A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rice, Henry
RICE. (Retired Commander, 1846. f-p., 11; h-p., 34.)
Henry Rice was born 13 June, 1787.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 July, 1802, as A.B., on board the Royal Charlotte yacht, Capt. Sir Harry Burrard Neale, stationed off Weymouth. In Sept. 1803, after having been for eight months employed in a merchantman on a voyage to the Mediterranean, he re-embarked as Midshipman on board the Repulse 74, Capt. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge; under whom he fought in Sir Robt. Calder’s action 22 July, 1805, and in Feb. 1807 passed the Dardanells. Being made Lieutenant, 9 Nov. 1808, into the Phoebe of 44 guns and 271 men, Capts. Hassard Stackpoole and Jas. Hillyar, he assisted in that ship at the reduction of the Isle of France in Dec. 1810. He was also, prior to joining in the expedition against Java, present, 20 May, 1811 (while cruizing off Madagascar in company with the Astrea and Galatea, frigates nearly equal in force to the Phoebe, and 18-gun brig Racehorse), at the capture – after a long and trying action with the French 40-gun frigates Rénommée, Clorinde, and Néréide, and a loss to the Phoebe of 7 men killed and 24 wounded – of the Rénommée, and on 25 of the same month of the Néréide and the settlement of Tamatave. On his return from escorting convoy to Quebec Mr. Rice, in July, 1812, invalided. His last appointments were – 16 Jan. 1813, for six months, to the Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Dundas, in which ship he accompanied the trade to the West Indies – and, in May, 1815, to the Alban 12, Capt. Jas. Boyd, and his old ship the Phoebe, still commanded by Capt. Hillyar, with whom he served off the coast of France until paid off 28 Aug. ensuing. He accepted his present rank 13 April, 1846.
Commander Rice married, 30 Oct. 1839, Miss Ann Berry, of Chawton, near Alton, Hants.