Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/247

COTTON—COUCH. COTTON. 

is grandson of the late Sir John Hinde Cotton, Bart.; and a near relative of Admiral the late Sir Chas. Cotton, Bart.

This officer entered the Navy 6 Sept. 1821; and, after receiving a slight wound, as Midshipman of the Talbot, at the battle of Navarin, 20 Oct. 1827, obtained a commission 21 June, 1828. He joined, 3 March, 1830, the 42, Capt. Chas. Napier, fitting at Portsmouth, but went on half-pay a few months subsequently; and has not been since employed.

Lieut. Cotton married, 15 Aug. 1833, Marianne, youngest sister of the present Sir Chas. Wager Watson, Bart; and became a widower 19 Sept. 1838.

 COTTON. 

is, we are given to understand, a nephew of Gen. Viscount Combermere, G.C.B.

This officer entered the Royal Naval College 6 Aug. 1812; and embarked, 19 May, 1814, as a Volunteer, on board the 38, Capts. Philip Carteret and John Rich. Lumley, in which frigate he sailed for the coast of North America. On his return home in Aug. 1815, he became Midshipman of the 74, flag-ship at Sheerness of Sir Chas. Rowley; after which he served for five years in the East and West Indies, on board the 36, and  74, both commanded by Capt. John Clavell,  18, Capt. Wm. Augustus Baumgardt, and 50, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Wm. Chas. Fahie. Having passed his examination in Aug. 1818, and attained the rank of Lieutenant 1 Jan. 1821, Mr. Cotton was next appointed, in the latter capacity – 13 Sept. 1823, to the 10, Capts. Tim. Curtis and Rich. Beaumont, stationed in the Mediterranean – and, 9 Aug. 1828, as First, to the 42, Capts. Sir Chas. Sullivan and Chas. Napier, employed on particular service. He was promoted, 12 Feb. 1830, to the command of the 18. After serving for some time on the Halifax station, he proceeded to the West Indies, where he removed, 31 Jan. 1832, to the 18. Capt. Cotton, who has been on half-pay since the close of 1833, attained Post-rank 23 Nov. 1841. – Hallett and Robinson.

 COUCH. 

was born 24 May, 1779. This officer entered the Navy, 17 Feb. 1789, as Fst.-cl. Boy, on board the 50, Capt. Knox, flag-ship of Sir Rich. Hughes at Halifax, where he remained until 1791. Re-embarking in on board the, Capt. Edm. Dodd, he visited the African and West India stations, and in removed with the same officer, as Midshipman, to the 64. He afterwards served for three years in the Channel, as Master’s Mate of the 98, commanded at first by Capt. Dodd, but latterly by Capt. Squire; and then – joining in succession the  38, Capt. Sir Chas. Hamilton, and, of 46 guns and 281 men, Capt. Thos. Byam Martin – was wounded in the latter ship at the capture, on 20 Oct. 1798, of l’Immortalité, of 42 guns and 580 men, after a close and obstinate conflict of great length, a loss to the British of 10 killed and 26 wounded, and to the enemy of 54 killed and 61 wounded. Having passed his examination in June, 1797, Mr. Couch was promoted, while subsequently serving in the West Indies on board the frigate, Capt. Hon. Philip Wodehouse, to a Lieutenancy in the, Capt. Thos. Roberts, 9 Feb. 1799. His after-appointments appear to have been, on the Home and Mediterranean stations – 7 Oct. 1800, to the 98, Capts. Edw. Thornbrough and Rich. Grindall – 25 March, 1801, to the 74, Capt. Davidge Gould – 24 Oct. 1803, to the  74, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet – 20 Nov. 1804, to the  74, Capt. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner – 12 May, 1807, to the  74, Capt. Thos. Rogers – and, lastly, 27 June, 1809, to the command of the gun-brig, which he left 21 Aug. 1810. While serving in the, Lieut. Couch was present, in 1805, in Sir Robt. Calder’s and Sir Rich. Strachan’s actions; and witnessed the capture, 13 March, 1806, of the Marengo of 80 guns, and 40-gun frigate Belle Poule, of the former of which ships he was made prize-master. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 26 Nov. 1830, and on the Senior 27 March, 1843.

 COUCH. 

entered the Navy, in April, 1789, as Captain’s Servant, on board the 50, Capt. Knox, bearing the flag at Halifax of Sir Rich. Hughes, with whom he continued until 17 June, 1792.

From Jan. 1794, until Sept. 1797, he was next employed with Capts. Edm. Dodd and Squire, of the 64, and  98, on the African, West India, and Home stations. He then joined, for nearly two years, the 38,, Capt. Hon. Robt. Stopford, in which frigate he assisted in taking many of the enemy’s vessels, Having passed his examination in Nov. 1799, and been further occupied in the 16, Capt. Anselm John Griffiths, and  32, Capt. Jas. Hillyar, he was confirmed a Lieutenant in the store-ship, Capt. Campbell, 6 Sept. 1800. For his varied and active services during the Egyptian campaign in 1801, Mr. Couch subsequently received the Turkish gold medal. Until the peace of Amiens he was next employed in the 80, Capt. Sir Sidney Smith; after which we find him appointed, as First-Lieutenant – 10 Jan. 1804, to the  74, Capts. Sir Thos. Louis and Israel Pellew – 1 Dec. 1807, to the 38, Capts. Adam Mackenzie and Chas. Marsh Schomberg, on the South American station – 4 Sept. 1810, to the 74, flagship in the North Sea of Rear-Admiral John Ferrier – in April, 1811, to the  40, Capt. Alex. Robt. Kerr – 10 June, 1814, to the 38, Capts. Geo. Burdett and Fras. Newcombe, in which frigate he visited the Cape of Good Hope – and, 7 Aug. and 22 Oct. 1816, to the 74, and  104, flag-ships at Plymouth of Sir John Thos. Duckworth. During his attachment to the, Lieut. Couch accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies in quest of the combined fleets of France and Spain, and took a warm part in the battle of Cape Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805. While in the he contributed to the capture, on the Home and American stations, of a large number of the enemy’s armed and other vessels – assisted in driving a squadron under Commodore Decatur into New London – and evinced much bravery in command of the boats on various occasions of hazard, particularly at the capture, 25 Dec. 1812, of the Herald letter-of-marque, of 10 guns, on which occasion he received a severe contusion in the leg from the bursting of a gun. Having obtained his second promotal commission 6 Sept. 1817, he assumed command, 2 July, 1821, of the receiving-ship, off the Tower; and, continuing for nine years and a half to discharge the duties of regulating Captain at the port of London, raised and forwarded to their respective ships no fewer than 13,000 men. Capt. Couch (who had been promoted to Post-rank 24 Jan. 1824) paid the Perseus off 10 Jan. 1831. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

He is the Senior Captain of 1824; and bears the character of being a very scientific and ingenious officer. – Messrs. Stilwell.

