A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Touzeau, James Charles Mann
TOUZEAU. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 21; h-p., 5.)
James Charles Mann Touzeau was born 4 Sept. 1806.
This officer entered the Navy, 6 Aug. 1821, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Doterel 18, Capt. Wm. Hendry, stationed on the coast of North America. In Aug. 1825 he became Midshipman of the Genoa 74, Capt. Walter Bathurst, employed at first off Lisbon and next in the Mediterranean, where he fought at the battle of Navarin 20 Oct. 1827. On that occasion he was the senior unpassed Midshipman on board the Genoa. In July, 1828, six months after he had been discharged from that ship, he was received on board the Nightingale schooner, Lieut.-Commanders Edw. Smith and Geo. Wood; under the latter of whom he was wrecked 7 Feb. 1829, off South Yarmouth, and lost nearly all he possessed. Having passed his examination 6 Aug. 1828, he was successively, in March, June, and Nov. 1829, nominated Mate of the Melville 74, Capt. Alex. Wilmot Schomberg, Kent 78, Capt. John Ferris Devonshire, and Stork Revenue-cruizer, Lieut.-Commanders Sam. Barrett, Wm. Lowcay, and Wm. Lowry, all on the Home station; where he served, from Dec. 1832 until July, 1837, in the Ranger, another Revenue-vessel, Lieut.-Commanders Wm. Henry Baker, Jas. Stuart, and Thos. Sam. Hall. He then joined the Alligator 28, Capt. Jas. John Gordon Bremer, fitting at Portsmouth; and on 2 Sept. following he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He was employed afterwards, from 14 Sept. 1837 until 10 Oct. 1838, and from 14 Dec. 1839 until 5 Oct. 1843, In the Tyne 28, Capt. John Townshend, and Pylades 18, Capts. Talavera Vernon Anson and Louis Symonds Tindal, on the Mediterranean and China stations. In the boats of the vessel last mentioned he was engaged, 29 July, 1840, in an action with three piratical junks of greatly superior force; one of which was taken – the two others effecting their escape. The British in this affair had 2 men killed and 7 wounded; and the enemy about 50 killed. Mr. Touzeau also took an active part in the operations against Canton; and on that city being ransomed he was sent, on the morning of 26 May, 1841, accompanied by a detachment of Sepoys and of the 49th Regiment as a guard, with despatches to the troops who were in possession of the heights, communicating the intelligence to them and directing a cessation of hostilities. After assisting at the reduction of Amoy, he was left there for the protection of that and the adjacent islands. On finally quitting the Pylades he was presented with a Commander’s commission bearing date 23 Dec. 1842.[1] He has since been on half-pay.
He married 30 May, 1832.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1843, p. 2960.