A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Rule, William
RULE. (Lieutenant, 1815. f-p., 11; h-p., 33.)
William Rule was born 15 June, 1787.
This officer entered the Navy, 14 March, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Minotaur 74, Capt. Chas. John Moore Mansfield, attached to the Channel fleet. After assisting at the capture of the French 36-gun frigate La Franchise and several other vessels he was, in June of the same year, discharged. Re-embarking, in July, 1804, on board the Polyphemus 64, Capts. John Lawford, Robt. Redmill, Joseph Ore Masefield, John Broughton, and Wm. Pryce Cumby, he contributed, during a cruize off Cape St. Mary, to the capture, 7 Dec. following, of the Santa Gertruyda Spanish frigate of 36 guns, laden, besides a cargo of the most costly merchandize, with 1,215,000 dollars in specie. He fought also, as Midshipman, at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805; witnessed the surrender of four heavy French frigates from Rochefort to a squadron under the orders of Sir Sam. Hood, 25 Sept. 1806; took part under Rear-Admiral Robt. Murray in the unsuccessful attack made upon Buenos Ayres in July, 1807; and served in the boats at the blockade and reduction of the city of St. Domingo in 1809. From Oct. in the latter year until Oct. 1810 we find him employed in the West Indies and off Deptford in the Firefly 10, Lieut.-Commander David Boyd, and Hyaena store-ship, Master-Commanders Geo. Andrews and John Foxton. He next, in Dec. 1810, joined the Bedford 74, Capt. Jas. Walker, stationed at first off Flushing, and afterwards on the coast of North America; where he aided in the boats at the capture, despite a fierce resistance, of a powerful flotilla, proved instrumental to the destruction of other vessels, and was engaged in landing troops and ammunition during the attack upon New Orleans. He took up in June, 1815, a commission dated 4 of the preceding Feb.; and has since been on half-pay.
Lieut. Rule married, 8 July, 1817, Ann, daughter of the late Geo. Hawkins, Esq., of Lewisham, co. Kent, formerly of the Custom-House, London, and has an only daughter.