Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p1.djvu/50

 From the Camelion, Mr. Thruston was discharged into the Canopus 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral (afterwards Sir George) Campbell, to whose patronage he had been strongly recommended by Captain Wodehouse ; and he continued to serve under that worthy officer until his return to England. The remaining few months of his time as midshipman were passed in the Prince 98, Captain Richard Grindall, attached to the Channel fleet, then commanded by Admiral Lord Gardner, to whose brother, Valentine, an old, able, and meritorious military officer, the widow of Framingham Thruston, Esq. had previously been married. Had his lordship’s life been of longer duration, this connexion would in all probability have proved beneficial to her son; but, unfortunately, the gallant veteran died in Jan. 1809, and no one of his family now survives in the naval service; his three sons, Alan, Francis, and Valentine, the two former flag-officers, and the latter a post-captain, having all died within a few years of each other.

After passing his examination, Mr. Thruston accepted the then new appointment of sub-lieutenant, and served as such in the Charles hired armed ship, Captain George Davies, employed as convoy to the Baltic trade; a service comparatively inactive, and affording but little, if any, scope for enterprise. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place in Nov. 1806, on which occasion he was appointed first of the Ringdove sloop, Captain George Andrews, fitting out at Chatham for the North Sea station. In the following year, we find him present at the siege of Copenhagen and capture of the Danish navy. His next appointment was, through the interest of his kind and ever constant friend Vice-Admiral Campbell, to be second of the Endymion frigate, Captain (now Rear-Admiral) the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel.

We here pass over a series of dull uninteresting cruises, the monotony of which was only broken by the Endymion forming part o£the squadron ordered to cover the retreat and embarkation of Sir John Moore’s gallant army, at Corunna. Mr. Thruston, it appears, commanded a division of boats on that occasion. The details are so fully known to the