A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stirling, James (b)
STIRLING. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 11; h-p., 32.)
James Stirling (b), born 31 Oct. 1789, is son of the late Jas. Stirling, Esq., of Kippendavie, co. Perth, by his wife, Mary Graham, of Airth, co. Stirling.
This officer entered the Navy, 24 Sept. 1804, as a Volunteer, on board the San Josef 110, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Cotton in the Channel, where he attained the rating of Midshipman in Sept. 1805, and in Aug. 1806 removed to the Crocodile 22, Capts. Geo. Edm. Byron Bettsworth and Hon. Geo. Cadogan. On his return from a voyage to Quebec he was received, in Oct. 1807, on board the Leonidas 38, Capts. Jas. Dunbar, Henry Hope, and Anselm John Griffiths, attached to the fleet in the Mediterranean, on which station, after assisting at the capture of the Ionian Islands and the destruction of two martello towers near Cape Otranto, he went back, in Sept. 1810, at the invitation of Sir C. Cotton,[1] to the San Josef, and was by him nominated, 21 March, 1811, Acting-Lieutenant of the Leviathan 74, Capt. Patrick Campbell. To that ship he was confirmed 20 May in the same year. Exchanging, 31 Jan. 1812, into the Blossom sloop, Capts. Wm. Stewart, Edw. Reynolds Sibly, and Joshua Ricketts Rowley, he served in the boats of that vessel, 29 April following, and assisted, in company with those of the Undaunted and Volontaire frigates, in an attack upon a French convoy near the mouth of the Rhone, on which occasion 7 vessels were brought out, 12, including a national schooner of 4 guns and 74 men, burnt, and 2 left stranded on the beach. In personal command of the boats of the Blossom alone Mr. Stirling blew up two martello towers in the Bay of St. Mary’s. From Aug. 1813 until advanced to his present rank 15 June, 1814, he served, still in the Mediterranean, in the Malta 84, flagship of Rear-Admiral Benj. Hallowell; and from 6 May, 1815, until paid off 28 June, 1816, he commanded the Ferret 14, on the Channel and St. Helena stations. While in the latter vessel, for his rapidity in fitting out which he obtained the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth and the Board of Admiralty, he united, with the Fly sloop, in an attack made by Capt. Chas. Malcolm of the Rhin 38, with the boats of that and of the Menelaus and Havannah frigates, on a convoy lying under the protection of a fort and of an armed cutter, a praam-brig, and a gun-vessel, in the harbour of Corrijou, near Abervrach, on the coast of Bretagne. His behaviour on that occasion may be inferred from the following extract of a letter addressed to him by Capt. Malcolm:– “When I informed Lord Keith,” he says, “of my having detained the Ferret for the attack upon Corrijou, I endeavoured all I could to impress him with a just sense of your conduct. I mentioned your personal exertions the night before the attack, after the Ferret had anchored, in going off to the Sea Lark to pilot her in. I told him that during the attack your conduct was the admiration of all; that it was your good fortune to command a vessel of light draught of water, and that the advantage you took of that circumstance to run in in the fine style you did between the rocks and the main into the mouth of the harbour at once decided our Success, and prevented the escape of the man-of-war brig which you forced to run on shore.” We may add that, while the Ferret, with the Fly and part of the boats, was engaged in obtaining possession of the vessels, Capt. Malcolm, who had landed with a body of seamen and marines, stormed and carried the fort. The Ferret afterwards formed part of the squadron under Sir Geo. Cockburn which escorted Napoleon Buonaparte to St. Helena, where she remained until ordered home with despatches 27 March, 1816. On 4 April, when near the Equator, she encountered, and, although with only 8 12-pounder carronades mounted, succeeded, after a running fight of nearly two hours, in capturing, the Dolores brigantine (formerly an American privateer), armed with 1 long 32-pounder on a pivot, 4 long 9-potmders, and 2 long 12-pounder carronades, and laden with a cargo of 275 slaves. The prize was taken to Sierra Leone and condemned; and on 28 June, having arrived at Plymouth, the Ferret, as above stated, was paid off. Commander Stirling has not been since afloat.
He married, 6 July, 1820, Mary, daughter of Day Hort Macdowall, Esq., of Castlesemple, co. Renfrew. Agent – J. Chippendale.
- ↑ Sir Charles had been removed to the chief command in the Mediterranean.