A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wray, Luke Henry
WRAY. (Commander, 1824. f-p., 18; h-p., 31.)
Luke Henry Wray entered the Navy, 19 June, 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Seagull sloop, Capt. Henry Wray, stationed in the Channel. From May, 1799, until Jan. 1801, he served on the coast of North America in the Boston 32, Capt. John Erskine Douglas; and in the course of the latter year he joined the Fortunée 36, Capt. Henry Vansittart; with whom, after cruizing in the North Sea and Channel, he sailed for the West Indies, where he removed in 1804 to the Hercule 74, flagship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, and was made Lieutenant, we believe, 14 April, 1805, into the Theseus 74, Capt. Temple. His next appointment was to the Port Mahon sloop, Capt. Sam. Chambers. In that vessel he united, 25 June, 1806, in chasing the San Josef Spanish letter-of-marque brig (armed with 1 long 18-pounder on a pivot amidships, and 4 12-pounder carronades and 2 long 4-pounders on her sides, with swivels, pikes, and muskets, and 30 men) into the intricate harbour of Banes, in the island of Cuba; and then, in the boats under Lieut. John Marshall, assisted, with the utmost gallantry, in cutting her out, without the loss of a man, although the vessel was protected by the fire from, and moored by a line to, a tower mounting 2 heavy guns, and notwithstanding too, that, in conducting her out of the harbour, she grounded within pistol-shot of the battery, and was struck by several shot from it.[1] Mr. Wray had previously contributed to the capture, among other vessels, of the El Galgo Spanish packet. He continued to serve in the West Indies, as First-Lieutenant, in the Ferret 18, Capt. Peter John Douglas, Tweed 20, Capt. Thos. Edw. Symonds, and Guerrière 40, Capt. Alex. Skene, until 1809 : he was next, until Feb. 1813, employed,[2] in a similar capacity, in the Channel, Baltic, East Indies, and again in the Channel, in the Guerrière and Hussar frigates, and Minden and Illustrious 74’s, all commanded by Capt. Skene; and on 1 Nov. 1821 he was appointed Senior of the Andromache 44, fitting for the broad pendant of Commodore Joseph Nourse, whom he accompanied to the Cape of Good Hope. On the death of the Commodore, 4 Sept. 1824, he appointed himself to the command of the Andromache, then returning to the Mauritius from the eastern coast of Africa. He was made Commander, 29 Dec. following, into the Espiègle 18; and came home in that vessel from the Cape of Good Hope in Dec. 1825. He has since been on half-pay.
Commander Wray married, in 1838, Charlotte Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Commander Edw. Burt, R.N. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.