A Naval Biographical Dictionary/McDouall, James
M‘DOUALL. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 21; h-p., 30.)
James M‘Douall died 30 Dec. 1845.
This officer entered the Nayy, 27 July, 1795, as A.B., on board the Zebra sloop, Capts. Norborne Thompson, David M‘Iver, and John Hurst, in which vessel, stationed in the West Indies, he continued to serve, in the capacities of Midshipman, Master’s Mate, and Acting-Lieutenant, until transferred, 25 April, 1797, to a Master’s Mateship in the Intrepid 64, Capts. Robt. Parker and Wm. Hargood. In Sept. 1801, after having again acted as Lieutenant in the ship last mentioned, Mr. M‘Douall, then in the East Indies, became Master’s Mate of the Arrogant 74, Capt. Edw. Oliver Osborne; and on 11 of the following month he was appointed, a third time, to the post of Acting-Lieutenant in the Trident 64, Capts. Thos. Surridge, Chas. Jas. Johnston, Peter Rainier, and Benj. Wm. Page, bearing the flag for a period of Vice- Admiral Rainier. Being confirmed to the Trident by commission dated 22 April, 1802, he continued attached to her, on the East India station, until Oct. 1805. While cruizing next, for a few months in 1806, in the Belleisle 74, Capt. Wm. Hargood, we find him assisting at the destruction, off Cape Henry, on the American coast, of the French 74-gun ship L’Impétueux. Between Aug. 1807 and his advancement to the rank of Commander 12 Oct. 1814, he served on the West India, Mediterranean, and Home stations, in the York 74, Capt. Robt. Barton, Ville de Paris 110, flag-ship of Lord Collingwood, Northumberland 74, Capts. Wm. Hargood and Hon. Henry Hotham, Asia and Barham 74’s, both commanded by Capt. John Wm. Spranger, and San Josef and Queen Charlotte, flag-ships of Lord Keith. His last employments were, from 15 Nov. 1814 to 6 Sept. 1816, as Regulating officer and Commandant of gun-boats at Greenock – and, from 21 March 1816 to 25 March, 1819, as Superintendent of the Ordinary at Portsmouth.