A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Webb, Nicholas
WEBB. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 14; h-p., 30.)
Nicholas Webb entered the Navy, 25 July, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the St. Albans 64, Capt. John Temple, stationed in the North Sea. Removing as Midshipman, in March, 1805, to the Favorite 18, Capt. John Davie, he sailed in that vessel for the coast of Africa, where he assisted, 28 Dec. following, at the capture, after an action of 20 minutes, of Le Général Blanchard privateer of 16 guns and 130 men, 11 of whom were killed and 25 wounded. On 6 of the following month the Favorite was herself taken by a French squadron under M. L’Hermite, but her officers and crew were immediately sent in a cartel to England, during the whole of their passage whither, two months and two days, they were under the necessity of being limited to half-a-pint of water each a-day. Soon after his arrival Mr. Webb was received, in April, 1806, on board the Uranie 38, Capt. Christopher Laroche, on leaving which ship, in Aug. 1807, he joined the Horatio of 46 guns and 270 men, Capt. Geo. Scott. In her he appears to have been present, in company with the Latona 38, and Supérieure and Driver sloops, at the capture, 10 Feb. 1809, off the Virgin Islands, of La Junon French frigate of 42 guns and 323 men, after a close and sanguinary action of nearly three hours, attended with a loss to the enemy of 130 killed and wounded, and to the Horatio of not more than 7 killed and 26 wounded. In the summer of the same year we find him sharing, in the Galgo rocket-ship, Lieut.-Commander M‘Killop, in the operations connected with the expedition to the Walcheren; on his return whence he was transferred to the Implacable 74 Capts. Thos. Byam Martin and Geo. Cockburn. Under the latter officer he accompanied an expedition sent to Quiberon Bay to co-operate with the Baron de Kolli in an attempt to liberate Ferdinand VII. of Spain from his confinement at Valençay. He served next at the defence of Cadiz and then escorted two Spanish line-of-battle ships, of 120 guns each, to the Havana; after which he proceeded to Vera Cruz, and returned with 2,000,000 dollars to Cadiz, where, and off Lisbon, he continued employed, from April, 1811, until Aug. 1813 in the Alfred 74, Capts. Wm. Shepheard and Joshua Sydney Horton, and as Acting-Lieutenant (original order dated 23 April, 1812) in the Grampus 50, Commodore Cockburn, and Myrtle 20, Capt. Clement Sneyd. He was then ordered a passage home in the Coquette 20, Capt. John Simpson. He sailed shortly afterwards for the coast of North America in the Severn 40, Capt. Joseph Nourse and was there, until May, 1815, employed as Midishipman, and again as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Albion 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Cockburn Dragon 74, Capt. Robt. Barrie, and Junon 38, Capt. Clotworthy Upton. His commission bears date 19 July, 1814. He was appointed for three months, on leaving the Junon, to the Hebrus 36, Capt. Edm. Palmer, stationed in the Channel; and he was lastly, from 9 Dec. 1828 until 1830, employed in the Coast Blockade as a Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, Capt. Hugh Pigot. Agents – Messrs. Chard.