A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wright, Henry
WRIGHT. (Lieut., 1832. f-p., 16; h-p., 6.)
Henry Wright was born 10 Feb. 1812. His father, a member of the legal profession, was the representative of an old Cheshire family, the Wrights of Brewer’s Hall. This officer entered the Navy, 1 Feb. 1825, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Albion 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Hoste, lying at Portsmouth. In the following June he removed to the Gloucester 74, Capt. Joshua Sydney Horton, at Sheerness; he there, in March, 1826, attained the rating of Midshipman; and from Dec. in the latter year until his return to England in the summer of 1831 in the Melville 74, he was employed in the Mediterranean, the last few months as Mate, in the Asia 84, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Codrington (under whom he fought at the battle of Navarin), Camelion 10, Capt. Sir Thos. Sabine Pasley, and Pelican 18, Capt. Joseph Gape. He proceeded subsequently, in the Fly 18, Capt. Peter M‘Quhae, to the West Indies; was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 9 May, 1832; and was subsequently appointed, on the station last named – 25 July, 1832, to the Gannet 16, Capts. Mark Halpen Sweny and John Balfour Maxwell – 13 Jan. 1837, for about four months, to the Racehorse 18, Capt. Sir Jas. Everard Home – 28 Nov. 1837, to the Vestal 26, Capt. Thos. Wren Carter – and 31 Aug. 1839, to the command of the Skipjack schooner of 5 guns. In the latter vessel he made prize, 30 Nov. 1839, of the Ulysses, an armed Portuguese brigantine, manned with a crew of 150 men, and having on board as many as 535 slaves. In March, 1841, he was at his own request, from the state of his health, superseded in the command of the Skipjack. He had been, at that period, nearly nine years employed in the West Indies. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.