A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williams, Joseph
WILLIAMS. (Lieut., 1807. f-p., 19; h-p., 30.)
Joseph Williams died in 1848.
This officer entered the Navy, 25 March, 1798, as a Volunteer, on board the Prothée 64, Lieut.-Commander John M‘Kennie, lying at Portsmouth. From the ensuing Dec. until July, 1802, he served in the Déterminée 24, Capt. Philip Beaver, in the Mediterranean; in Dec. 1803 he became Midshipman of the Busy sloop, Capt. Timothy Clinch; and in April, 1804, he sailed for the West Indies, where, having followed Capt. Clinch into the Osprey 18, he was afforded an opportunity. 17 May, 1805, of assisting at the capture of the Teaser French privateer of 7 guns and 51 men. After he had been for about five months employed, still in the West Indies, in the Northumberland 74, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, he was there nominated, 1 Jan. 1807, Sub-Lieutenant of the Trinidad schooner. He was placed in command, 3 Aug. following, with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant, of the Safety schooner, and to that vessel he was confirmed 17 Nov. in the same year. He invalided home in April, 1808; and during the after part of the war (with the exception of a few months passed in 1809 on board the Dannemark 74, Capt. Jas. Bisset) was employed in command, on the Home station, of the Weazle hired schooner. Poll hired cutter, and Ant and Mistletoe schooners. From 6 Feb. until 13 Sept. 1617 he commanded the Nimble and Badger Revenue-cruizers off Dover and Harwich; he filled an appointment in the Water Guard from 15 Oct. until 22 Nov. 1822; and from 1 June, 1839, until 2 Feb. 1843, and again from 22 March, 1847, until the early part of 1848, he had charge of the Semaphore stations at Chelsea and Haslemere.