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BRANDER—BRANDRETH—BRANFORD—BRASIER.
teries on that island; and that, in one instance, after marching three miles at the head of a hody of sea-men and marines, he surprised the guard at Sabionetta, and brought away captive the Préfêt and his secretary. Mr. Brand, who received his first commission 30 Dec. 1813, afterwards served, from 28 Feb. 1814, to 22 Aug. 1816, in the Badger 10, Capts. Sam. Trevor Dickins and Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman, with the latter of whom he witnessed the reduction of Guadeloupe in 1815. He was appointed, 2 June, 1824, and 5 March, 1825, to the Ramillies and Hyperion, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye, both employed on the Coast Blockade; and, from 25 Sept. 1826, until advanced to his present rank, 9 Nov. 1846, was next occupied in the Coast Guard, in which he held the Inspecting-Commandership of the Shetland district from Sept. 1828, until its abolition in Feb. 1844. He is now on half-pay.
Commander Brand married, 17 May, 1832, Christina Cecilia, second daughter of Jas. Greig, Esq., Procurator Fiscal of Shetland, by whom he has issue two sons and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
BRANDER. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 12; h-p., 34.)
William Brander entered the Navy, 8 July, 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Goliath 74, Capt. Wm. Essington, with whom, on proceeding to the West Indies, he removed, as Midshipman, 10 April, 1802, to the Sans Pareil 80. In May, 1803, having returned to England, he joined the Victory 100, flag-ship of Lord Nelson; immediately after which he sailed for the Mediterranean; and on his passage thither assisted in taking the French 32-gun frigate Embuscade. Becoming next attached to the Amphion 32, Capts. Sam. Sutton and Wm. Hoste, Mr. Brander was present, on 5 Oct. 1804, at the capture of three Spanish frigates laden with treasure, and destruction of a fourth, near Cape St. Mary; and, in 1805, he accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in pursuit of the Franco-Spanish fleet. We also find him, in July, 1806, taking part in the invasion of Calabria; and, on 30 of the same month, in the reduction of the important fortress of Cotrone, with all its stores and magazines, and a garrison of upwards of 600 troops. He was subsequently taken prisoner while in charge of a prize; and, on ultimately effecting a miraculous escape after a confinement of nearly three years, passed his examination 3 Jan. 1810, and joined, in February, the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Fras. Pickmore. During the siege of Cadiz Mr. Brander appears to have been particularly instrumental in saving from destruction the Spanish ship of the line San Pablo, at a time when she had been set on fire by the enemy’s batteries, and to have further contributed to the defence of Fort Matagorda, until that stronghold was considered no longer tenable. On 1 May, 1810, he became Master’s Mate of the San Josef 110, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Cotton in the Mediterranean; and, on 14 Feb. 1811, he was promoted into the York 74, Capt. Robt. Barton. His subsequent appointments were – 11 Dec. in the same year, to the Bellona 74, Capts. John Erskine Douglas and Geo. M‘Kinley, employed in the North Sea and off Cherbourg and Rochefort – 30 April, 1814, to the Rover 18, Capt. Justice Finley, in which sloop he sailed for Bermuda – and, 10 Feb. 1815, to the Insolent gun-brig, Capt. Wm. Kelly, on the Cork station. Since the following Sept. Lieut. Brander has been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
BRANDRETH. (Lieutenant, 1845.)
Thomas Brandreth passed his examination 4 Sept. 1844; served as Mate on board the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capts. Sir Thos. Hastings and Henry Ducie Chads; and obtained his commission 23 Dec. 1845. He has been employed since 23 April, 1846, in the Constance 50, Capt. Sir Baldwin Wake Walker.
BRANFORD. (Commander, 1820. f-p., 13; h-p., 30.)
John Branford entered the Navy, 14 April, 1804, as Midshipman, on board the Eagle 74, Capt. David Colby, bearing the flag in the North Sea, and afterwards in the West Indies, of Rear-Admiral Edw. Thornbrough; joined, in Nov. 1805, the Kent 74, Capts. Henry Garrett and Thos. Rogers, attached to the Channel fleet; served, from May, 1807, to Nov. 1809, again with Admiral Thombrough, in the Royal Sovereign 100, on the Mediterranean station; and, from the latter date, was employed in the Ville de Paris 110, and Rodney and Milford 74’s, flag-ships of Lord Collingwood and Rear-Admiral Thos. Fras. Fremantle, until made Lieutenant into the Swiftsure 74, Capt. Edw. Stirling Dickson, 3 April, 1813. He soon, however, rejoined Rear-Admiral Fremantle, as his Flag-Lieutenant, in the Milford, and, after assisting in various operations in the Adriatic, including the reduction of Fiume, Rovigno, Piran, Capo d’Istra, and Trieste, came home with him, early in 1814, in the Eagle 74. From 5 May to 4 Sept. 1815, Mr. Branford a second time officiated as Flag-Lieutenant to the same officer in the Wye 24, on the Jersey station. He was next employed, from 23 July, 1816, till Feb. 1817, under Capts. Chas. Ogle and Aiskew Paffard Hollis, in the Rivoli 74, guard-ship at Portsmouth; and, on 26 Aug. 1818, was again selected by Sir T. F. Fremantle to be his Flag-Lieutenant in the Rochfort 74, fitting for the Mediterranean, whither he proceeded and remained until promoted, on the death of his patron, to his present rank, 1 March, 1820. He has not since been afloat.
Commander Branford is Senior of 1820.
BRASIER. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 21; h-p., 27.)
James Brasier entered the Navy, 3 Dec. 1799, as Midshipman, on board the Defence 74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet, one of Sir Hyde Parker’s ships at the battle of Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801; and, on subsequently proceeding off Cadiz, commanded a boat belonging to the Defence at the successful repulse of a large number of gun-vessels sent out of that port to attack her during a cahn. In Aug. 1802, he joined La Pique 36, Capts. Wm. Cumberland and Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, and, after witnessing the evacuation of Aux Cayes and Cape François, St. Domingo, the surrender of the three French frigates with the remains of Gen. Rochambeau’s army on board, the capture of several privateers and other armed vessels, and the gallant but unfortunate attack on Curaçoa, was transferred, in Dec. 1805, to the Hercule 74, bearing the flag at Jamaica of Vice- Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres, and on 12 March, 1806, as Acting-Sub-Lieutenant to the Stork 18, Capt. Geo. Le Geyt. For his conduct on 3 Sept. 1806, as one of a detached party under Capt. Edw. Rushworth, at the storming of the fort of Batabano, in the island of Cuba, and seizure of a number of small armed and merchant vessels there collected, Mr. Brasier was appointed, in Jan. 1807, Acting-Lieutenant of the Pomona 38, Capt. John Parish, and, on 10 June, 1807, was confirmed into his former ship, La Pique, Capt. Ross. His after-appointments, as Lieutenant, were – 2 March and 7 May, 1808, to the St. George and Neptune 98’s, Capts. Thos. Bertie and Sir Thos. Williams, in the Channel – 7 Feb. 1809, to the Alfred 74, Capt. Joshua Rowley Watson, in which ship, after having been sent in command of a gunboat to assist at the siege of Flushing, he proceeded to the West Indies, where he took part in the reduction of Guadeloupe in Feb. 1810 – 9 May ensuing, again to the Stork, Capt. Le Geyt, on the same station – 16 Sept. 1811, to the Royal George 100, flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir J. Williams, Benj. Hallowell, and Fras. Pickmore, in the Channel and Mediterranean – 10 Nov. 1812, to the Prince of Wales 98, Capt. John Erskine Douglas – 26 Jan. 1813, to the Repulse 74, Capt. Rich. Hussey Moubray, in the boats of which ship he served at the destruction of two important batteries and capture
