Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp2.djvu/356

 This officer was born at Oxley, near Wolverhampton, co. Stafford, July 31, 1784. He entered the navy under the patronage of Admiral Mark Milbanke, as a midshipman on board the Beaver sloop of war, July 22, 1800; and served in that vessel, under the command of Captain C. B. Jones, on the Channel station, until Oct. 24, 1800, when we find him joining the Romney of 50 guns, Captain Sir Home Popham; with whom he proceeded to the Red Sea, where he appears to have been employed with another midshipman, in a small hired brig, surveying the coast of Arabia from Mocha to within a few miles of Jeddah, the port of Mecca. He afterwards visited various parts of India, and continued in the Romney till she was put out of commission, June 2, 1803. From that period he served under Captain George Hope, in the Defence 74, until she was also paid off, in Dec. 1805.

The Defence bore a very distinguished part at the battle of Trafalgar, on which occasion she sustained a loss of 7 men killed and 29 wounded: her first opponent was the Berwick, French 74, and her next the San-Ildefonso, a Spanish ship of similar force, which she compelled to surrender, and afterwards preserved from destruction, although totally dismasted; – a practical proof of the benefit that might have been derived had the whole of the British fleet and prizes likewise anchored, agreeably to Nelson’s dying injunctions.

Mr. Huskisson next joined the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Sir John B. Warren, in which ship he witnessed the capture of Rear-Admiral Linois, after a running fight with the London 98, and Amazon frigate. Mar. 13, 1806. On the 9th Aug. following, he was ordered to act as Lieutenant of the Foudroyant; an appointment which was confirmed by the Admiralty, Nov. 15 in the same year.

After leaving the Foudroyant, June 1807, Mr. Huskisson was appointed to the Prince of Wales 98, in which ship he performed the duty of Flag-Lieutenant to Admiral (now Lord) Gambier, during the operations against Copenhagen; but 