A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Sherer, Joseph
SHERER, K.H. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 27; h-p., 9.)
Joseph Sherer entered the Navy, in Feb. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Defiance 74, Capt. Rich. Raggett, stationed in the North Sea and Baltic. In Sept. 1813 he removed as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in the preceding March) to the Devonshire 74, Capt. Ross Donnelly, lying at Sheerness; and, from Jan. 1814 until Aug. 1815, he again served with Capt. Raggett, at Chatham and on the coast of North America, in the Tonnant 80 and Spencer 74. The latter ship he joined 1 Feb. 1814, and while on her books he was for a long time employed on board one of her prizes, fitted as a tender, in which vessel he assisted at the capture of the town of Castine, in Penobscot Bay. Between Aug. 1815 and Feb. 1821 he became attached in succession, on the Home station, to the Ramillies 74, Malta 80, and Rivoli 74, all commanded by Capt. Chas. Ogle, Spencer 74, Capt. Wm. Robt. Broughton, Bulwark 74, Capt. Sam. Warren, and Wolf 16, Capt. Barnard Yeoman. He then joined the Hecla bomb, Capt. Geo. Fred. Lyon, under whom, until his return to England at the close of 1823, we find him engaged in an expedition to the Polar regions conducted by the present Sir Wm. Edw. Parry. During his absence he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by a commission bearing date 26 Dec. 1822. Being again, 12 Feb. 1824, appointed to the Hecla, commanded in person by Capt. Parry, he sailed on another voyage of discovery to the Arctic seas, where he remained until the end of 1825. He next, in Aug. 1827, joined the Victor 18, Capt. Geo. Lloyd, fitting for the West Indies, on which station he obtained command, in Oct. 1828 and Aug. 1829, of the Monkey and Nimble schooners. In the Monkey, a vessel of only 75 tons, mounting 1 long 12-pounder on a pivot, with a complement of 26 men, he made prize, in April, 1829, of the Spanish schooner Josepha, carrying 1 12-pounder gun, a crew of 21 men, and a cargo of 207 slaves; and took, 27 June following, after an action of 35 minutes, the Midas brig of 360 tons, mounting 4 long 18-pounders and 4 medium 12-pounders, with a crew of more than 50 men (of whom 1 was killed and 3 wounded), and having as many as 400 slaves on board. In the Nimble, of 5 guns, Lieut. Sherer, in Nov. of the same year, captured the Gallito, mounting 1 nine-pounder, with a crew of 16 men, and 136 slaves. Thus, within eight months, were three vessels, carrying in the whole 743 slaves, the reward of his activity and zeal. His valour in effecting the capture of the Midas obtained for him a strong recommendation from the Commander-in-Chief, Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming, to the Lords of the Admiralty, who signified their approval of his conduct, and on his arrival home, in Aug. 1830, in the Barham 50, Capt. Sir John Louis, presented him with a Commander’s commission dated 30 Dec. 1829. He was afterwards, from 22 Feb. 1831 until April, 1837, employed in the Coast Guard; and, from 14 Feb. 1838 until paid off in May, 1841, in command of the Dee steamer, on the North American and West India station. “From a conviction,” writes Sir Jas. Graham, then First Lord of the Admiralty, in a letter communicating to him the above appointment to the Coast Guard, “of your most gallant and meritorious services, and from a desire on all possible occasions to mark my sense of such conduct as yours, I -have been induced to appoint you this morning an Inspecting-Commander of the Coast Guard.” Capt. Sherer was nominated a K.H. 25 Jan. 1836; and advanced to Post-rank 23 Nov. 1841. Agents – Burnett and Holmes.