This officer was born at Gosport, co. Hants, in 1768; and at the early age of eight years we find him embarked on hoard the Jersey of 60 guns, commanded by his father; whom he had the misfortune to lose, at New York, in 1778.
Mr. John Halsted was then removed to the Amazon 32, Captain M. Jacob, under whose care he remained until that ship was paid off, in the course of the following year. He subsequently served as a midshipman on board the Blenheim 98, Captain (afterwards Lord) Duncan; Princess Royal, of the same force, Captain Jonathan Faulkner; Queen, another second rate, flag-ship of Admiral John Montagu, Commander-in-chief at Portsmouth; Ganges 74, successively commanded by the Hon. James Luttrell and Sir Roger Curtis, Bart.; Hebe frigate, Captain Edward Thornbrough; Perseverance 36, Captain Isaac Smith, on the East India station; Crown 64, Captain Robert Manners Sutton; Brunswick 74, Sir R. Curtis; and Queen Charlotte first rate, bearing the flag of Earl Howe; by whom he was made a Lieutenant, and appointed to the Suffolk 74, in Sept. 1793[1].
A few months after his advancement. Lieutenant Halsted again sailed for the East Indies; Captain Peter Rainier, of the Suffolk, having been ordered to hoist a broad pendant as commander-in-chief on that station. During the operations against Ceylon and the Spice Islands, the Commodore entrusted him with the command of 100 seamen serving with the troops on shore ; and on their return to Madras, in Mar. 1797, promoted him to the command of the Swift sloop, which vessel he gave up at the request of his patron, who was anxious that he should assume the government of the naval hospital, then newly established at that place, having witnessed with great satisfaction the salutary measures he adopted when landed in charge of the sick at Amboyna.
- ↑ The Amazon formed part of the squadron under Lord Howe, when that officer prevented M. d’Estaing, with a very superior force, from passing the bar at Sandy Hook. When discharged from that ship, Mr. Halsted was placed at school, where he continued until 1782, at which period he joined Captain Duncan, and proceeded with him to the relief of Gibraltar. The Blenheim was Lord Howe’s second, and bad several men killed and wounded in the subsequent action off Cape Spartel.
