A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gilbert, Edmund Williams
GILBERT. (Commander, 1822. h-p., 27; h-p., 21.)
Edmund Williams Gilbert, born in 1787, is fourth son of the late Rev. Edm. Gilbert, Vicar of Constantino, and Official of the Archdeaconry of Cornwall (grandson of Admiral Edm. Williams of Plymouth), by Anne, daughter of Henry Garnett, Esq., of Bristol; brother of Lieut. Henry Garnett Gilbert, R.N., who was lost at sea in H.M.S. Hawke in May, 1805, of Major-General Walter Raleigh Gilbert, Hon. E.I.Co.’s service, and of Capt. Fras. Yarde Gilbert, R.E.; and brother-in-law of Sir Walter Roberts, Bart., and of Lord Robt. Kerr. Commander Gilbert, who belongs to one of the oldest families in the co. of Devon, is a collateral descendant of the celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh and lineally derives from Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a seaman noted for his discoveries in the northern seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and for the establishment of the colony of Newfoundland. This officer entered the Navy, 26 Sept. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Fisgard, of 46 guns and 281 men, Capt. Thos. Byam Martin; under whom he assisted in taking, 22 Oct. 1800, La Vénus French frigate of 32 guns, was present at the capture of a large number of privateers, and saw much boat service. The Fisgard being paid off at the peace, Mr. Gilbert, on the renewal of hostilities, became successively attached, as Midshipman, to the Milbrook schooner, Lieut.-Commander M. A. N. De Starck, and, with the late Sir Thos. Louis, to the Conqueror 74, Leopard 50, and Canopus 80. While in the Leopard he served in a fire-boat at the bombardment of the Boulogne flotilla in 1804; and on his removal to the Canopus, he accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in his celebrated pursuit of the combined fleets in 1805, took part in the action off San Domingo 6 Feb. 1806, was present, as Acting-Lieutenant, at the capture of Le Président French frigate, landed and assisted, after passing the Dardanells, in dislodging some Turks from the island of Prota, 27 Feb. 1807, and then attended the expedition to Egypt, where he witnessed the unsuccessful attack on Rosetta. Being confirmed in the Canopus, by commission dated 29 Sept. 1808, Mr. Gilbert, after serving for some months under the flag of the present Sir Geo. Martin, successively joined – 5 Dec. 1809, and 13 Aug. 1810, as Senior Lieutenant, the Apelles and Tyrian sloops, Capts. Thos. Oliver and Henry Davies, on the Home station – 4 Jan. 1811, the Argo 44, Capt. Fred. Warren – 1 May, 1811, the Revenge 74, bearing the flag of Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, under whom he served at the defence of Cadiz, assisted in cutting out an American vessel from beneath a heavy battery, and was constantly under fire – 6 Jan. 1813, and 5 July, 1815, again as First, the Doris 36 and Grampus 50, Capts. Robt. O’Brien and Fras. Augustus Collier, on the East India station – 4 July, 1816, as a Volunteer, the Glasgow 40, Capt. Hon. Ahthony Maitland; during his attachment to which ship he received a splinter-wound across his chest while in command of her fire-boat at the battle of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816 – 21 July, 1817, to the command of a Revenue-cruizer – and, 8 Sept. 1817, as Senior, to his former ship, the Glasgow, Capt. Hon. A. Maitland, on the Mediterranean station. Attaining his present rank 26 Dec. 1822, he subsequently, on 8 Dec. l827, and 30 Oct. 1828, assumed command of the Infernal bomb and Zebra 18. On 4 Aug. 1841, he joined the Coast Guard; and, since 9 Oct. 1846, he has been in command of the Andromeda store-ship.
Commander Gilbert [errata 1] married, in 1822, Mary, daughter of J. Simpson, Esq., and niece of the late wealthy Mr. Arkwright, by whom he has issue four children. Agents – Messrs. Hallett and Robinson.