A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rayley, Charles
RAYLEY. (Commander, 1813. f-p., 19; h-p., 35.)
Charles Rayley entered the Navy, 2 Oct. 1793, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Resolution 74 Capt. Jas. Cumming, stationed in the Channel and on removing to the Audacious 74, Capts. Wm. Parker and Alex. Hood, fought as Midshipman of the mizen-top in Lord Howe’s action 28 May, 1794, on which occasion the Audacious won distinction by her gallant defeat of the French 110-gun ship Révolutionnaire, after a close and furious engagement of nearly two hours. In Oct. of the same year, Capt. Parker having been promoted to Flag-rank and appointed Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica, Mr. Rayley rejoined him on board the Raisonnable 64, and sailed for the West Indies, where, in Dec. 1795, he followed him into the Swiftsure 74. In that ship he was severely wounded in the right leg under the batteries of Port Paix, St. Domingo. After serving for a short time with Commodore Sir Robt. Calder in the Ville de Paris 110, and again with Admiral Parker, on the Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Halifax stations, in the Blenheim 98, St. George 98, and America 64, he was nominated, 17 Sept. 1800, Acting-Lieutenant of the Asia 64, Capt. Robt. Murray. He was officially promoted 17 Nov. following; and was next in succession appointed – 16 Feb. 1801, to the Rambler 14, Capts. Peter Rye and Thos. Innes, on the Channel station – 8 Oct. 1803 (after nearly 12 months of half-pay), to the Penguin 18, Capts. Geo. Morris and John Langdale Smith, with whom he served for three years on the coast of Africa and in the West Indies – 20 Nov. 1806, to the Modeste 36, which frigate he fitted out as First-Lieutenant – 11 Dec, 1806, in the capacity last mentioned, to the Daedalus 32, Capts. Fred. Warren and Sam. Hood Inglefield, then on the eve of her departure for the West Indies, where, in an attack made by him in the boats on two privateers, he received a sabre-cut in the face, so severe that the Patriotic Society, unasked, voted him the sum of 80l. – and, 29 Sept. 1810 (immediately on his return to England), as Senior, to the Malacca 36, Capt. Wm. Butterfleld, whom he accompanied to the East Indies. Owing to the death of Capt. Dawson of the Piedmontaise frigate, Mr. Rayley, in the absence of Commodore Broughton, the Commander-in-Chief, was by Capt. Butterfleld directed, 12 Oct. 1811, to act as Captain of that ship, at the time in Madras Roads. On 31 of the following Dec, after the Piedmontaise had been docked at Bombay, and while she was in the act of refitting, he was superseded by the Commodore, on the return of the latter from the expedition against Java, and placed in command (with the rank only of First-Lieutenant) of the Illustrious 74. In April, 1812, he obtained acting-command of the Barracouta 18, in which vessel he took and destroyed several Malay pirates, and accompanied a squadron sent under Capt. Jas. Bowen of the Phoenix frigate to act against the Rajah of Sambas, in Borneo. During the operations which took place on the Sambas river the Barracouta, besides having to surmount many difficulties of navigation, suffered much from the long guns in the enemy’s forts, 93 of the shot from which lodged in her sides and masts. Her casualties (she had on board a detachment of the 78th regt.) amounted to 5 men killed, and 1 Lieutenant, 1 Midshipman (mortally), the Surgeon, the Boatswain, and 25 others, wounded. In April, 1813, an officer from England having been appointed to command the Barracouta, Mr. Rayley was superseded. He returned home in consequence a passenger in the Illustrious 74; and on memorializing the Admiralty was presented, 1 Dec. in the same year, with a Commander’s commission.
Commander Rayley married, 25 Nov. 1841, Mary, daughter of Capt. Robt. Alefounder, of the Suffolk Militia, and relict of Jas. Robinson, Esq., of Southwold. He was left a widower 16 Dec. 1846.