A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Jones, Lewis Tobias
JONES. (Captain, 1840, f-p., 30; h-p., 9.)
Lewis Tobias Jones, born in Dec. 1799, is second son of Capt. L. T. Jones, formerly of the 14th Regt., who wrote and published a history of the Duke of York’s campaign in Holland in 1793, 4, and 5, having served under H.R.H. during that period in the 57th Regt. His family, originally of Denbigh, in Wales, has been seated since the Commonwealth at Ardnaglass, co. Sligo.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Jan. 1808, as Midshipman, on board the Thrasher gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Josiah Dornford, which vessel formed part of the force sent to the Walcheren in 1809. In May, 1812, he removed to the Stirling Castle 74, commanded at first by his relative Sir Jahleel Brenton off Brest, and afterwards by Capt. Augustus Brine, whom he successively followed into the Bellerophon and Medway 74’s. The latter ship, it appears, sailed in Jan. 1814 with Lord Chas. Somerset for the Cape of Good Hope, and on her arrival on that station hoisted the flag of Sir Chas. Tyler. During a subsequent cruize in the neighbourhood of St. Helena she contrived to effect the capture, after a long chase, of the American sloop-of-war Syren, of 16 guns. On leaving her Mr. Jones, in Nov. 1815, became for a short time Acting-Lieutenant of the Ariel sloop, Capt. Dan. Ross. He subsequently officiated for upwards of six years as Admiralty Midshipman, on the Mediterranean, Home, West India, and North American stations, of the Granicus 36, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, Cyrus 20, Capt. Wm. Fairbrother Carroll, Spartan frigate, Capt. W. F. Wise, Newcastle 60, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, and Jaseur sloop, Capt. Henry Edw. Napier. He received, when in the Granicus, a wound in each knee at the battle of Algiers, the effects of which still continue; and on his junction of the Spartan he accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on a trip along the coast of France from Brest to Bordeaux. Being made Lieutenant, 29 Aug. 1822, into the Athol 28, Capt. Henry Bourchier, Mr. Jones remained in that vessel until 1824, when he returned to England with Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of Canada. His succeeding appointments were – 3 Oct. 1827, to the Cordelia 10, Capts. Geo. Wm. St. John Mildmay, Courtenay Edm. Wm. Boyle, and Chas. Hotham, in which vessel he served for six years, chiefly as First-Lieutenant, on the North Sea, Lisbon, West India, Newfoundland, and Mediterranean stations – and, 31 Oct. 1833 and 9 Feb. 1837, in a similar capacity, to the Edinburgh 74, Capt. Jas. Rich. Dacres, and Princess Charlotte 104, flag-ship of Sir Robt. Stopford, both also in the Mediterranean. He was promoted to the Second-Captaincy of the latter ship by a commission dated 28 June, 1838; and, continuing in her until Jan. 1841, was in consequence present in the operations of 1840 on the coast of Syria, where, in the month of Sept., he landed with the Anglo-Turkish battalions at D’Journi, and served on shore, during the occupation of the encampment, as officer in charge of the beach department and of the issue of arms and ammunition to the mountaineers of Lebanon. On 4 Nov. 1840 as a reward for his services at the capture of St. Jean d’Acre, Capt. Jones was advanced to the rank he now holds. He has not, however, been afloat since the period he left the Princess Charlotte.
In 1844 Capt. Jones was a student at the R.N. College.