Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/463

  of three hundred years, and from whence sprang all of the same name now in existence. He entered the navy at a very early age, under the patronage of the late Earl of Sandwich, as a Midshipman, on board the Courageux 74, commanded by Lord Mulgrave ; and after serving for some time with the Channel fleet, was removed into the Southampton frigate, for the purpose of being more actively employed.

On the 9th Aug. 1780, Mr. Dashwood witnessed the capture of five East Indiamen, eighteen transports, and about sixty sail of merchant vessels, bound to the West Indies, by the combined fleets of France and Spain. The Southampton and two other ships of war, under whose escort they were proceeding to their different destinations, narrowly escaped sharing the same fate. The number of prisoners taken by the enemy on this unfortunate occasion amounted to 2,865. Only five sail out of the whole fleet were saved; the remainder were carried in great triumph into Cadiz.

Mr. Dashwood returned from Jamaica to England with Captain Gamier, in the Grafton of 74 guns, and subsequently joined the Formidable, a second rate, bearing the flag of Sir George B. Rodney, to whom he acted as an aid-de-camp in the memorable battles of April 9 and 12, 1782.

The Formidable being paid off in 1783, Mr. Dashwood proceeded to the East Indies, in the Cygnet sloop of war; and finding on his arrival that Sir Edward Hughes, to whom he had been recommended, had left that station on his return to Europe, he removed into the Bristol of 50 guns, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Charles Hughes, and served in that ship till she was put out of commission in 1786.

