A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Saville, George Augustus
SAVILLE. (Retired Commander, 1835. f-p., 19; h-p., 35.)
George Augustus Saville was born 12 April, 1773. His brother, Capt. John Griffin Saville, R.N., died Agent for Prisoners-of-War at Jamaica in 1804.
This officer entered the Navy, in Nov. 1793, as A.B., on board the Irresistible 74, Capt. John Henry, part of the force employed under Sir John Jervis at the reduction of the French West India islands. On his return to England in 1794 he joined the Jupiter 50, Commodore John Willet Payne, under whom we find him, in March, 1795, escorting the Princess Caroline of Brunswick from Cuxhaven to England. Removing shortly afterwards to the Russell 74, Capt. Thos. Larcom, he fought in that ship, and was wounded in the left leg, in Lord Bridport’s action 23 June, 1795. He next, in Oct. 1796 and May, 1798, became Midshipman and Master’s Mate of the Impétueux 74, Capt. J. W. Payne, and Experiment 44, commanded by his brother, Capt. J. G. Saville. On his return, in the latter ship, from the expedition of 1799 to Holland, he proceeded to the Mediterranean; where, on 14 Dec. 1800, a few weeks after he had been received on board the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Lord Keith, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Athénienne 64, Capt. Sir Thos. Livingstone, of whose tender, the Arab, he had command from July, 1801, to March, 1802. He was confirmed a Lieutenant on his arrival home, 13 Nov. 1802; and was subsequently appointed – 14 March, 1803, to the Cruizer 18, Capt. John Hancock, on the Home station, where, prior to invaliding in the following Oct., he contributed to the capture of a large French praam – 31 March, 1804, to the Sea Fencibles in Ireland – 30 Jan. 1805, to the Espiègle 16, Capt. Henry Gage Morris, in the Channel – 6 Aug. 1806 (three months after he had left the latter vessel), to the charge, which he retained until Nov. 1809, of a Signal station on the Irish coast – and, 31 July, 1811, to the post of Agent for Transports afloat. While serving in the Espiégle his spine was severely hurt by the bursting of a hawser in towing a vessel down Channel. The effects of the injury he then sustained he still occasionally feels. As a Transport Agent he was employed on the coasts of Spain and Portugal, in the expedition against New Orleans, and in exchanging, at different French ports, the prisoners taken at Waterloo. He went on half-pay 14 Dec. 1815; and accepted his present rank 21 April, 1835.
Commander Saville married 25 July, 1807, and has issue one son and two daughters.