ANSELM JOHN GRIFFITHS, Esq
[Post-Captain of 1802.]
This officer is a son of the late Rev. John Griffiths, of Kingston-upon-Thames. He entered the naval service as a Midshipman on board the Juno frigate, commanded by Captain James Montagu, in Jan. 1781; obtained his first commission Nov. 22, 1790; and after serving for some time as first Lieutenant of the Fly sloop, on the Newfoundland station, was appointed, in Nov. 1792, to the Culloden of 74 guns, in which ship he continued, under the respective commands of Captains Sir Thomas Rich, R. R. Burgess, Isaac Schomberg, and Thomas Troubridge, till his promotion to the rank of Commander, March 8, 1797.
The Culloden formed part of Earl Howe’s fleet in the battle of June 1, 1794; and bore a principal part in Vice-Admiral Hotham’s action, July 13, 1795. Her loss on each of those days was 2 men killed and 5 wounded. The services she performed on the memorable 14th Feb. 1797, have already been alluded to in the course of this work[1], and were thus noticed by Sir John Jervis, in a private letter to Earl Spencer, respecting the conduct of certain officers concerned in the engagement:
“My Lord,– The correct conduct of every officer and man in the squadron on the 14th inst., made it improper to distinguish one more than another in my public letter, because I am confident that had those who were least in action been in the situation of the fortunate few, their behaviour would not have been less meritorious. Yet to your Lordship it becomes me to state, that Captain Troubridge, in the Culloden, led the squadron through the enemy in a masterly style, and tacked the instant the signal flew; and was gallantly supported by the Blenheim, Prince George, Orion, Irresistible, and Colossus. The latter had her fore and fore-top-sail yards wounded, and they unfortunately broke in the slings in stays, which threw her out and impeded the tacking of the Victory. Commodore Nelson, who was in the rear on the starboard tack, took the lead on the larboard, and contributed very much to the fortune of the day, as did Captain Collingwood; and, in the close, the San Josef and San Nicholas having fallen foul of each other, the Captain laid them on board, and Captain Berry, who served as a volunteer, entered at the head of the boarders, and Commodore Nelson, who followed immediately, took possession of them both.”
- ↑ See Vol. I. pp. 24, 25, and 775; also memoir of Captain James Noble, at p. 567 et seq. of this part.
