He afterwards joined the Glory 98, and behaved with distinguished bravery, under the command of Capt. John Elphinstone, at the memorable battle of June 1st, 1794[1]. From that ship he was removed into the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Henry Harvey, in which he assisted at the capture of three French two-deckers, by the fleet under Lord Bridport, near l’Orient, June 23rd, 1795[2]. His extraordinary good conduct while on board one of these ships, having been duly represented by the prize-master, Lieutenant now superannuated Rear-Admiral Alexander Wilson, obtained him the patronage of the rear-admiral, by whom he was immediately ordered to be rated master’s mate; and in the following year presented with a commission, appointing him to the Invincible 74, Capt. William Cayley, on the Leeward Islands station[3]. In her he bore a part in an attack upon some shipping under the batteries of St. Eustatius, and also at the subsequent reduction of Trinidad[4].
Previous to Mr. Debenham’s promotion, the Invincible had lost several commissioned officers and half her crew, by yellow fever. His exertions, in supporting the discipline of the ship, particularly in preventing drunkenness, and not allowing the men to sleep in the open air, appears to have given great offence, and caused them to clamour much against him; which coming to the knowledge of Lord Camelford, then commanding the Favorite sloop, induced that officer to invite him to become his first lieutenant<ref>See Addenda ☞.<ref>. He accordingly joined that vessel in the spring of 1798, and continued in her, on the West India and North Sea stations, until June 1800; the latter part of the said time under the command of Captain Joseph Westbeach. The opinion entertained of him by the above nobleman will be seen by the following, dated Dec. 6th, 1799.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. pp. 75–79.
- ↑ See Id. p. 246 et seq.
- ↑ See Addenda ☞.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part. I. p. 112.
