A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Smith, Andrew
SMITH. (Commander, 1841.)
Andrew Smith is second son of the late Andrew Smith,[1] Esq., Rear-Admiral of the Red, by Maria, only child of Wm. Hulke, Esq.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 March, 1812, as Midshipman, on board the Elizabeth, Lieut.-Commander Robt. Morris, lying at Greenock. After serving for a year and seven months at Leith in the Latona 38, bearing the flag of Sir Wm. Johnstone Hope, and Daphne 22, Capt. Jas. Green, he joined, in June, 1815, the Junon 38, Capts. Jas. Haldane Tait and Arthur Fanshawe, on the Jamaica station. He was next, from Aug. 1816 until he invalided in Oct. 1820, employed at Home and again in the West Indies in the Cherokee 10, Capt. Wm. Ramage, Ramillies 74 and Salisbury 58, flagships of Rear-Admirals Sir W. J. Hope and Donald Campbell, and Euryalus 42, Commodore Thos. Huskinson. While attached to the Salisbury he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 7 Aug. 1819, and was actively engaged in her boats in the suppression of piracy. His appointments after he left the Euryalus were – between 1821 and 1830, to the Dover 28, Prince Regent 120, and Britannia 120, flag-ships of Sir John Poo Beresford, Sir Benj. Hallowell, and Sir Jas. Saumarez, at Leith, Sheerness, and Plymouth, to the Meteor bomb, commanded in the Mediterranean by Capt. Jas. Scott, a second time to the Britannia, and to the Hussar 46, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Ogle at Halifax – in July, 1830, to the Victor 18, in the West Indies – 4 Dec. following, to the acting-command, for six months, of the Falcon 10 – 4 July, 1831, to the Winchester 52, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, again in the West Indies – next, to the North Star 28, on the same station – and, 26 July, 1841, as Senior, to the Hastings 72, Capt. John Lawrence, in the Mediterranean. He was present in the Meteor in the demonstration made by Sir Harry Burrard Neale before Algiers in 1824; and on 27 Nov. in the same year he chanced to be in the Partridge sloop when wrecked off the coast of Holland. On that occasion, by remaining on board until all had landed, he was the main instrument of saving the lives of 27 of the crew. Since his last promotion, which took place 23 Nov. 1841, he has been on half-pay.
Commander Smith married, in 1836, Agnes Mary, daughter of Thos. Rattray, Esq., by whom he has issue a son and daughter.
- ↑ Rear-Admiral Andrew Smith was born 20 Mar. 1763, in Edinburgh, and entered the Navy in June, 1779, on board the Princess of Wales hired armed ship. He was present in the Victory 100, flag-ship of Admiral Geary, at the capture, 3 July, 1781 , of 12 sail of merchantmen, from Port-au-Prince, with cargoes on board valued at 91,000l.; and in the Fortitude 74, Capt. Rich. Bickerton, at the relief of Gibraltar by Admiral Darby, in the action with Admiral Zoutman off the Doggerbank, at the capture of a French convoy by the fleet under Vice-Admiral Barrington, at the relief of Gibraltar by Lord Howe, and in the partial action with the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Spartel, 20 Oct. 1762. He was made Lieutenant, 10 Aug. 1790, into the Rattler sloop; was promoted to the rank of Commander, after having fought in the Prince George 98, Capt. Jas. Gambier, in Lord Bridport’s action; and on 6 Jan. 17U7, previously to which he had been serving in the Calypso sloop, was advanced to Post-rank. From 1605 until 1810 he held an appointment in the Sea Fencibles at Lynn and at Berwick. During the next three years he superintended the Impress service at Greenock, and from Nov. 1813 until Sept. 1815 he commanded the Latona 38, flag-ship at Leith of Sir Wm. Johnstone Hope, under whom he had served, when Lieutenant, in the Incendiary fireship. He attained Flag-rank 19 July, 1821, and died suddenly, in Great King-street, Edinburgh, 89 Sept. 1831.