A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Simpson, John
SIMPSON. (Captain, 1809.)
John Simpson was born in 1766 at Chatham, and was educated at the Greenwich School.
This officer (whose name had been borne from 1774 until 1779 on the books of the Medway 74, Capt. Affleck) embarked, in 1781, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Cerberus frigate, Capt. Robt. Mann; previously to following whom, in 1782, into the Scipio, he assisted at the relief of Gibraltar, After serving for a short time as Midshipman in the Clinton, he joined, in 1783, L’Abondance store-ship, Capt. Phillips, and in the course of the same year was charged with the duty of ceding New York to General Washington. Between 1783 and Dec. 1793 he was employed on the Newfoundland, Home, and Mediterranean stations, in the Winchelsea 32, Goliath 74, Capt. Dickson, Carysfort 28, Capt. Smith, Ferret sloop, Capt. Davidge Gould, Mercury 28, Capt. Montgomery, Bedford 74, Capt. R. Mann, and Leander 50, Romney 50, Princess Royal 98, and Victory 100, flag-ships of Admirals Peyton, Goodall, and Lord Hood. On leaving the Goliath in Dec. 1785 he passed his examination, and in the Ferret and Mercury he was for three years Acting-Master, from 1788 until 1791. In the Victory he was present at the occupation of Toulon. He was made Lieutenant, 7 Dec. 1793, into the Bedford 74, Capt. Mann; and from March, 1795, until 1802. he served in that capacity at Home and in the Mediterranean in the Sybille 40, Capt. Cooke, Windsor Castle 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Mann, Sans Pareil 80, Capt. Lord Hugh Seymour, Royal William, flag-ship of Sir Peter Parker, Anacreon, commanded by himself, Cormorant 24 Capt. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, Santa Teresa frigate, Capt. Campbell, Lutine, Hon. Capt. Dundas, and Pomone 40, Capt. Edw. Leveson Gower. In the Sybille he was for nearly 12 months First-Lieutenant; in the Cobmorant and Santa Teresa he was present at the attack upon Genoa, and at the blockade and reduction of Malta; and in the Pomone, besides aiding at the defence of Porto Ferrajo, he contributed to the capture, 3 Aug. 1801, of the Carrère of 40 guns and 320 men, and, 2 Sept. following, of the frigates Succès and Bravoure. The Carrère did not surrender until a stiff action of 10 minutes had occasioned her antagonist a loss of 2 men killed and 4 wounded. From the Pomone Lieut. Simpson removed to the Kent 74, flag-ship of Sir Rich. Bickerton in the Mediterranean, where he was nominated, in the course of 1802, Acting-Commander of the Tourterelle 30. As he was, however, called upon to act as Captain of the Kent, he did not join that vessel until the early part of 1803; on 19 April in which year his promotion was confirmed. In Aug. 1803, having returned home with the 63rd Regiment, he hoisted the flag of Lord Gardner at Cork. He was subsequently ordered to the river Clyde, where he commanded the Tourterelle as a guard-ship, until appointed, 20 May, 1805, on the application of Lord Nelson, to the Wasp 18. On 28 Aug. following, Capt. Simpson, who had been sent under the orders of Capt. Stephen Poyntz, of the Melampus 36, to watch the Passage du Raz, found himself in the midst of the celebrated Rochefort squadron, consisting of five two-deckers, two frigates, and two brigs; and his capture appeared so inevitable to Capt. Poyntz, that that officer reported such to have taken place the next day to the Commander-in-Chief, Hon. Wm. Cornwallis. The French Admiral’s ship approached so near that she actually fired a shot over the Wasp; between whom and a frigate and brig a running-action was maintained from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., when the squadron hauled to the wind and left her. On the 29th she was again surrounded by the enemy, and the frigate and brig, as before, commenced a fire which lasted until the appearance of H.M.S. Niobe and another induced them and the rest of the French ships to haul their wind in a state of such confusion that several men were lost overboard. Although the Wasp was sawed in every part to facilitate her sailing, and had only her two stern-chase guns remaining, she increased the dismay on board the French brig by attempting to cut her off in the face of her companions. Superiority of sailing, however, on the part of the latter saved her. For the conspicuous gallantry he displayed on these occasions Capt. Simpson obtained the high approbation of the Admiralty, and received the public thanks of the Commander-in-Chief, who held out to him an assurance of early promotion. In this he was unfortunately disappointed, neither he nor his First-Lieutenant meeting any reward, although his recommendations, as regarded the rest of the officers and crew, were attended to. After commanding the Star sloop for about two years and 10 months on the Downs and North American stations, he acquired command, in July, 1808, of the Wolverene; in which vessel we find him, in Feb. 1809, co-operating in the attack upon Martinique, where he destroyed two forts and captured two brigs pierced for 16 guns. On his arrival home, with a strong letter of recommendation from Sir Alex. Cochrane to Lord Mulgrave, he was immediately (we believe in the Gorée) ordered on promotion to Halifax. He was there in consequence nominated, 6 Sept. 1809, Acting- Captain of the Furieuse 36. In that ship, to which he was confirmed 12 Dec. following, he continued until July, 1810. In March, 1812, he assumed command, pro tem., of the Chatham 74, in the Channel : and from April following until Oct. 1813, he served on the North American and West India stations in the Coquette 20. When in that vessel off Demerara he fought for 20 minutes a close action with the American schooner-privateer General Armstrong of 19 guns, including 1 long 18-pounder, which for two hours previously had been playing on the Coquette. It then falling calm, the privateer, by the aid of her sweeps, escaped, with a loss, out of 140 men, of 10 killed and 17 wounded. The Coquette had 2 men killed and 2 wounded. On her engaged side she was covered with langridge; and her masts, as well as those of her opponent, were much damaged. In July, 1815, Capt. Simpson was appointed to the Rochfort 80, but this ship he never joined. He was admitted into the Royal Hospital at Greenwich 1 April, 1842. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.