Royal Naval Biography/Coote, William
WILLIAM COOTE, Esq.
[Commander.]
Served as midshipman of the Edgar 74, Captain George Murray, at the battle of Copenhagen, April 2d, 1801; obtained a lieutenant’s commission in 1802; and was promoted to the rank of commander. May 6th, 1807, for an exploit thus officially recorded:
“H.M.S. Cerberus, off Martinique, Jan. 3d, 1807.
“Sir,– I beg leave to acquaint you, that in pursuance of your orders to me by Captain Pigot, of the Circe, I reconnoitred the ports of Guadaloupe and the Saintes: after having so done, and perceiving no force of any consequence, except a brig of sixteen guns, lying in the Saintes, I left Captain Pigot off that port, and was proceeding to my former station in further pursuance of your directions, when on the 2d instant, as I was beating to windward between Martinique and Dominica, I observed a privateer schooner, with a schooner and a sloop in company, standing for St. Pierre’s with French colours flying: I gave chase, and prevented them from reaching that port, upon which they all three anchored under a battery to the northward, near the Pearl Rock, and very close to the shore.
“It, however, appeared to me practicable to cut them out in the night. I consulted Lieutenant Coote on the occasion, who, with Lieutenant Bligh, volunteered the attack; and, about eight o’clock, they very gallantly boarded two of the vessels, under a most tremendous fire from the shore, bringing them out, notwithstanding the enemy had taken the precaution to unbend their sails. Our loss has, I am concerned to say, been considerable. Lieutenant Coote has received a most desperate wound in the head, winch has deprived him of his eye-sight; one midshipman (George Sayer) was wounded by a musket-ball in the log; two men were killed, and eight more wounded. The privateer made her escape under cover of the darkness of the night. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“W. Selby.”
“To the Hon. Sir Alex. I. Cochrane,
&c. &c. &c.”
On the 22d May 1807, Commander Coote was granted a pension, the present amount of which is 400l. per annum.