A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williams, John (b)
WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 11;[1] h-p., 30.)
John Williams (b) entered the Navy, 3 May, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Howe store-ship, Capt. Edw. Killwick. In her, after visiting the Cape of Good Hope, he proceeded to the Rio de la Plata, where he removed as Midshipman, in Nov. of the same year, to the Leda 38, Capt. Robt. Honyman, under whom we find him, subsequently to the evacuation of Spanish America by the British, accompanying the expedition against Copenhagen, and assisting at the capture, 4 Dec. 1807, of L’Adolphe privateer of 18 guns and 70 men. The Leda being wrecked 31 Jan. 1808 at the entrance of Milford Haven, he joined, in the following March, the Proselyte bomb, Capt. Henry Jas. Lyford, on the Baltic station. On 5 Jan. 1809 he was again wrecked by the ice in the neighbourhood of Anholdt, which island he succeeded, with the rest of the officers and ship’s company, in reaching, after a most severe and hazardous walk of eight miles. In the ensuing March he was received on board the Mermaid 32, Capt. Major Jacob Henniker; and in Jan. 1810, after having made a voyage to Lisbon and Quebec, he was rated Master’s Mate of the Belvidera 36, Capt. Rich. Byron. In that ship he visited the latitude of Greenland, cruized for some time on the coast of Africa, and then sailed for North America, where it was his fortune, 23 June, 1812, to participate in the Belvidera’s celebrated retreat from a powerful squadron under Commodore Rodgers, with whom she endured a running action, which killed 2 and wounded 22 of her crew, and lasted until the enemy at length surrendered the chase. In May, 1814, he removed to the Devastation bomb, Capt. Thos. Alexander; and in Aug. of the same year, if we mistake not, he ascended the Potomac, and was present at the capitulation of Alexandria. He proceeded shortly afterwards to the Lakes of Canada, where he continued to serve as Master’s Mate in the Prince Regent, Capt. Henry Thos. Davies, Psyche, Capt. Peter Fisher, and Star, Capt. Massey Hutchinson Herbert; as Acting-Master in the Montreal, Capt. Allan Totty; as Acting-Lieutenant in the Netley, Capt. Fras. Brace; and as Acting- Commander in the Sapphire, until July, 1817. He then returned to England, and on his arrival was presented with a commission dated back to 20 March, 1815. In 1824 he was appointed an Agent for Transports Afloat. Since he left that service he has not been employed. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Exclusive of Transport time.