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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wallace, James

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1995311A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Wallace, JamesWilliam Richard O'Byrne

WALLACE. (Retired Commander, 1844. f-p., 17; h-p., 36.)

James Wallace entered the Navy, in 1794, as a Volunteer, on board the Victorious 74, Capts. Sir John Orde and John Brown. He removed in the following year to the Commerce de Marseilles, Capt. Eaton Childe; in 1796 he was employed in the Channel and Mediterranean, under the flag of Sir J. Orde, in the Princess Royal 98; and, after serving for about two years in the Channel and North Sea as Midshipman in the Téméraire 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir John Borlase Warren and Jas. Hawkins Whitshed, and Jamaica 26, Capt. John Mackellar, he removed with the latter officer, in March, 1801, to the Terpsichore 32, commanded next by Capt. Walter Bathurst. While attached to the Jamaica he escorted a fleet of merchantmen to and from the Baltic, aided in making one or two prizes, and united in compelling a large privateer, commanded by the famous Blackeman, to strike her colours. In the Terpsichore he was at first stationed off Boulogne and Calais, and then in the East Indies; where he was nominated, 30 March, 1805, Acting-Lieutenant of the Sir Edward Hughes 38, Capts. Hood Hanway Christian, Gilbert Heathcote, and Edw. Ratsey. He was officially promoted 24 Oct. 1807; and was subsequently appointed, on the Home station – 23 Dec. 1807, to the Challenger sloop, Capt. Wm. Barnham Rider – in Dec. 1808, to the Sea Fencibles at Teignmouth – 18 April, 1810, for 11 months, to the Cadmus 10, Capt. Thos. Fife – 24 Sept. 1811, to the Parthian 10, Capts. Tompkinson and Garrett – and, 24 Feb., 15 Sept., and 1 Oct. 1814 (he had left the Parthian in April, 1813), to the Colossus 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, and Spey 20 and Towey 24, both commanded by Capt. Hew Steuart. The latter ship he quitted in May, 1815. He accepted his present rank 24 July, 1844.