Royal Naval Biography/Bray, Josias
JOSIAS BRAY, Esq.
[Commander.]
Obtained his first commission in Nov. 1800; and was wounded while serving as lieutenant on board the Achille 74, Captain (afterwards Sir Richard) King, at the memorable battle of Trafalgar[1]. He subsequently commanded the Plumper gun-brig, and in July 1812, captured three small American privateers in the Bay of Fundy. On the 5th Dec. in the same year, he had the misfortune to lose that vessel, on a ledge of rocks near Dipper harbour New Brunswick, when forty-two of his officers, passengers, and crew perished. At the close of the war with France, in 1814, we find him commanding the Badger hired cutter; and some time afterwards, the Sprightly revenue cruiser, which vessel was wrecked on the rocks at Blacknor, Isle of Portland, in a heavy gale of wind, Jan. 8th, 1821. He was promoted to his present rank, “for long and active services,” May 27th, 1825.