A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Swain, Thomas
SWAIN. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p., 16; h-p., 37.)
Thomas Swain was born 19 Sept. 1780. He is uncle of Lieut. Thos. Swain Scriven, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 18 Sept. 1794, as A.B., on board the Ceres 32, Capt. Thos. Peyton, with whom he continued to serve as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the same frigate and in the Minerva 38, principally in the Channel, until transferred, 1 Aug, 1797, to the Seahorse 38, Capt. Edw. Jas. Foote, lying at Spithead. From 30 Sept. in the latter year until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 22 April, 1802, he was employed in the Niger 32, Capts. Edw. Griffith, Matthew Henry Scott, and Hon. Philip Wodedouse, Amiable 32, Capt. Henry Roper, and Ramillies 74, Capts. Rich. Grindall, John Wm. Taylor Dixon, and Sam. Osborne. In the Niger he made a voyage to Madeira and cruized in the Channel; and in the Ramillies, after accompanying Sir Hyde Parker’s expedition against Copenhagen, he was for several months stationed off Cadiz. He was also, during the above period, present at the bombardment of Havre. From Nov. 1803 until Aug. 1804 he served in the Royal William guard-ship at Spithead, Capt. John Wainwright; and from the latter date until paid off in March, 1811, he commanded the Attack brig of 12 guns in the Channel, off the coast of Spain, and in the North Sea. On the morning of 28 Jan. 1806 he made prize, in company with the Growler gun-brig, of Le Voltigeur French privateer of 14 guns and 70 men; and in the evening of the same day he captured, alone, the privateer Le Sorcier of 14 guns and 60 men.[1] On 19 April ensuing, the Attack being in company with the Colpoys hired armed brig of 16 guns, commanded by the late Sir Thos. Ussher, Mr. Swain landed with that officer and 12 men from each vessel at the entrance of the river Douillan, and assisted, after a short skirmish, in spiking the two guns of a battery which had afforded protection to two chasse-marées. The latter were then taken possession of; the signal-post at Douillan was at the same time destroyed; and the whole service accomplished without the slightest loss, or any greater damage to the two brigs than that done to their standing and running rigging while engaged with the battery previously to its destruction.[2] In the course of 1806 the Attack chased on shore a convoy of merchantmen, although under the escort of two brigs and a lugger. One of the vessels she took, and others she contrived to destroy. For nearly two years Lieut. Swain was employed with a schooner under his orders in watching the Passage du Raz. Eventually he saw the French fleet come out; and the intelligence of this event he conveyed to Sir John Duckworth, whom he had the good fortune to fall in with off the Saintes rocks. In 1809 he took part in the operations under Sir Rich. Strachan in the Scheldt; and he was for a long time engaged in protecting the trade in the North Sea. After he left the Attack he did not go afloat. He accepted his present rank 26 May, 1845.
Commander Swain is married and has issue. One of his sons, George Brooks Forster, Second-Master R.N. (1842), is now acting as Master of the Pilot 12, in the East Indies; another, Henry Thomas, First-Lieutenant R.M. (1847), is doing duty on board the Rodney 92; and a third, Edmund, who attained the rank of Second-Master 2 Oct. 1847, is at present employed at the Cape of Good Hope in the Dee steamer.