A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stoddart, John
STODDART. (Captain, 1825. f-p., 17; h-p., 33.)
John Stoddart entered the Navy, in Dec. 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Adamant 50, Capt. Wm. Hotham. In that ship, after cruizing off the coast of France, he sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, and on 11 Dec. 1799 assisted, in company with the Tremendous 74, in driving the French frigate La Preneuse on shore, under a heavy fire from the batteries in the neighbourhood of Port Louis, Isle of France. In Dec. 1801, having returned to England, he removed as Midshipman, a rating he had acquired in 1798, to the Firm sloop, Capt. Bulkeley Mackworth Praed, lying at Sheerness; where, in 1802, he joined the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferrier. In 1803 he was again placed under the command of Capt. Wm. Hotham in the Raisonnable 64, stationed in the North Sea. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 14 May, 1804; was next, from that year until he invalided in July, 1808, employed on the West India, Home, and Halifax stations in La Vertu, Capt. Roberts, and Melampus 36, Capts. Stephen Poyntz and Edw. Hawker; and in April, 1809 and Nov. 1811 was appointed, in the Mediterranean, to the Canopus 80, flag-ship of Admirals Geo. Martin and Chas. Boyles, and Invincible 74, Capt. Chas. Adam. In the Melampus he assisted in capturing two brigs, each carrying 2 long 24- pounders, 1 18-pounder, and 50 men, most of them soldiers; four luggers of 1 long 18-pounder and 25 men each, from Bordeaux bound to Brest; and a Spanish privateer, the Hydra, of 28 guns and 192 men, 3 of whom were killed and several wounded before she surrendered. In Sept. 1806, the Melampus being then in company with the Belleisle and Bellona 74’s, he contributed to the destruction, off Cape Henry, of the French 74 L’Impétueux. While serving in the Canopus he witnessed, 26 Oct. 1809, the self-destruction, off Cape Cette, of the ships of the line Robuste and Lion. He was nominated, 2 May, 1812, Acting-Commander of the Stromboli bomb; was confirmed to that vessel (in which he appears to have actively co-operated with the Catalonian patriots, and to have assisted at the capture of the fort of St. Philippe in the Col de Balaguer[1]) 3 July following; and was subsequently, from July to Nov. 1814 and from 1 Jan. 1824 until posted 27 May, 1825, employed on the Mediterranean and West India stations in the Crocus and Primrose sloops. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846. Agent – J. Hinxman.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, pp. 1361, 1405.