A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Neill, Joseph

1850947A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Neill, JosephWilliam Richard O'Byrne

NEILL. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 13; h-p., 35.)

Joseph Neill entered the Navy, 7 March, 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on borad the America 74, Capt. John Smith, attached to the force in the North Sea; where and in the Channel he continued employed as Midshipman of the same ship and of the Belliqueux 64, Capt. Rowley Bulteel, until May, 1802. In the America he accompanied the expedition to Holland under Sir Andrew Mitchell; and in the Belliqueux he assisted, while in escort of an East India convoy, at the capture of the French 40-gun frigate La Concorde. After a servitude of three years and nine months, still on the Home station, in L’Africaine 38, Capt. Thos. Manby, and Repulse 74, Capt. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, part of the force engaged in Sir Robt. Calder’s action, he was promoted, 11 Nov. 1806, to a Lieutenancy in the Courageux 74, Capt. Jas. Bissett, off Cadiz. He left that ship in May, 1808, and between the following Nov. and Oct. 1814 was employed, on the Downs, Channel, Lisbon, Baltic, North Sea, and West India stations, in the Trusty 50, Capt. Brian Hodgson, Tyrian sloop, Capt. Henry Thos. Davies, Dolphin, Capt. Christopher Watson, and Dictator 64 and Gloucester 74, both commanded by Capt. Robt. Williams. In the Dictator he was constantly occupied in affording protection to the British convoys in the Baltic against the frequent attacks of the Danish gun-boats. He attained the rank of Commander 26 Aug. 1815, and has since been on half-pay.