A Naval Biographical Dictionary/White, Mark
WHITE. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 13; h-p., 31.)
Mark White entered the Navy, 25 March, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Salvador del Mundo, Capt. Chas. Henry Lane, flag-ship at Plymouth of Admirals Lord Keith and Wm. Young. In April, 1805, exactly two years after he had attained the rating of Midshipman, he removed to the Bellerophon 74, Capts. John Cooke, Wm. Pryce Cumby (Acting), Edw. Rotheram, and Sam. Warren. In her he fought at Trafalgar and continued employed in the Channel, off Rochefort and Cape Finisterre, and in the North Sea, until transferred, in March, 1809, to the Melpomène 38, Capts. Sir Peter Parker and Fred. Warren. The latter ship, while he was in her, was attacked, in the Belt, about a mile from the shore, during a perfect calm and in a dark night, by 20 large Danish gun-boats; whom at the end of the action, which lasted from lOh. 30m. p.m. until daylight, she beat off, having defeated every attempt made by the enemy to board. Her hull and rigging were on this occasion much damaged, and her loss extended to several men killed and wounded. On leaving the Melpomène Mr. White who in the affair just recorded had performed the duties of Master’s Mate, was received as a Supernumerary, in Sept. 1809, on board the Namur 74, flag-ship at Sheerness of Vice-Admiral Thos. Wells. He acted as Lieutenant, from 25 Dec. following until 11 Jan. 1810, in the Thracian sloop, Capt. Jas. Grant, on the Downs station; and on 13 Aug. ensuing, after having again served with Vice-Admiral Wells as a Supernumerary in the Namur, and with Vice-Admiral Billy Douglas in the Roebuck 44 at North Yarmouth, he was officially promoted. He was next, from 7 Oct. 1810 until promoted to the rank of Commander 10 Oct. 1815, employed in the North Sea, Channel, and Mediterranean, in the Berwick 74, Capts. Jas. Macnamara, Sir Robt. Laurie, and Edw. Brace. On 24 March, 1811, he assisted, as Senior of the latter ship, in driving the French frigate Amazon on the rocks near Barfleur lighthouse : he boarded, in the boats, off Cavalacie, 16 May, 1813, La Fortune national xebec of 10 long 9-pounders, 4 swivels, and 95 men, previously abandoned by the enemy, who had fired a shot through the bottom, and left a train to the magazine;[1] and in April, 1814, he commanded a division of boats at the siege of Genoa. Since his last promotion he has been on half-pay.
Commander White is married and has issue. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 1305.