A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Richards, Peter

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RICHARDS, C.B. (Captain, 1828. f-p., 26; h-p., 23.)

Peter Richards entered the Navy, in 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Cambridge 74, Capt. Rich. Roger, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. King at Plymouth, where, with the exception of a few months in 1799 and 1800, he continued employed until May, 1802, in the Résolue, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Richards. From Nov. 1802 until Dec. 1807 he served on the Home and Mediterranean stations, principally in the capacity of Midshipman, in the Culloden 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Jas. Rich. Dacres and Geo. Campbell, Dreadnought and Princess Royal 98’s, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Carthew Reynolds, Hercule 74, Capt. Hon. John Colville, and Ocean 98, flag-ship of Lord Collingwood. On 12 of the month last mentioned he was made Lieutenant into the Repulse 74, Capt. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, part of the force employed in the expedition to the Walcheren in 1809; and he was subsequently appointed – 23 Feb. and 4 May, 1811, to the Montagu 74, Capt. John Halliday, and Revenge of similar force, successive flagship at Cadiz, off Toulon, and in the Adriatic, of Admirals Hon. A. K. Legge and Sir John Gore,^[1] to the latter of whom he became First-Lieutenant – in the course of 1815, after seven mouths of half-pay, to the Leviathan 74, Capt. Thos. Briggs, Alcmène 38, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, and Boyne 98, flag-ship of Lord Exmouth, all in the Mediterranean – and 3 July, 1816, to the Queen Charlotte 100. For his conduct as First-Lieutenant of that ship, which also bore the flag of Lord Exmouth, at the bombardment of Algiers, where, in the Queen Charlotte’s barge, he boarded and in 10 minutes set fire to a frigate,^[2] he was promoted to the rank of Commander 16 Sept. 1816. On 20 Oct. 1826 Capt. Richards obtained command of the Pelorus 18, in which vessel he continued on the Mediterranean station until advanced to Post-rank 17 Sept. 1828. His appointments have since been – 19 Dec. 1831, to the Asia 84, bearing the flag of the present Sir Wm. Parker off Lisbon, whence he returned in the summer of 1834 – 1 Nov. 1835, for nearly two years, to the Volage 28, in the Mediterranean and – 5 April, 1841, and 27 Feb. 1845, to the Cornwallis 72 and Hibernia 104, flag-ships of Sir Wm. Parker, with whom he is now serving in the Mediterranean. While in the Cornwallis, which ship was paid off at the close of 1844, Capt. Richards bore a distinguished part during the operations on the coast of China, where he served on shore in the attack on the enemy’s entrenched camp on the heights of Segaon,^[3] and at the taking of Chapoo,^[4] Woosung,^[5] Shanghae, and Chin-Kiang-Foo^[6] As a reward for the admirable gallantry, spirit, and judgment he had throughout displayed, he was nominated a C.B. 24 Dec. 1842. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.

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1. On the night of 8 Nov. 1813, having handsomely volunteered his services, Mr. Richards took command of the boats of the Revenge, and succeeded, without a single casualty, in bringing out from the harbour of Palamos ^{[errata 1]} a felucca privateer carrying 49 men, 20 of whom jumped overboard and effected their escape. – Vide Gaz. 1814, p 124.
2. Vide Gaz. 1816, p. 1791.
3. Vide Gaz. 1842, pp. 2386, 2389, 2390.
4. Vide Gaz. 1842, pp. 3692-3.
5. Vide Gaz. 1842, p. 3399.
6. At Chin-Kiang-Foo Capt. Richards landed at the head of 200 marines, and was wounded. – Vide Gaz. 1842. pp. 3389, 3403.

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1. Original: Polamos was amended to Palamos : detail