Royal Naval Biography/M'Pherson, George
GEORGE M‘PHERSON, Esq.
[Commander.]
Entered into the royal navy, in 1800, as midshipman on board the Dragon 74, Captain (afterwards Sir George) Campbell; under whose flag (as rear-admiral) he subsequently served in the Canopus 80, on the Mediterranean station. From thence he went, in the same ship, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral (afterwards Sir Thomas) Louis, and forming part of the squadron under Lord Nelson, to the West Indies, in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, under Mons. Villeneuve. After Sir John T. Duckworth’s battle, off St. Domingo, Feb. 6th, 1806, he sailed for England in le Brave, prize 74, the fate of which ship is recorded in Vol. I. Part II. p. 594.
We next find Mr. M‘Pherson serving in the Canopus at the forcing of the passage of the Dardanelles; and, if we are not misinformed, it was he who commanded the boat which rescued Captain (now Sir Henry) Blackwood, from a watery grave, when the Ajax, an 80-gun ship, under the command of that officer, was destroyed by fire, near the island of Tenedos, in the night of Feb. 14th, 1807[1]. During the subsequent fruitless negociations with the Turks, he assisted in a disastrous attempt to drive a party from Prota, an island in the Sea of Marmora[2].
After Sir John T, Duckworth’s retreat from before Constantinople, the Canopus accompanied him to Egypt, whither a conjunct expedition had already proceeded, under the command of Major-General Eraser and Captain Hallowell (now Sir Benjamin H. Carew). While there, Mr. M‘Pherson greatly distinguished himself in command of some gun-boats occupying an important position on Lake Mareotis. In Mar. 1808, he was made a lieutenant, and appointed to the Warspite 74, fitting out at Chatham. From that ship he removed into the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Lord Gambier, previous to the attack upon a French squadron in Aix Roads, April 11th, 1809. Subsequent thereto, he displayed great zeal, judgment, and ability, as a volunteer in the flotillas employed against Walcheren and in defending Cadiz; on which latter service he appears to have been shot through the left leg and in his breast, while gallantly preventing the escape of a prison-ship, having on board five hundred Frenchmen, well provided with small-arms. For these injuries he was granted a paltry pension of 45l. 12s. 6d. per annum, Aug. 22d, 1811. He afterwards served in the Egmont 74, Captain Joseph Bingham; Warspite, Captains the Hon. Henry Blackwood and Lord James O’Brien; Liffey frigate. Captain John Hancock; Vengeur 74, Captain Thomas Alexander; and as first lieutenant of the Glasgow frigate, Captain the Hon. Anthony Maitland, at the battle of Algiers. His promotion to the rank of commander took place Sept. 16th, 1816.
Gifted with the advantages of a powerful mind, regulated by the most scrupulous sense of honor, and devotion to the duties of his profession, the subject of this sketch gained, in a high degree, the confidence of his superiors, and secured the admiration of all who witnessed his conduct. The same energy of mind and firmness of character which distinguished him as an officer, prompted him in his retirement to further usefulness in the service of the public, as an active and faithful magistrate. In the more private walks of life, his warm and hospitable disposition, cheerful, though modest and unassuming manner, and his sincere and steady friendship, eminently fitted him to promote the happiness of social intercourse. He died at Milltown Cottage, Ordesier, Inverness, in May or June, 1824.