Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p2.djvu/202

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addenda to post-captains of 1819.
185

been sympathized with, and much commiserated, by all to whom his merits as an active, brave, indefatigable, and zealous officer are known. His brother, Richard, is a commander in the royal navy.




ADDENDA TO POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819.



SIR GEORGE AUGUSTUS WESTPHAL, Knt.
[Post-Captain of 1819.]

Is brother to Captain Philip Westphal, R.N., whose descent from a very ancient German noble family we have noticed in p. 139; and, like him, he commenced his naval career under the auspices of the late Duke of Kent. He first went to sea in the Porcupine 24, Captain Andrew Fitzherbert Evans; but very shortly afterwards joined Lord Nelson, with whom he continued until the battle of Trafalgar; on which glorious occasion he was severely wounded in the head by a langrage shot, and laid in the cockpit by the side of the dying hero.

Immediately after this memorable event, Mr. George A. Westphal was rated master’s-mate of the Victory; and on the 15th Aug. following, promoted to the rank of lieutenant, in the Demerara sloop. Captain William Patterson, employed at the Leeward Islands. In 1807, he was obliged to invalid, owing to the effects of the climate; and on his passage home he was again badly wounded, whilst most gallantly defending a merchant vessel in which he had embarked, against the persevering and at length successful attacks of l’Alert French ship privateer, of 20 guns and 140 men, afterwards captured by the Blonde frigate. Captain Volant Vashon Ballard[1].

The merchantman to which we allude was the Highlander, a large ship mounting 12 carronades, with a crew of 35 fine young men, whom Lieutenant Westphal had daily exercised at their guns, and rendered tolerably expert in the use of