Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/338

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
316
commanders.

gena, and in carrying despatches to Santa Martha and Porto Bello.

After her re-equipment, the Decouverte captured two American schooners, laden with flour and logwood; she likewise drove from the coast two privateers, whose superior sailing enabled them to escape. She was subsequently obliged to cut away her masts in Murray’s anchorage, Bermuda, where she rode out a heavy N.W. gale within two cables’ length of the rocks. Returning through the Caycos passage, in July 1813, with convoy from New Providence to Cape François and Jamaica, she prevented a colonial schooner from being captured by the Saratoga privateer, of far superior force.

In 1814, Lieutenant Williams was appointed by Rear-Admiral Brown to the command of the Edward, a brigantine of 360 tons, 12 guns, and 74 men, with a view to his promotion; but after the failure of the expedition against New Orleans, to which that vessel was attached, he had the mortification to be superseded by a commander sent from England. Previous to his quitting the Jamaica station, he received a letter of thanks from the mayor and principal merchants of Kingston, for the many services he had rendered the trade of the island. He returned home, with an impaired constitution, in 1815; and was not again employed until Aug. 1825, when he became first lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, and was placed in charge of the centre division of the coast blockade, the whole of which service he superintended for three months, during the illness and consequent absence of Captain William M‘Culloch. After the demise of that officer, he continued to serve under his successor, Captain (now Sir Hugh) Pigot; by whom he was introduced, and strongly recommended, to his present Majesty, when visiting the Ramillies, as Lord High Admiral, in Sept. 1828. We need not add, that his promotion immediately followed.

Commander Williams married Elizabeth Eleanor, eldest daughter of John Henderson, Esq., of Deal, many years (secretary to Admirals Lords Bridport and Gardner, and late