leaving issue six sons and five daughters. His eldest son is now serving as a Midshipman on board the Revenge 78, bearing the flag of Sir Harry Neale, in the Mediterranean.
Captain Austen has two brothers living; one, a clergyman, took the sirname of Knight, on succeeding to considerable property in Kent and Hampshire. The other is a Post-Captain of 1810. Another brother (deceased) was in holy orders.
Agent.– ___
BENDALL ROBERT LITTLEHALES, Esq
[Post-Captain of 1800.]
This officer is the second son of the late Baker John Littlehales, of Moulsey House, Surrey, Esq., a Barrister at Law, by Maria, daughter and sole heiress of Bendall Martyn, Esq. His elder brother, Edward, formerly a Lieutenant -Colonel in the army, was created a Baronet of Great Britain, as a reward for various important services in Ireland, Sept. 2, 1802; and obtained the Royal permission to assume the surname of Baker only, Jan. 6, 1817.
He entered the naval service at an early age, as a Midshipman, on board the Vigilant 64, under the protection and command of Captain (afterwards Sir Robert) Kingsmill; and at a period (early in 1778) when the insidious conduct of France caused this country, already engaged in a war with her American colonies, to make preparations for a long, severe, and bloody contest with her ancient European rivals.
The Vigilant had 2 men killed and 3 wounded in the action between Keppel and d’Orvilliers[1]. At the conclusion of the same year, she was ordered to the West Indies[2], where Mr. Littlehales removed into the Royal Oak 74; which ship formed part of Vice-Admiral Byron’s fleet, and sustained a loss of 4 men slain and 12 wounded, in the battle off Grenada, July 6, 1779[3]. From that date he was almost constantly employed in different ships and on various stations, till his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, in Sept. 1790; soon
- ↑ See Vol. I. note † at 195, et seq.
- ↑ Captain Kingsmill having resigned his command, was superseded by the late Sir Digby Deut, who died in 1817.
- ↑ See p. 50 et seq., of the present volume.
