A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wilson, George (a)
WILSON. (Retired Commander, 1834. f-p., 24; h-p., 44.)
George Wilson (a) entered the Navy, 27 Feb. 1779, as Lieutenant’s Servant, on board the Fury sloop, Capt. Agnew; in which vessel he was for three years stationed in the North Sea; where we again find him serving, from 29 May, until 22 Dec. 1789, as Gunner’s Mate, in the Expedition cutter, Lieut.-Commander Geo. Younghusband. In the course of 1790 he joined in succession the Goliath and Alcide 74’s, both commanded by Sir Andrew Snape Douglas, Melampus 36, Capt. Chas. Morice Pole, and Druid frigate, Capt. Joseph Ellison; he was again, in April, 1791, placed under the command of Capt. Pole as Midshipman (a rating he had already attained) in the Illustrious 74; he went back, in the ensuing Sept., to the Druid; and after serving in her with Capt. Ellison in the Channel and West Indies, he was once more, in Feb. 1793, received by Capt. Pole, who then commanded the Colossus 74. He was present in the same year at the occupation of Toulon; was made Lieutenant, 20 Aug. 1794, into the Blonde 32, Capt. Wm. Luke, stationed in the Channel and on the coast of Spain; and (ill health obliging him to leave the latter ship in June, 1795) was appointed afterwards – 5 Feb. 1796, to the Arethusa of 44 guns, Capt. Thos. Wolley, with whom he continued until 28 Sept. 1797 – next, for about four months, to the command of the Virginia schooner, employed in carrying the despatches of Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian and General Sir Ralph Abercromby to the different West India islands – 10 Sept. 1799, to the command, which he retained until Oct. 1801, of the Eleanor hired armed brig in the North Sea – 22 July, 1803, to the Sea Fencibles in Berwickshire – 20 May, 1806, to the Aeolus 32, Capt. Lord Wm. FitzRoy, on the coast of Ireland, where he cruized until sickness, in the ensuing Nov., caused him to be superseded – and, 13 June, 1807, to the charge of a Signal-station near Hull. In the Arethusa he accompanied Sir E. Abercromby to the West Indies, assisted at the reduction of Ste. Lueie, co-operated in the suppression of an insurrection among the Caribs in the islands of St. Vincent and Grenada, and, besides contributing to the conquest of Trinidad and the destruction there of a Spanish squadron, was present, 10 Aug. 1797, in an action of 30 minutes, which terminated in the surrender of La Gaieté French corvette of 20 long 8-pounders and 186 men. He retained charge of the Signal-station above alluded to until 3 June, 1814; and was placed on the Senior List of Retired Commanders 9 Oct. 1834.