A Naval Biographical Dictionary/White, Thomas
WHITE. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 32; h-p., 34.)
Thomas White died at the close of 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1780, as a Boy, on board the Barfleur 98, Capts. John Nicholson Inglefield, Alex. Hood, and John Knight, bearing the flag of Sir Sam. Hood. On 29 April, 1781, he was present as Midshipman in the partial action fought off Martinique between the fleet under the latter officer, consisting of 18 sail-of-the-line, and that under the Comte de Grasse, who had with him 24 ships-of-the-line and two 50’s. He shared next in Rear-Admiral Graves’ partial engagement with the Comte de Grasse off the Chesapeake 5 Sept. 1781; and on 25 Jan. 1782 he was present when Sir Sam. Hood, with 22 sail-of-the-line, took up the anchorage at St. Kitt’s in defiance of 29 line-of-battle-ships under the same French Admiral; who, on the following day, made two furious but vain attacks upon the British. Mr. White was also a participator in the glories of 9 and 12 April, 1782. On the latter occasion it was he who, at the dawn of day, was the first to descry the dismasted Zélée, which brought down De Grasse for her protection, and led to the brilliant victory that was that day achieved. From June, 1783 (in the course of which month he left the Barfleur), until June, 1786, he served in the Andromache 32, Capt. O’Hara, in the Mediterranean; between the latter date and the early part of 1788 he was employed at Portsmouth, again under Sir Samuel (then Lord) Hood, in the Triumph 74 and the Barfleur; and in March, 1789, he joined the Adamant 50, in which ship, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Hughes at Halifax, he continued to serve until June, 1792, as Midshipman, and as Fourth, Third, Second, and First-Lieutenant (commission dated 19 July, 1790). His succeeding appointments were – 14 Nov. 1792, 2 June, 1794, and 4 Aug. 1795, to the Orestes 18, Capts. Sir Harry Burrard and Lord Augustus FitzRoy, and Canada 74 and Prince 98, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Powell Hamilton, and all stationed in the Channel – 15 July, 1796,to the Queen 98, as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Hyde Parker in the West Indies – 10 Sept. 1797, to the acting-command of the Pelican brig, of 18 guns, on the same station – 4 Oct. following, to the Queen, as before – and 28 June, 1798, to the acting-command of the Albacore 18. While First-Lieutenant in the Canada (a post he had for some time filled in the Orestes) he was in company, 6 Nov. 1794, with the Alexander 74, Capt. Rich. Rodney Bligh, when the two ships were fallen in with and chased by a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Nielly, consisting of five 74’s, three frigates, and a corvette. The Alexander, after a noble resistance, was captured, but the Canada, although closely pursued by two of the 74’s and one frigate, who devoted themselves to her in particular, escaped, owing chiefly to the unremitting exertions of Mr. White, who did not quit the deck for 12 hours, and who by his knowledge of her construction was enabled to improve her sailing to an extent that ensured her safety. On the morning of 17 Sept. 1797, being then in command of the Pelican, he was for 35 minutes in warm action, off St. Domingo, with Le Trompeur, French privateer-brig, of 16 guns and 160 men. The enemy, at the end of that period, made all sail to get away, but the Pelican, as soon as she had repaired her running- rigging, went in pursuit, and, on overtaking her, renewed the conflict with so much spirit that in 25 minutes, during the greater part of which time the yard-arms of the two brigs were locked together her opponent blew up abaft and in five minutes more went down by the head. Sixty only of the French crew was it found possible to save. Le Trompeur during the fight, had been joined by an armed schooner with 60 men; but we are unable to discover that the latter afforded her consort any support. She succeeded, while the Pelican was endeavouring to rescue the crew of Le Trompeur in reaching the port of Jean Rabel in safety.[1] His appointment to the Albacore being confirmed 17 Aug. 1798, Capt. White continued to serve in that vessel in the West Indies until June, 1799. He then removed to the Dromedary 18; and in the following Dec. he returned to England. From Oct. to Dec. 1800 he served off Brest as a volunteer with Sir Hyde Parker in the Royal George 100. He was appointed afterwards – 11 June, 1804, to the Aurora armed ship in the Downs – 11 May, 1805, to La Flèche 18, employed on the coast of Ireland and in the Channel – 17 Nov. 1807, as Acting-Captain, to the Minotaur 74, at St. Helen’s – 21 of the same month, to La Flèche again – 31 May, 1808, to the Ariel 18, in the Baltic – 26 July, 1809, pro tem., to the St. George 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Fras. Pickmore, on the latter station – 27 Sept. 1809, a second time, to the Ariel – 13 Oct. 1809, to the acting-command of the Dictator 64 – in Jan. 1810, afresh to the Ariel – and 4 June, 1810, again as Acting- Captain, to the Ruby 64. La Flèche, on 18 July, 1805, was engaged in a very gallant affair with the French flotilla and batteries near Cape Blanc-nez. Six of the enemy’s vessels were by her and her consorts driven on shore. So closely did La Flèche herself approach the land that it was necessary for the French at Blanc-nez to depress their guns; one shot took off a man’s hat, shattered a boat under the booms, and went through the water-way on the off side. The people on board La Flèche, indeed, were able actually to distinguish the buttons of the officer directing the fire of the battery. Her running-rigging was in consequence much injured, and she had 5 men severely wounded. While on the Baltic station in 1809 in the Ariel, and engaged in watching the Russian and Swedish fleets, Capt. White was again often exposed to the fire of the enemy’s batteries. Being confirmed to Post-rank 7 Aug. 1810, in the Ruby, he continued to serve in that ship in the North Sea until March, 1811. He was next, from 26 Dec. 1812 until 24 Dec. 1813, employed in the Vigo 74, as Flag-Captain, in the Downs and Baltic, to Rear-Admirals Jas. Nicoll Morris and Graham Moore. Under the former officer he assisted, in company with the Zealous 74, two frigates and several sloops-of-war, in escorting in safety through the Sound a convoy of 374 sail in spite of a large fleet of gun-boats and of the numerous batteries erected at Kronborg Castle by the Danes, who from mortars and from guns slung in chains threw shells and shot for the first time over to the Swedish shore. His last appointments were – 12 Aug. 1819 and 24 Jan. 1821, to the Superb 74 and Créole 42, each bearing the broad pendant of Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy on the coast of South America, whence he returned in March, 1822 – and 19 Sept. 1838, to the Royal Adelaide 104, flagship of Lord Amelius Beauclerk at Plymouth. He was placed on half-pay 4 May, 1839 and on the list of Retired Rear-Admirals 1 Oct. 1846. He had obtained the Captain’s Good Service Pension 19 Feb. 1842.
The death of William IV. prevented that monarch from fulfilling an intention he had expressed of creating Rear-Admiral White a Knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order. The Rear-Admiral was the author of a work, published in 1830, entitled ‘Naval Researches, or a Candid Inquiry into the Conduct of Admirals Byron, Graves, Hood, and Rodney, in the Actions of Grenada, Chesapeake, St. Christopher’s, and of 9 and 12 April, 1782.’ His eldest son, G. H. P. White, is a Captain R.N.; his youngest, Rich. Dunning White, a Commander R.N.
- ↑ In forwarding to the Admiralty an account of the exploit we have detailed. Sir Hyde Parker thus expresses himself : – “His (Lieut. White’s) spirited conduct and officer-like management, I am sure, will be as stronglv impressed on their lordships’ minds, by his account of the action, herewith enclosed, as it was on mine, in giving him credit for both.” – Vide Gaz. 1797, p. 1114.