A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Reynolds, John
REYNOLDS. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 22; h-p., 27.)
John Reynolds was born 8 Nov. 1783 at Sandwich, co. Kent. He is brother of Capt. Geo. Reynolds, R.N. (1802), who died at Canterbury 25 Dec. 1822; and of Wm. Reynolds, Esq., who was 25 years a Clerk in the Admiralty, and died in 1811. His brother-in-law, Dr. Edw. Boys, was one of the Physicians of Haslar Hospital during the late war.
This officer entered the Navy, in Jan. 1798, as Midshipman, on board the Beaulieu 40, Capt. Fras. Fayerman, for the purpose of joining the Saturn 74; in which ship he continued employed on the Channel and Irish stations under Capts. Jacob Waller, Digby Dent, and Thos. Totty, until transferred, about May, 1800, to the Inspector sloop, Capts. Geo. Sayer (a) and Robt. Howe Bromley, on the North Sea station. Becoming attached, next, to the Cynthia 18, Capts. John Dick and John Westley Wright, he took part as Master’s Mate of that vessel in the operations of 1801 in Egypt. In the spring of 1803 he was received on board the Vlieter, Capt. Adrian Renou, lying at Sheerness; and after serving for about 12 months in the Channel and West Indies on board the Venerable and Centaur 74’s, flag-ships of Rear-Admiral Collingwood and Commodore Sir Sam. Hood, he was nominated, 21 June, 1804, Acting-Lieutenant of the Blenheim 74, Capt. Loftus Otway Bland. He was confirmed to that ship 26 Sept. following; and was subsequently appointed – 8 Jan. 1805, to the Santa Margarita 36, Capt. Wilson Rathborne, under whom he fought in Sir Rich. Strachan’s action – 27 May, 1807, to the Conqueror 74, Capt. Israel Pellew, employed in the Channel and off Lisbon – in Nov. of the same year, to the charge of a Signal station – 2 Jan. 1809 and 2 Jan. 1812, to the command of the Hero and Nimble cutters – 13 Jan. 1813, to the Doris 36, Capt. Robt. O’Brien, whom he accompanied to China – and, 29 Nov. ensuing, to the Owen Glendower 42, Capt. Brian Hodgson, in the East Indies. In 1810 Lieut. Reynolds, then in command of the Hero, discovered that the harbour of Salo, in the Kattegat, at the time but little known to the English, was a good place of refuge for vessels during gales of wind blowing on the Swedish shore. While in the same vessel and in the Nimble (which latter, although the crew escaped, foundered in a violent storm in the Sleeve 6 Nov. 1812) he captured and destroyed three Danish privateers and as many as 34 sail of merchantmen, was frequently in action with the enemy’s flotilla, and on one occasion was slightly wounded. So greatly did his successful exertions annoy the Norwegian merchants that they offered a large reward for the capture of the Hero. As may be conceived he elicited the high approbation of his Commander-in-Chief, Sir Jas. Saumarez, by whom, we understand, he was recommended to the Admiralty. In July, 1815, he assumed command of the Elk 18 on the East India station; where (the appointment to that vessel being confirmed 20 Nov. in the same year) he was nominated, 13 June and 22 Sept. 1816, and 1 March, 1817, Acting-Captain of the Iphigenia 36, Conway 24, and Volage 22. From 13 Feb. 1828 until posted 22 July, 1830, Capt. Reynolds commanded the Orestes 18, on the coast of Ireland.
He married Miss A. H. Decoeurdoux, daughter of Retired Commander Geo. Lacey Decoeurdoux, R.N.