Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/14

  officer was made a Post-Captain, Sept. 9, 1779; commanded the London, a second-rate, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Graves, in the action off Cape Henry, Sept. 5, 1781 ; and was superannuated with his present rank, Feb. 21, 1799.



 family of Graves originally came into England from the province of Gascony, in France; and appear to have been seated at a mansion house and estate called the Greves, or Graves, in the parish of Beighley, co. Derby, as early as the reign of Henry III.; and from thence to have established themselves at Little Wressil, in Yorkshire, about the time of Edward IV.

The subject of this memoir is the son of a clergyman, and the youngest of four brothers, all born in the county of Derry, who went to sea at a very early age, and after a considerable length of services were advanced to the rank of Post-Captains in the navy. Samuel, the eldest, commanded the Sceptre, of 64 guns, and greatly distinguished himself in the two last actions between Sir Edward Hughes and M. de Suffrein, Sept. 3, 1782, and June 20, 1783. Notwithstanding his bravery on these occasions, he was afterwards placed on the retired list; and although a memorial, with Sir Edward Hughes’ letter attached to it, was presented to his late Majesty, by the other three brothers, at Weymouth, he had not the good fortune to be restored to active service. John, the second brother, also served his king and country most faithfully and honorably, and likewise died a Superannuated Rear-Admiral. The next, Thomas, was more fortunate, being included in the great promotion of Flag-Officers, which took place on the 1st Jan. 1801, in honor of the union between Great Britain and Ireland; and afterwards created a Knight of the Bath, for his gallantry in the battle off Copenhagen, on the 3d April, in that year.

During the colonial war, Captain Richard Graves, being