Royal Naval Biography/Balfour, William
WILLIAM BALFOUR, Esq.
[Commander.]
Was a midshipman of the Irresistible 74, Captain (now Sir George) Martin, and wounded at the battle off Cape St. Vincent, Feb. 14th, 1797. He obtained his first commission in 1801, and received another wound while serving as senior lieutenant of the Cleopatra frigate, in her desperate action with la Ville de Milan, French national ship of very superior force, Feb. 16th, 1805, on which occasion, he is officially represented to have rendered his captain “every assistance that could be expected from a good and zealous officer[1].” He was promoted to his present rank on the 22d Jan. 1806; and subsequently appointed to the command of the Cockatrice and Woodlark, sloops.