Royal Naval Biography/Revans, Thomas
THOMAS REVANS, Esq.
[Commander.]
Is of a Suffolk family, and the youngest of six brothers, four of whom devoted themselves to the service of their country, on the breaking out of the French revolutionary war. He was born at Lymington, co. Hants, in Oct. 1781, and entered into the royal navy in Dec. 1792. After serving on board the Lizard 28, Sheerness 44, and Hannibal 74, he was wrecked in la Determinée troop-ship, Captain Alexander Becher, Mar. 26th, 1803[1]. We afterwards find him in the Dreadnought 98, and Ville de Paris 110, the latter ship bearing the flag of the veteran Cornwallis, commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet. His first commission, appointing him lieutenant of the Hibernia 120, flag-ship of Earl St. Vincent, bears date Aug. 4th, 1806. He subsequently served in the Revolutionnaire and Minerva frigates; as senior lieutenant of l’Impetueux 76, successively commanded by Captains John Lawford and David Milne; and of the Dublin, Venerable, and Bulwark, 74’s, under the latter officer. On the occasion of la Determinée’s destruction, he was one of five persons who remained on the wreck to the latest moment, with their captain.
Mr. Revans’s next appointment was to be flag-lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Milne, in which capacity he bore a part at the memorable battle of Algiers. His promotion to the rank of commander took place on the 16th Sept. 1816. He is married, but has no issue. One of his brothers lost an arm in the naval service, and died at St. Domingo, in 1797.