Royal Naval Biography/Boxer, Edward
EDWARD BOXER, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1823.]
Brother to Captain James Boxer, R.N. and Commander William Boxer.
This officer was born at Dover, in 1784; and appears to have entered the naval service under the patronage of Charles, fifth Viscount Ranelagh, commanding the Doris frigate, early in 1798. On the 22nd July, 1801, he assisted at the capture of la Chevrette French corvette, of 20 long 9-pounders and 350 men, under the batteries in Camaret bay, near Brest, by the boats of the Doris, Beaulieu, and Uranie[1]. He subsequently followed Captain Charles Brisbane into the Trent 36, Goliah 74, and Arethusa 38. On the 28th June, 1803, we find him assisting at the capture of la Mignonne, French 18-gun corvette, near the west end of St. Domingo[2]. In June, 1605, he joined l’Unité 38, Captain (now Sir Charles) Ogle, who recommended him to the favorable notice of Lord Collingwood, by whom he was received on board the Ocean 98; and promoted, Sept. 29th, 1806, into la Sophie sloop, Captain William Mansell, on the Mediterranean station. His first Admiralty commission bears date Jan. 8th, 1807; at which period he was serving under Captain Hallowell (now Sir Benjamin H. Carew) in the Tigre 80.
During the expedition to Egypt, in 1807, Lieutenant Boxer commanded a detachment of seamen landed to cooperate with the army under Major-General Thomas Fraser[3]. At the capture and destruction of a French convoy, in the Bay of Rosas, Nov. 1, 1809, he led one division of the boats employed, and conducted them with so much bravery and skill as to secure the lasting esteem of his distinguished commander.
On the 28th Oct. 1811, Mr. Boxer was removed with Captain Hallowell to the Malta 80, of which ship he continued first lieutenant during the remainder of the war, with the exception of a short period passed in the temporary command of the Volcano bomb. During the siege of Tarragona, in 1813, he had the direction of all the gun-boats under the orders of Rear-Admiral Hallowell, by whom he was again ordered to act as commander, in the Wizard brig, about the end of Oct. 1814. His promotion to that rank took place Mar. 1st, 1815.
From this period. Captain Boxer remained on half pay till Sept. 6, 1822, when he was appointed to the Sparrowhawk 18, fitting out for the Halifax station, whore he received his post commission from England, dated June 23d, 1823. In July, 1824, he became Inspecting Commander of the Coast Guard at Weymouth; and on the 23d Feb. 1827, we find him appointed to the Hussar 46, equipping for the flag of Sir Charles Ogle, with whom he returned home from Nova Scotia, July 4th, 1830. The Hussar was paid off, at Chatham, on the 26th of the same month.
Mrs. Boxer died Jan. 25, 1826, most deeply deplored by her husband, her numerous family, and friends.
Agents.– Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part II. pp. 884–887.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part II. p. 737. Lord Ranelagh died Dec 24th, 1800, a«d was succeeded in the command of the Doris by Captain Brisbane.
- ↑ See Vol. I Part II. p. 482.