A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Russell, William

1911338A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Russell, WilliamWilliam Richard O'Byrne

RUSSELL. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 17; h-p., 27.)

William Russell entered the Navy, 27 Aug. 1803, as Ordinary, on board the Mermaid 32, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis, under whom he was for four years employed in the Channel and on the Jamaica, Halifax, and Lisbon stations. He then, in Aug. 1807, joined the Marlborough 74, Capts. Graham Moore, John Phillimore, and Scott. In the course of the same year he accompanied the royal family of Portugal in its flight to the Brazils. He cruized subsequently off Cherbourg; and, while attached to the Walcheren expedition, was intrusted, from 1 July, 1809, to 7 Jan. 1810, with the command of a gun-boat. In March, 1812 (he had previously attained the ratings of Midshipman and Master’s Mate), he was again placed under the orders of Capt. Moore on board the Chatham 74, stationed, as had been for a long time the Marlborough, in the North Sea. After serving for a few months at Barbadoes in the Coquette, Capt. Simpson, he was promoted, 10 Nov. 1813, to the rank of Lieutenant. He was next, until the autumn of 1815, employed in different vessels on the lakes of Canada; he fought in the Fury bomb, Capt. Constantine Rich. Moorsom, at the bombardment of Algiers 27 Aug. 1816; in Oct. of that year he joined the Conqueror 74 at Sheerness; and from Jan. 1817 until Aug. 1818, and from April, 1822, until 1825, he served, under the same officer, in the Prometheus 22 and Ariadne 28, on the Home station. He did not afterwards go afloat.