A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wentworth, William Fitzwilliam
WENTWORTH. (Lieutenant, 1813.)
William Fitzwilliam Wentworth entered the Navy, 12 April, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Cambrian 40, Capt. John Poo Beresford, stationed at first on the coast of North America, and next in the West Indies, where he served as Midshipman, from March, 1807, until Sept. 1810, in the Milan 38, Capt. Sir Robt. Laurie. After he had been again employed with Capt. Beresford in the Channel and off Lisbon, as Master’s Mate, in the Poictiers 74, he joined, in Dec. 1810 the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag on the latter station of Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, under whom, deducting about two months in the summer of 1811, during which he acted as Lieutenant in the North Star 20, Capt. Thos. Coe, he continued to serve until again ordered to act as Lieutenant, in June, 1812, in the Fantome 20, Capt. John Lawrence, off Cadiz. In her, however, he remained but a few weeks. He was next, in Jan. 1813, received, as Admiralty-Midshipman, on board the Impétueux 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Geo. Martin at Lisbon. On 9 March following he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Sabine sloop, Capt. Edw. Wrottesley; and in that vessel, to which the Admiralty confirmed him 13 April in the same year, he was for 12 months stationed in the Gut of Gibraltar, Being appointed subsequently to the Hebrus 36, Capt. Edm. Palmer, Mr. Wentworth commanded the boats of that frigate, in the early part of 1815, in the attack upon Point Petre, and at the capture of St. Mary’s, on the coast of Georgia. He participated, also, in an unsuccessful boat affair with five American gun-vessels near Charleston, where the launch belonging to the Hebrus and a prize-tender fell into the hands of the enemy. In July, 1815, we find him engaged in forcing the formidable passage of the Gironde, destroying the heavy batteries by which it was defended, and actively cooperating with the French Royalists in the neighbourhood of Bordeaux; and in Aug. 1816 present at the battle of Algiers. The Hebrus being paid off in Nov. 1816, he was next, 12 July, 1819, appointed to the Cygnet 10, Capt. Thos. Bennett, on the coast of Ireland. Since 1824 he has been employed, uninterruptedly, we believe, in the Transport-service. At present he is Resident Agent for Transports, and Storekeeper and Agent Victualler, at Cork.