The Hon. Henry Curzon was born on the 24th May 1765; and went to Westminster School in April 1774, at which seminary he continued till the month of December 1776; when he entered the naval service as a Midshipman on board the AEolus frigate, commanded by Captain Atkins, whom he accompanied to the West Indies. Returning from thence in the autumn of 1779, as convoy to the homeward bound trade, the AEolus was obliged to put into Cork to avoid the combined fleets of France and Spain, then on a cruize in the mouth of the Channel[1].
In January 1781, Mr. Curzon was removed into the Magnanime of 64 guns, Captain Charles Wolseley, in which ship he proceeded to the East Indies; and on his arrival there early in 1782, was received on board the Superb, 74, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, the Commander-in-Chief on that station. In the course of the same year he was present in three general actions between the British fleet and that of France commanded by M. de Suffrein. The Superb’s loss on those occasions amounted to 70 killed and 167 wounded, among whom were several officers of distinguished merit[2].
- ↑ On the 15th Aug. 1779, the French and Spanish fleets, consisting of sixty-six sail of the line and twenty-two frigates, besides fire-ships, bombs, and several other vessels of war, the whole under the command of the Count d’Orvilliers and Don Josef de Cordova, having, by some unaccountable event, escaped the notice of the British fleet, at this time cruizing in the Soundings, entered the Channel, and paraded two or three days before Plymouth. Some French frigates anchored in Cawsand bay, and captured a few coasting vessels. On the 16th, the Ardent of 64 guns, standing down Channel, fell in with the enemy’s armament, and mistaking it for the British, was surrounded and taken in sight of Plymouth.
- ↑ The French Admiral de Suffrein, after his unsuccessful attack upon Commodore Johnstone at Porto Praya (already related in our memoir of Sir Henry d’Esterre Darby), fulfilled the second object of his commission, by securing the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope; and having left there some French troops to strengthen the garrison, he proceeded to the
Lord March, he received a ball in his chest. “Farewell, dear March!” said he, as he fell to the ground. His companion was not permitted to perform those tender offices which his heart dictated. A furious onset of cuirassiers called him to his post; and his wounded friend, seeing him nobly rally a Nassau regiment, which he led to the charge in person, feebly but heroically exclaimed, “That’s right that’s right well done my dear March!” and immediately expired.
