A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Williamson, Neilson
WILLIAMSON. (Lieutenant, 1810. f-p., 32; h-p., 16.)
Neilson Williamson died in 1846.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 Oct. 1798, as A.B., on board the Rattle gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Sam. Wickham; in which vessel he.cruized in the North Sea and Baltic, until paid off in April, 1802 – the greater part of the time as Midshipman. From April, 1803, until some time in 1804, he was employed in the latter capacity and as Master’s Mate in the Vesuvius bomb and Fly 18, both commanded by Capt. Robt. O’Brien, in the Downs, North Sea, and West Indies; he then joined, on promotion, the Hercule 74, flag-ship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth at Jamaica; and from Aug. 1804 until July, 1808, he acted as Master, on the same station, of the Goelan sloop, Capts. Wm. Templer, Edw. Crofton, John Ayscough, Arthur Lysaght, Benj. Clement, and Fred. Hoffman. He was often, in the Vesuvius, in action with the French Invasion flotilla at Boulogne; and he came into frequent contact, in the Goelan, with the enemy’s large privateers off St. Domingo and Cuba. On one occasion he was wounded. While the Goelan was lying at Honduras, Mr. Williamson was sent in charge of a cartel from Bélize to Omoa, on the Spanish Main. On entering the harbour a fire was opened upon him from the fortress, and some time elapsed before he was allowed to communicate with the Governor. On his return to Bélize the perseverance and zeal he had shown obtained for him the thanks of Colonel Hamilton, the Governor at that place. In Oct. 1808, having arrived home with convoy as Acting-Master in the Adamant 50, Capt. Micajah Malbon, he was appointed as such to the Crescent 36, Capt. John Temple; under whom it was his misfortune to be wrecked, 6 Dec. ensuing, in a gale of wind off the coast of Jutland. Out of a crew of 280 persons 60 only were saved. Mr. Williamson (who was the Senior officer left), after travelling a distance of 400 miles with his companions, through Jutland, Zealand, and Sweden, and suffering confinement in Kronenburg Castle, was released en parole and allowed to join Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats in the Superb 74, at Gottenborg; whence, as soon as the ice broke up, he returned home in the Orion 74, Capt. Sir Arch. Collingwood Dickson. On 9 June, 1809, he was appointed Master of the Bonne Citoyenne of 20 guns and 127 men, Capt. Wm. Mounsey; and on 6 July following, while proceeding with convoy to North America, he was present, and was mentioned for the able assistance he afforded, at the capture of La Furieuse, French frigate, of 20 guns (pierced for 48) and 200 men, armée en flûte, which did not surrender until a hard-fought action of nearly seven hours had occasioned the British a loss of 1 man killed and 5 wounded, and herself of 35 killed and 37 wounded. On 17 Jan. 1810 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Continuing to serve in the Bonne Citoyenne, under Capts. Rich. Jas. Lawrence O’Connor and Pitt Burnaby Greene, we find him in command of her boats boarding and carrying, during a cruize on the coast of France, Le Maitre de Danse, a privateer of 36 men, which he took charge of into Plymouth. When subsequently on the Brazilian station he was employed in the Ranger hired schooner in carrying despatches to the Viceroy of Monte Video during the bombardment of that city. In Feb. 1812 he removed to the Foudroyant 80, flag-ship of Hon. Michael De Couroy; and in the following Nov. he returned to England from South America and was paid off. He was next, from 11 Aug. 1813 until 19 July, 1816, employed in the West Indies and Mediterranean, in the Leviathan 74, Capts. Patrick Campbell, Adam Drummond, and Thos. Briggs. While in the West Indies he participated in a variety of operations against the enemy, and with the boats under his orders captured two schooners on the coast of St. Domingo. In 1815 he was present at the surrender of Naples, Elba, and Marseilles; and in the early part of 1816 he visited Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, for purposes connected with the abolition of Christian slavery. While in command, from 1825 until 1831, of the Fancy, Greyhound, and Sylvia, Revenue cruizers, Mr. Williamson saved the lives of 37 seamen who had been wrecked on the coasts of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, captured 10 smuggling-vessels and boats with 44 men, took and destroyed 1694 tubs of spirits, and for his zeal received the thanks of the Comptroller-General. His last appointments were – 22 Feb. and 20 March, 1837, and 1 July and 17 Aug. 1838, to the San Josef 110, Téméraire 104, Ocean 80, and Poictiers 74, Capts. John Hancock, Sir John Hill, and John Clavell, guard-ships at Plymouth, Sheerness, and Chatham, at the latter of which places he remained until July, 1840 – next to the Rendezvous for Seamen at Hull, where his successful exertions in raising seamen for the fleet procured him the thanks of the Admiralty – and 17 Dec. 1841 to the post, which he retained until his death, of Admiralty Agent on board a contract mail steam-vessel. Agents Hallett and Robinson.