Macedonian, and Hornet – and escorted a large convoy home from Jamaica. On 1 Oct. 1814, about three months after he had passed his examination, he was received as a Supernumerary on promotion on board the Duncan 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Poo Beresford on the Brazilian station; where, in April, 1815, he was placed under the orders of Rear-Admiral Manley Dixon on board his old ship the Valiant. In the following July he took up a commission bearing date 27 Feb. in the same year, 1815. His succeeding appointments were – 3 Oct. 1823, to the Thetis 46, Capt. Sir John Phillimore, employed on particular service – 30 March, 1824, to the Lively 46, Capt. Wm. Elliott, which ship was paid off in Dec. 1826 – 16 April, 1827, for about two years, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye – and, 22 July, 1831, to the Coast Guard. While serving in the Lively, Lieut. Read was present in the river Tagus during the revolution in Portugal. He aided in consequence in affording protection to Don John VI. and his family and in escorting Don Miguel to Brest – services for which he was created a Knight of the order of the Tower and Sword. He afterwards made a voyage to the West Indies, where he passed through scenes of great mortality, and, being First- Lieutenant, commanded the ship during the Captain’s absence at sick quarters. The Lively, being at Vera Cruz when the castle of San Juan de Uloa surrendered to the Mexicans, was sent home with the despatches relating to that event. On her arrival she went out with the late Sir N. Campbell to Sierra Leone and Cape Coast Castle. She returned to England with intelligence of the defeat of the Ashantees, and was paid off as above. Since the close of 1832, at which period he left the Coast Guard, Lieut. Read has been unemployed.
He married, in Jan. 1833, Mary, widow of Henry Deane, Esq., of Mount Radford, Exeter, and Cavershaan, Oxford. Agent – J. Hinxman.
READ. (Lieutenant, 1846.)
Offley Malcolm Crewe Read passed his examination 9 April, 1844; and after serving as Mate, on the coast of Africa, in the Sealark 10, Capt. Thos. Lewis Gooch, Growler steam-sloop, Capt. Claude Henry Mason Buckle, and Penelope steam-frigate. Commodore Wm. Jones, was there, 21 Jan. 1846, nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Hydra steam-sloop, Capt. Horatio Beauman Young. He went back, 1 July following, to the Sealark, in the capacity last mentioned, and continued employed in her under Capt. Rich. Dunning White, until the close of 1847. His commission bears date 9 Nov. 1846.
READ. (Commander, 1829.)
Thomas Read entered the Navy in 1797, and until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 20 Feb. 1805, was actively employed in various parts of Europe and the West Indies. We understand that during that period he fought under Lord Nelson at the battles of the Nile and Copenhagen, 1 Aug. 1798 and 2 April, 1801; and that he assisted in storming the forts of Cambudos, Groba, and Fégard. On 21 Oct. 1805 he was at Trafalgar in the Swiftsure 74, Capt. Wm. Geo. Rutherford. After the action he was placed in charge of the French 74-gun ship Redoutable; and he remained in her until she went down in the memorable gale that followed. During the after-part of the war he saw much other active service. On one occasion, with two six-oared cutters and a jolly boat, he made prize, under the batteries of Boulogne, of a French gun-boat, L’Eclair, carrying 1 12-pounder, 8 swivels, a crew of 26 men, and 50 soldiers. In reference to this exploit Lord Keith, in addressing the Admiralty, took leave “to recommend Lieut. Read for promotion,” and to declare that “a more gallant action was not performed during the war.” He was in consequence, we believe, presented with a gold medal. For his exertions on another occasion in re-taking an Austrian merchantman a similar mark of approval was conferred upon him by the Emperor of Austria. In two instances we find him voted swords of the value of 100 guineas each – the one being presented to him by Admiral Sir Geo. Montagu, the other by Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin. He has been wounded, we must add, in the head, thigh, and body, and has lost the use of his left arm; in consideration whereof he has been in the receipt, since 26 Sept. 1814, of a pension of 91l. 5s. per annum. In March, 1819, he received an appointment to the Ordinary at Portsmouth; and prior to his attainment of his present rank, 7 Feb. 1829, he commanded the Raven 14 and Cracker 10. He was admitted into the Royal Hospital at Greenwich 25 Nov. 1843.
READ. (Commander, 1846. f-p., 20; h-p., 16.)
William Viner Read entered the Navy, 21 April, 1811, as Sec.-cl. Boy, on board the Diana 38, commanded in the Channel by Capt. Wm. Ferris; and from the following Nov. until Dec. 1814 was employed in the Mediterranean in the Malta 84, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Benj. Hallowell; under whom he served at the investment of Tarragona, and witnessed the destruction of the fort of St. Philippe in the Col de Balaguer. In May, 1815, he became Midshipman of the Royal Sovereign 100; in which ship, and in the Tonnant 80, Bulwark and Gloucester 74’s, and Prince Regent 120, he continued (with the exception of 12 months passed in 1819-20 on the American station in the Active 46, Capt. Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon, and of about 21 that were not employed) to serve under his patron, Admiral Hallowell, in the Channel, and at Plymouth, Cork, and Chatham, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 5 Sept. 1823. His subsequent appointments were – 26 Nov. 1823, to the Ramillies 74, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, lying in the Downs – 11 Jan. 1824, to the Britannia 120, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane at Plymouth – 7 June, 1825, to the Albion 74, Capt. John Acworth Ommanney, on the Lisbon station – 4 July, 1827, to the Revenge 76, Capt. Norborne Thompson, in the Mediterranean, where he remained upwards of a year – 26 Oct. 1839, to the command (which he retained until the following March) of the Prospero steamer at Pembroke – 13 July, 1841, for six months, to the Thunder surveying-vessel in North America and the West Indies, Capt. Edw. Barnett – and 19 April and 19 Aug. 1842, 1 Jan. 1843, and 1 Aug. 1845, as First, to the Sylvia surveying-vessel. Rocket steamer, and Fearless and Dasher surveying-steamers, all commanded by Capt. Wm. Louis Sheringham, with whom he served until promoted to his present rank 9 Nov. 1846.
REED. (Commander, 1837.)
Archibald Reed entered the Navy 6 April, 1815; passed his examination in 1821; and for his conduct as Admiralty-Midshipman of the Arachne, Capt. Henry Ducie Chads, during the war in Ava (where he was mentioned in connection with the capture of a large 36-gun stockade at Than-ta-bain, 6 Feb. 1825,[1] and was at all times spoken of in the strongest terms), was made Lieutenant, 10 Dec. 1825, into the Alligator 28, Capt. Chads, with whom he returned to England and was paid off in Jan. 1827. His succeeding appointments were – 13 Oct. 1828, to the Ranger 28, Capt. Wm. Walpole, on the Jamaica station – 29 April, 1830, to the Slaney 20, Capt. Chas. Parker, which vessel was put out of commission on her return from the West Indies 29 Jan. 1831 -and 21 Sept. 1833, to the Andromache 28, Capts. Bernard Yeoman and H. D. Chads, under the latter of whom we find him, when in company with the Imogene 28, forcing, in Sept. 1834, the passage of the Boca Tigris, in China. On the arrival home of the Andromache from the East Indies, being at the time her First-Lieutenant, he was advanced, 27 Sept. 1837, to the rank of Commander. His last appointment was to the Racer
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1823, p. 1493.
