bearing the broad pendant of Sir Home Popham. Subsequently to the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, at which he was present, Mr. Percy was ordered, 11 Jan. 1806, to assume command of the Espoir brig. Before he had time, however, to join her he was sent to Simon’s Bay for the purpose of taking possession of the Bato, a Dutch 68; but the latter, as he found on his arrival, had been unfortunately reduced by the enemy to a complete wreck; in consequence whereof, and of the Espoir having during his absence sailed with despatches for England, he was under the necessity of rejoining the Diadem in the capacity of a Volunteer. An opportunity, notwithstanding, was soon afforded him of obtaining another command. In ignorance of the colony having changed masters, the French frigate Volontaire, of 46 guns, on 4 of the ensuing March, entered Table Bay; she was compelled forthwith to strike her colours, and Capt. Percy, who was sent on board to take possession of her, placed in charge of her.[1] Shortly after this he was sent to St. Helena to afford protection to the homeward-bound Indiamen. His promotion to the ranks of Commander and Post-Captain being confirmed at the Admiralty by commissions dated 22 Jan. and 25 Sept. 1806, he was subsequently appointed – 7 Sept. 1807, to the Comus 22 – 24 April, 1808, to La Nymphe 36 – 5 Nov. 1810, to the Hotspur 36, in which frigate he continued five years – 27 Jan. 1829, for two years, to the Royal Charlotte yacht, stationed at Dublin, in attendance upon the Duke of Northumberland, then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland – and, 16 Oct. 1832 and 25 Nov. 1833, to the Malabar 74 and Canopus 84, both in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in the early part of 1837. In Dec. 1807 Capt. Percy, at that time in the Comus, was present with Sir Sam. Hood at the occupation of Madeira; and in 1808 we find him, in La Nymphe, conveying General Junot from the coast of Portugal to Rochelle, in compliance with the stipulations of the convention of Cintra. On 1 Sept. 1811, with the Hotspur under his orders, he contrived, with much zeal and ability, to decoy the French squadron at Cherbourg nearly into mid-Channel, in the hope of keeping it in play until the arrival of the blockading force under Capt. Pulteney Malcolm. On the occasion he allowed himself to be so closely approached that the first shot from the bow-chaser of the Hotspur, fired when the pursuit was surrendered, passed through the mainsail of the enemy’s centre ship, whom he continued to harass until they had regained their anchorage, a quarter of an hour only before the British squadron came up with him. On 8 of the same month Capt. Percy, in company with the Barbadoes 28 and Goshawk brig, made an attack upon seven French brigs, each mounting 3 long 24-pounders and 1 mortar, with a complement of 75 men, near the Calvados rocks, on the coast of Normandy. In endeavouring to near them the Hotspur unfortunately took the ground, and lay for four hours exposed to a heavy fire from the vessels, a battery, and some field-pieces, which infiicted on her a loss, besides considerable damage in her hull, sails, and rigging, of 2 Midshipmen and 3 seamen killed, and 22 seamen and marines wounded. One of the brigs, however, was sunk, and two driven on shore,[2] While on the Channel station the Hotspur made prize, 13 May and 26 Oct. 1813, of the French ship letter-of-marque Impératrice Reine of 1 2 guns, pierced for 20, and 50 men, and the American schooner Chesapeake of 5 guns and 29 men. She was afterwards employed for two years on the coast of South America. On 23 Nov. 1841 (he had been nominated a C.B. 26 Sept. 1831) Capt. Percy attained Flag-rank. His last appointment was to the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope, which he held, with his flag in the Winchester 50, from 17 Dec. 1841 until the spring of 1846.
The Rear-Admiral, a Deputy-Lieutenant for the West Riding of Yorkshire, retained a seat in Parliament, in 1806, 1807, 1812, and 1818, for Beeralston, in Devonshire. He married, in Dec. 1820, Sophia Elizabeth, third daughter of Morton Walhouse, Esq., of Hatherton, co. Stafford, by whom he has issue a son and three daughters. His eldest daughter, Sophy Elizabeth, was married, in July, 1846, to Lieut.-Colonel Chas. Bagot, eldest son of the late Right Hon. Sir Chas. Bagot, G.C.B. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
PERCY. (Rear-Admiral, 1846. f-p., 11; h-p., 35.)
The Honourable William Henry Percy was born 24 March, 1788. He is a younger brother of Rear-Admiral Hon. Josceline Percy, C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 May, 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Lion 64, Capt. Henry Mitford, and on his return from a voyage with convoy to Canton; became Midshipman, in Nov. 1802, of the Medusa 32, Capt. John Gore. In that ship, after participating in the service mentioned in the note attached to our memoir of his brother, he sailed with the Marquis Cornwallis for India, and returned from the Ganges to the Lizard, a distance of 13,831 miles, in the surprisingly short period of 84 days. After serving for some months on the Home station in the Tribune 36, Capts. Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett and Thos. Baker, Royal William flag-ship of Admiral Geo. Montagu, and Fame 74, Capt. R. H. A. Bennett, he was made Lieutenant, 6 July, 1807, into the Décade frigate, Capt. John Stuart, on the coast of Ireland. His next appointment was, 15 Nov. 1809, to the Hibernia 110, Capt. Robt. Jenner Neve, in the Mediterranean. Being advanced to the rank of Commander, 2 May, 1810, Capt. Percy, from 28 Dec. following until Posted 21 March, 1812, served in that capacity in the Mermaid 28, armée en flûte, employed in the conveyance of troops to Portugal and Spain. His only other appointment appears to have been, 4 April, 1814, to the Hermes 20, which vessel, after 25 of her men had been killed and 24 wounded in an unsuccessful attack upon Fort Bowyer, Mobile, was set on fire and destroyed to prevent her falling into the hands of the Americans, 15 Sept. in the same year. Capt. Percy had under his orders at the time, besides his own ship, the Canon [errata 1] 20, and Sophie and Childers of 18 guns each. Of all blame in the loss of the Hermes he was by Court-martial honourably acquitted 18 Jan. 1815. On 9 March following he arrived at the Admiralty, with despatches from Sir Alex. Cochrane, reporting the defeat of the British army before New Orleans. He accepted his present rank 1 Oct. 1846.
Rear-Admiral Percy has been for some years a Commissioner of Excise. He sat in Parliament as Member for Stamford, co. Lincoln.
PERKINS. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 12; h-p., 29.)
Henry Augustus Perkins entered the Navy, 26 June, 1806, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Canopus 80, Capts. Thos. Geo. Shortland and Chas. Inglis, successive flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir Thos. Louis and Geo. Martin; under the former of whom he served as Midshipman at the passage of the Dardanells and in the expedition to Egypt. Quitting the Canopus in March, 1809, he was next, between the following Aug. and Dec. 1813, employed, on the Home and Mediterranean stations, in the San Josef 110, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, Thames 32, Capt. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave, Renown 74, Capt. Philip Chas. Durham, Echo 16, Capt. Robt. Keen, and Druid and Aigle frigates, both commanded by Sir John Louis. On 6 of the month last mentioned he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Swallow 18, Capts. Edw. Reynolds Sibly, Arthur Stow, and James; to which vessel, also in the Mediterranean, he was confirmed 16 March, 1814. In the following month he went on half-pay. He was subsequently appointed to the Philomel 16, Capt. Jas. Hanway Plumridge, Pompée 74, Capt. Sir Jas. Athol Wood, Granicus 36, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, and
