Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/250

COX—CRABB—CHACROFT—CRAGG—CRAGGS. Capts. Reynolds, Rich. King, and Edw. Codrington, 74, Capt. John Louis,  74, and  98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral. Collingwood. He served during that period off Newfoundland, Lisbon, and Cadiz, and also in the Channel. Commander Cox, who has been on half-pay since the date last mentioned, assumed his present rank 15 Feb. 1825. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.

 COX. 

, born in Oct. 1793, is maternally related to the families of the celebrated Sir Fras. Drake and Sir John Williams, the latter of whom held the Surveyorship of the Navy from 22 June, 1765, until 12 Dec. 1784.

This officer entered the Navy, 28 Jan. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the 32, Capts. Jonas Rose, Joseph Spear, and Hugh Pigot. He next served, from Nov. 1807, until Nov. 1812, nearly the whole time as Midshipman, in the 74, Capts. Thos. Byam Martin, Geo. Cockburn, and Joshua Rowley Watson, under the first of whom we find him taking part, 26 Aug. 1808, in a gallant action of 20 minutes with the Russian 74-gun ship Sewolod which was completely silenced, and in the end, with the assistance of the 74, flagship of Sir Sam. Hood, captured and burnt, in sight of the whole Russian fleet, near Rogerswick, after a total loss to the enemy of 303 men, and to the, individually, of 6 killed and 26 wounded. He also served at the siege of Cadiz; and, on next joining the, of 18 guns and 101 men, Capt. John Fordyce Maples, was present, 14 Aug. 1813, in a spirited conflict of 45 minutes, which rendered captive to the British, whose loss amounted to 2 men killed and 5 wounded, the American sloop Argus, of 20 guns and 122 men, 6 of whom were killed and 18 wounded. For his conduct on that occasion Mr. Cox, after a servitude of some months in the 38, Capts. Fras. Mason and Arch. Duff, on the Irish station, was awarded a Lieutenant’s commission 3 Feb. 1815. He obtained an appointment in the Coast Guard 18 June, 1831; and, on 8 Oct. 1844, was transferred to the command of the Revenue-vessel, which he still retains. For his great exertions in saving life and property when commanding the Coast Guard station at St. Andrew’s, Lieut. Cox received a gold and silver medal from the Royal National Institution, the thanks of both Universities, the honorary freedom of the City, the thanks in two instances of the Town Council, and more than 30 acknowledgments from various Insurance Companies and other Institutions; and was also presented with a sword by a body of underwriters.

He married, in 1817, Miss Mary Foote, of Kingsbridge, co. Devon, by whom he has issue seven children. – Messrs. Ommanney.

 COX. 

entered the Navy 3 Jan. 1824; passed his examination in 1830; obtained his commission 23 March, 1840; and has been since appointed – 30 Dec. 1842, to the steam-vessel, Capt. Alex. Thos. Emeric Vidal, employed in surveying the Azores – and, 1 Aug. 1845, to the steam-packet, Capt. Wm. Louis Sheringham, with whom he is now serving on the Home station.

 CRABB. 

entered the Navy, 4 Sept. 1801, as Midshipman, on board the 100, Capt. Rich. Raggett, flag-ship in the Channel of Sir Henry Harvey. He afterwards, until May, 1806, served, in the Mediterranean, and again on the Home station, on board the 38, Capt. Jas. Athol Wood, 36, Capts. Rich. Harrison Pearson and Patrick Campbell, 38, Capt. Thos. Elphinstone, and 36, Capt. P. Campbell. We then find him accompanying the latter officer into the 36, in which frigate, under Capt. Edwin Henry Chamberlayne, he continued until Oct. 1815. On 16 June, 1809, Mr. Crabb – who had assisted, in May, 1808, at the taking of Il Ronco of 16 guns, and in June following at the simultaneous capture of the Nettuno and Toulie brigs, of similar force – was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He subsequently, in Jan. 1810, received, while commanding the ’s boats in close but unsuccessful pursuit of an enemy’s vessel, a very severe wound near the left groin, by a langridge shot, which has never yet been extracted; and on 31 March, 1811, he was present at the capture of the 20-gun store-ship Dromadaire. On 4 July in the same year we again discover Mr. Crabb commanding the boats, and cutting out from under a 2-gun battery, near Port Hercule, on the Roman coast, the St. François de Paule, a vigorously-defended brig, mounting 8 six and three-pounders; and, in the evening of the same day, acting in concert with Capt. Aug. Wm. Jas. Clifford of the at the hazardous capture of three merchantmen near Civita Vecchia. At the capture, 29 Nov. ensuing, after a severe running-fight of four hours, of the 26-gun store-ship Persanne, which until the moment of her surrender had been taken for a frigate, Mr. Crabb officiated as Senior Lieutenant of the, and again distinguished himself. He appears to have eventually served, in the Channel, as First, also, of the 36, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, from June to Oct. 1816; since which latter date he has been on half-pay. – J. Hinxman.

 CRACROFT. 

, born 15 March, 1816, is second son of Robt. Cracroft, Esq., of Hackthorn, co. Lincoln, Lieutenant-Colonel of the North Lincolnshire Militia, and a Deputy-Lieutenant; and nephew of the present Sir Wm. Amcotts Ingilby, Bart., as also of the late Capt. Sir Robt. Barrie, R.N.

This officer entered the Navy 4 June, 1830; passed his examination 20 March, 1835; and at the date of his first promotion, which took place 26 Aug. 1841, was serving as Mate on board the 50 flag-ship at the Cape of Good Hope of Sir Edw. Durnford King. He became, 6 Aug. 1842, Flag-Lieutenant, in the 100, to Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker, Admiral-Superintendent at Portsmouth; and, on 12 Oct. 1846, was advanced to the rank of Commander. – Messrs. Stilwell.

 CRAGG. 

entered the Navy 10 Oct. 1809; passed his examination in 1816; and obtained his first commission 19 May, 1828. He was next appointed – 1 Oct. 1829, to tie 24, as Flag-Lieutenant to Hon. Sir Chas. Paget, Commander-in-Chief at Cork – 15 Jan. 1831, to the 74, Capts. Thos. Brown and Edw. Chetham, employed on the Home, Lisbon, and Mediterranean stations – and, 15 Feb. 1837, to the 74, Capt. Sir Rich. Grant, with whom he visited North America and the West Indies. We subsequently find him assuming command, 7 March and 27 July, 1838, and 18 July, 1839, of the, , and steam-vessels, on the Home, North America, and West India stations. While in the, he obtained the high commendation of Capt. Leith, the Senior officer in the West Indies, for his conduct at a period when the fever was raging on board that vessel. He attained his present rank 15 April, 1842, and since 29 June, 1846, has been in command of the steam-sloop.

He married, 7 Nov. 1843, Margaret Anne, fourth daughter of Simon Little, Esq., Purser and Paymaster, R.N. – Hallett and Robinson.

 CRAGGS. 

entered the Navy, 13 June, 1807, as A.B., on board the, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Dorsett Birchall, flag-ship at Woolwich of Hon. Henry Edwin Stanhope, with whom, in the 74, he attended the ensuing expedition to Copenhagen. With the exception of a few months in 1809, during which we find him commanding No. 11 gun-boat in the operations against Walcheren,