A Naval Biographical Dictionary/St. Quintin, James
ST. QUINTIN. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 15; h-p., 27.)
James St. Quintin was born 21 June, 1791. This officer entered the Navy, 23 Sept. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Agamemnon 64, Capts. Sir Edw. Berry and Jonas Rose; under the former of whom he served as Aide-de-Camp at the battle of Trafalgar and as Midshipman in the action off St. Domingo. In 1807 he landed with the naval brigade and was employed in the batteries at the siege of Copenhagen, where he received the thanks of Capt. Rose, who acted as Beach-Master, for suggesting the easy and safe embarkation of the troops by means of the enemy’s floating-batteries. On the Agamemnon being wrecked in the Rio de la Plata 20 June, 1809, he joined, with strong recommendations, the Bedford 74, Capts. Adam Mackenzie and Jas. Walker. While on the books of that ship he was sent from the coast of Brazil to Cadiz in a valuable detained Spanish ship, and was for some time actively employed in the gun and open-boat service at the defence of the latter place. In Sept. 1812 he was again at the request of Sir Edw. Berry placed under his orders as Master’s Mate in the Barfleur 98, of which ship, attached to the force in the Mediterranean, he was created a Lieutenant 7 Jan. 1814. Previously to his promotion we find him, 18 Aug. 1813, commanding the Barfleur’s barge in a brilliant attack on the batteries at Cassis, where, after sustaining a loss of 4 killed and Ifj wounded, the British succeeded in capturing two heavy gun-boats and 26 vessels laden with mer- chandize. His last appointments were – 7 Aug. 1814, for 12 months, to the Griffon 14, Capt. Geo. Hewson, employed in the Downs – 19 Sept. 1818, as Senior, to the Confiance 18, Capt. Alex. Montgomerie, on the West India station, whence a severe attack of yellow fever caused him, in Nov. 1819, to invalid – in 1824, to the Coast Guard – and, in 1826, to the command of the Eagle Revenue-cruizer. On leaving the latter vessel in April, 1829, he was officially recommended to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Melville, by the Comptroller- General and the Hon. Board of Customs “for such employment afloat as might lead to his promotion in the Royal Navy, as a reward for his zeal, exertions, and general good conduct.”
In consideration of his having severely fractured his left thigh, Lieut. St. Quintin was awarded a pension of 5l. per annum 30 May, 1843. He married, 28 March, 1826, Lucretia, daughter of J. Chapman, Esq., of the Close, Norwich.