A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Riley, Charles Wilson
RILEY. (Commander, 1838. f-p., 29; h-p., 11.)
Charles Wilson Riley entered the Navy, 24 Dec. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Vanguard 74, Capts. Thos. Fras. Chas. Mainwaring, Thos. Baker, and Henry Rich. Glynn, on the Baltic station; where, during nearly four years, he was actively employed, the greater part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman, in affording protection to the trade, was in almost daily collision with the Danes, either in destroying their commerce or in chasing their gun-boats, and on one occasion assisted in repelling, with considerable loss to the enemy, the attack of a large flotilla. Removing, at the close of 1811, to the Malta 80, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Rear-Admiral Benj. Hallowell, he served in that ship, in 1813, at the siege of Tarragona, at the destruction of the fort of St. Philippe, and in other operations on the coast of Catalonia. He continued employed with Rear-Admiral Hallowell, as Master’s Mate, in the Tonnant 80, at Cork, until Nov. 1818. From Feb. 1822 until about the year 1827 he was employed in the Coast Blockade as Admiralty-Midshipman and Mate and Supernumerary-Lieutenant (commission dated 21 Jan. 1824) of the Severn 40, Ramillies 74, and Hyperion 42, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye. His succeeding appointments were – 15 Feb. 1828, to the Erebus bomb, Capt. Philip Broke, in the Mediterranean – 4 May, 1830, for a few months, to the Revenge 76, Capt. Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman, on the same station – and, 1 Nov. 1832 and 9 Jan. 1834, to the command of the Sparrow cutter at Portsmouth, and Espoir Falmouth packet. He paid the latter vessel off in the summer of 1837; and on 28 June, 1838, was advanced to his present rank. He obtained, 4 July, 1839, a five-years’ appointment in the Coast Guard; and since 24 Jan. 1848 has been in command of the Star sloop on the coast of Africa.
Commander Riley married, in 1836, a daughter of the late Mr. Gibbon, Commander of H.M. packet Lady Louisa.