Royal Naval Biography/Wilson, Thomas Henry
THOMAS HENRY WILSON, Esq.
[Commander.]
Was made a lieutenant into the Boyne 98, flag-ship of Sir John Jervis, Feb. 11th, 1794. He appears to have been wounded, while serving on shore, at the reduction of Martinique; and, if we mistake not, he commanded the Venom gun-vessel during the subsequent operations against St. Lucia and Guadaloupe.
On the 21st April, 1800, Lieutenant Wilson, then commanding the Lark hired armed lugger, and employed off the Texel, drove on shore a French cutter privateer, of 10 guns and 36 men. On the 25th of the same month, he chased and came up with another vessel of the description, which, after engaging him a short time, ran ashore on the Vlie Island, where she defended herself pretty well for an hour, at the end of which the French crew were seen escaping to the land, under the cover and protection of about 100 troops. Lieutenant Wilson immediately hoisted out his small boat, directed the larger one to follow him, and lost no time in boarding the enemy’s vessel, which he succeeded in getting afloat, although greatly annoyed by musketry from the shore. She proved to be the Impregnable of fourteen guns, two of which were long 9-pounders, and, as appeared by her log, she had on board, during the engagement, about sixty men. This vessel had been particularly successful during her former cruises, and was one of the greatest pests that infested the British coast.
The Lark was attached to the fleet under Sir Hyde Parker, sent against the Northern Confederacy, in Mar. 1801. Lieutenant Wilson obtained his present rank on the 15th June, 1814.