of 18 months, he assisted at the capture of the Sine-quâ-non American privateer of 7 guns and 81 men, and took part in a smart action fought off Teneriffe with two other American vessels, the Grampus and Terpsichore – and, 3 May, 1823, as First-Lieutenant, for a few months, to the Pelorus 18, Capt. Wm. Hamley, on the Cork station. He accepted his present rank 27 July, 1847.
Commander Ratsey was left a widower in 1842. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.