A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wilkinson, William
WILKINSON. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 8; h-p., 32.)
William Wilkinson entered the Navy, 4, Oct. 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Volontaire 38, Capts. Chas. Bullen, Abel Ferris, Joseph Nourse, and Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave. Under Capt. Bullen he escorted the Duke of Orleans and his brother, Count Beaujolais, to Malta, served occasionally with the in-shore squadron off Toulon, assisted at the capture of the island of Pomegue, near Marseilles, witnessed the self-destruction of the French ships-of-the-line Robuste and Lion near Cape Cette, and was engaged in active co-operation with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia. After he had been for about three months a Supernumerary of the Achille 74, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis, he joined, in Nov. 1811, the Thames 32, Capts. Chas. Napier and John Strutt Peyton. On 14 May, 1812, we find the latter ship attacking the port of Sapri, where, previously to the capture of 28 vessels laden with oil, she contrived, supported by the Pilot sloop, to enforce the discretionary surrender of a strong battery and tower, mounting 2 32-pounders, with an officer and 38 men. She subsequently, when in company with the Furieuse 36, took possession, 26 Feb. 1813, of the island of Ponza, without loss, although exposed to the fire of four batteries and a tower, mounting 10 24 and 18-pounders, 2 12-pounders, and 2 9-inch mortars. In June, 1813, her officers and crew took part in a siege of five days, which terminated in the reduction of the fort of St. Philippe, in the Col de Balaguer, near Tortosa, armed with 12 pieces of ordnance, including 2 10-inch mortars and 2 howitzers, with a garrison of 101 officers and men. After the fall of Tarragona, the Thames conveyed Lieut.-General Sir John Murray to Alicant, and was then ordered with despatches to England, where she was paid off in Sept. 1813. In Jan. 1814, Mr. Wilkinson, who had been serving intermediately in the Namur 74, Capt. Fras. Wm. Austen, guard-ship at the Nore, was received on board the Chanticleer 10, Capts. Stewart Blacker and John Thompson, employed at first in the North Sea, and next in the West Indies; on which station he removed, in Jan. 1815, to the Muros 12, Capt. Geo. Gosling, and was made Lieutenant, 15 June In the same year, into the Venerable 74, flag-ship of Sir Philip Chas. Durham. In the following Aug. he was present at the reduction of Guadeloupe. He returned home immediately afterwards in the Fox 32, Capt. Frank Gore Willock; and has since been on half-pay.