A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Richards, William
RICHARDS. (Lieut., 1815. r-p. 10; h-p., 32.)
William Richards entered the Navy, 9 April, 1805, as Sec.-cl. Boy, on board the Zealous 74, Capts. John Okes Hardy, John Giffard, Wm. Pierrepont, Thos. Boys, and Jas. Anderson. Continuing in that ship until 1814, he assisted, as Midshipman, in blockading the French and Spanish squadrons at Cadiz, was at Gibraltar when the fleet came in after the battle of Trafalgar, served in a gun-boat against the French on the coast of Spain, escorted the Russian fleet to England after the Convention of Cintra, aided in embarking the remains of General Moore’s army at Corunna, commanded a telegraph in a redoubt on the lines of Torres Vedras, and was engaged in affording protection to the trade in the Baltic. From Oct. 1814 until May, 1815, he served in the Chatham 74, Capt. David Lloyd, and cruized during that period among the Western Islands in pursuit of three American frigates. Since the date last mentioned he has been on half-pay. His commission bears date 7 Feb. 1815.