A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Read, George (b)
READ, K.T.S. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 15; h-p., 26.)
George Read (b) was born 22 Feb. 1794.
This officer entered- the Navy, 14 July, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Barfleur 98, Capt. Joseph Sydney Yorke, stationed in the Channel; removed as Midshipman, in June, 1807, to the Maida 74, Capt. Sam. Hood Linzee, part of tho force employed in the ensuing expedition against Copenhagen; joined, in Nov. of the same year, the Neptune 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Wilhams, attached to the Channel fleet; and from May, 1808, until Sept. 1814, served on the Home, North American, and West India stations in the Valiant 74, Capts. Jas. Young, Alex. Robt. Kerr, John Bligh, Thos. Geo. Shortland, John Nash, Robt. Dudley Oliver, and Zachary Mudge. During the term of his servitude in the latter ship he assisted at the destruction of the French squadron in Aix Roads in 1809 – accompanied the ensuing expedition to the Walcheren contributed, 3 Feb. 1810, to the capture of the French 40-gun frigate Cannonière, laden with the spoil of the principal prizes which the enemy had taken in the East Indies during the three preceding years – saw much boat-service on the coasts of France and America – aided (in company with the Acasta 40) in driving into New London, and in there blockading, the U.S. ships, United States, Macedonian, and Hornet – and escorted a large convoy home from Jamaica. On 1 Oct. 1814, about three months after he had passed his examination, he was received as a Supernumerary on promotion on board the Duncan 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Poo Beresford on the Brazilian station; where, in April, 1815, he was placed under the orders of Rear-Admiral Manley Dixon on board his old ship the Valiant. In the following July he took up a commission bearing date 27 Feb. in the same year, 1815. His succeeding appointments were – 3 Oct. 1823, to the Thetis 46, Capt. Sir John Phillimore, employed on particular service – 30 March, 1824, to the Lively 46, Capt. Wm. Elliott, which ship was paid off in Dec. 1826 – 16 April, 1827, for about two years, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye – and, 22 July, 1831, to the Coast Guard. While serving in the Lively, Lieut. Read was present in the river Tagus during the revolution in Portugal. He aided in consequence in affording protection to Don John VI. and his family and in escorting Don Miguel to Brest – services for which he was created a Knight of the order of the Tower and Sword. He afterwards made a voyage to the West Indies, where he passed through scenes of great mortality, and, being First- Lieutenant, commanded the ship during the Captain’s absence at sick quarters. The Lively, being at Vera Cruz when the castle of San Juan de Uloa surrendered to the Mexicans, was sent home with the despatches relating to that event. On her arrival she went out with the late Sir N. Campbell to Sierra Leone and Cape Coast Castle. She returned to England with intelligence of the defeat of the Ashantees, and was paid off as above. Since the close of 1832, at which period he left the Coast Guard, Lieut. Read has been unemployed.
He married, in Jan. 1833, Mary, widow of Henry Deane, Esq., of Mount Radford, Exeter, and Cavershaan, Oxford. Agent – J. Hinxman.