A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rhind, William Graeme
RHIND. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 31.)
William Graeme Rhind, born 18 Dec 1794 is son of Mr. W. Rhind, Master R.N., who served in that capacity in a frigate commanded by his late Majesty, and died under the flag of Lord Hood; and nephew of the present Jas. Baikie, Esq Purser and Paymaster R.N. (1790). His grandfather Wm Baikie, – another uncle, Mr. Hugh Baikie, – and grand-uncle, Capt. Hugh Baikie, were all in the naval service.
This officer entered the Navy, 16 Sept. 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Leopard 50, Capt. Salusbury Pryce Humphreys, bearing the flag of Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley at Halifax; and on 22 June, 1807, was present when that ship compelled the U S. frigate Chesapeake to surrender, in consequence of a refusal on the part of the latter to allow the British to search her for deserters. Between April, 1808, and Feb. 1815, he served as Midshipman on the Home, Lisbon, North American, and West India stations in the Triumph 74 and Barfleur 98, both commanded by Capt. Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy (the latter the flag-ship of Hon. G. C. Berkeley), Venus 32, and Hussar 38, each under the orders of Capt. Jas. Coutts Crawford, Barfleur again, Macedonian of 48 guns and 254 men, Capt. John Surman Garden, Diomede troop-ship, Capt. Chas. Montagu Fabian, Ramillies 74, Capt. Sir T. M. Hardy, Terpsichore 32, Capt. Wm. Bowen Mends, and Araxes 38, Capt. Geo. Miller Bligh. While attached to the Barfleur he commanded a gun-boat up the Tagus; and when in the Macedonian he was captured, 25 Oct. 1812, by the American ship United States of 56 guns and 474 men, after a desperate action of two hours and ten minutes, in which the British sustained a loss of 36 killed and 68 wounded, and the enemy of about 12 killed and wounded. During the next seven months he was a prisoner-of-war. In the Diomede he saw service in the Chesapeake; and in the Ramillies he was employed at the blockade of New London. On 16 Feb. 1815, being then in the West Indies, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Emulous sloop, Capt. Thos. Wren Carter. In the following June he found that he had been promoted at home by a commission bearing date 24 of the same month, Feb. 1815. He returned to England in the Asia 74, Capt. Alex. Skene, in Feb. 1816, and has not been since afloat.
He married 25 Sept. 1828, and has issue three children.