A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Soady, Joseph
SOADY. (Commander, 1822. f-p., 19; h-p., 28.)
Joseph Soady was born about 1788.
This officer entered the Navy, 15 Sept. 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Edgar 74, Capt. Edw. Buller, whom he followed as Midshipman, in March, 1801, into the Achille 74, commanded afterwards by Capt. John Okes Hardy. In those ships he continued employed in the Channel until June, 1802. In March, 1803, he again joined Capt. Buller on board the Malta 84; and in her, after sharing in Sir Robt. Calder’s action 22 July, 1805, he proceeded to the Mediterranean; whence in June, 1807, he returned to England in the Comus of 32 guns, Capt. Conway Shipley. In March of the latter year he appears to have assisted in the boats at the destruction of a large transport laden with ordnance stores, which had been wrecked near Cadiz. He was made Lieutenant, 17 Aug. 1807, into the Colossus 74, Capts. Jas. Nicoll Morris and Thos. Alexander, employed in the Channel and again in the Mediterranean; and was subsequently appointed, – 4 Sept. 1812 and 12 Oct. 1814, to the Surprise 38, Capts. Sir Thos. John Cochrane and Geo. Wm. Henry Knight, and Nymphe 38, Capt. Hugh Pigot, on the North American and West India stations – 16 Sept. 1816, to the Superb 74, Capt. Chas. Ekins – 9 Oct. 1818, to the Révolutionnaire 46, Capt. Hon. Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, fitting for the Mediterranean, whence he invalided in Dec. 1819 – and, 20 July, 1822, to the Pandora 18, Capt. Fred. Hunn, at Newfoundland. In the Colossus and her boats he aided at the defence, in 1808-10, of the fortress of Rosas and the city of Cadiz, and was frequently in action with the enemy’s gun-vessels and batteries. In a gallant but unsuccessful attack made, 27 Dec. 1811, by the boats of the Colossus and Conquestador 74, commanded by himself and by Lieut. Stackpoole, on a convoy in Basque Roads, protected by three gun-brigs, an armed lugger, and several pinnaces, his own boat was the only one, and that most miraculously, that escaped falling into the hands of the enemy. He contributed, about the same period, to the capture and destruction of several vessels to the southward of Ile d’Aix. In 1814 we find him employed up the Patuxent in the boats of the Surprise, and on shore with the Naval brigade in the attack upon Baltimore. Towards the close of the same year he accompanied, as First-Lieutenant of the Nymphe, the expedition against New Orleans; and on 27 Aug. 1816, he fought, in the Superb, at the battle of Algiers. On that occasion, the Captain and the Senior-Lieutenant having been placed hors de combat the command of the ship devolved upon Mr. Soady, who succeeded in extricating her from the perilous position she at the time held, and, after refitting her, brought her to England. He attained his present rank 26 Dec. 1822; and since 9 July, 1830, has filled the appointment of Superintendent of the shipping belonging to the Ordnance department.
Commander Soady married, 29 Aug. 1822, Rosetta, third daughter of the late Mr. Gray, surgeon, of Kingsand, co. Cornwall, by whom he has issue.