A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Reid, Curtis
REID. (Lieut., 1809. f-p., 10; h-p., 34.)
Curtis Reid was born 16 Feb. 1789. His father, brother, and some other relatives were in the Naval Service.
This officer entered the Navy, 10 April, 1803, as Midshipman, on board the Chichester 44, Capt. Jos. Spear; and in the course of the same year was present at the reduction of Ste. Lucie and Tobago, and of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice. Removing, in June, 1805, to the Arethusa 38, Capt. Chas. Brisbane, he assisted in that ship at the capture, 23 Aug. 1806, near the Havana, after a spirited action, in which the British sustained a loss of 2 men killed and 32 wounded, of the Pomona Spanish frigate of 38 guns and 347 men, laden with specie and merchandize, and defended by a castle mounting 11 36-pounders, and a flotilla of 10 gun-boats, all of which were destroyed. In 1807 he shared in the memorable capture of Curaçoa. After serving for about 15 months on the Jamaica station in the Firefly 14, Lieut.-Commander David Boyd, he was there, 29 July and 8 Aug. 1809, nominated Acting- Lieutenant of the Sparrow 16, and Avon 18, Capts. Edw. Burt and Henry Tillieux Fraser. While in the latter vessel, to which the Admiralty confirmed him by a commission bearing date 10 Oct. 1809, he was severely wounded in the left arm in a long and destructive action fought (the Rainbow 22 in company) with the French 40-gun frigate La Néréide, 14 Feb. 1810. His last appointments were – 16 Aug. 1810, to the Reindeer 18, Capt. Peter John Douglas, also in the West Indies, whence, in the course of the same month, he invalided – 4 March, 1811, to the Royal William, flag-ship of Sir Roger Curtis at Spithead – and 16 Nov. 1811 and 7 June, 1813, to the Ganymede 26 and Minstrel 24, Capts. John Brett Purvis and Robt. Mitford, both in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in Nov. of the latter year.
In consideration of his wound, Lieut. Reid was allowed, 25 April, 1814, a pension of 91l. 5s. per annum. He married 26 Oct. 1826. Agent – J. Hinxman.