Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/18

 severely wounded; and who, after returning from America, had a company for many years in the 21st regiment (Royal North British Fusileers).

Mr. Douglas Cox’s godfather was Colonel William Douglas, brother to that most excellent officer and worthy man, the present Vice-Admiral John Erskine Douglas, under whose protection he first entered the navy, May 6th, 1800, as midshipman on board the Boston 32, which ship was very actively employed on the Halifax station, till towards the close of 1804, when she returned home and was put out of commission.

On the 20th Dec. 1804, Mr. Cox joined the Circe 32, Captain Jonas Rose, from which frigate he was removed to the Northumberland 74, flag-ship of the Hon. Sir Alexander Cochrane, commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands, July 10th, 1806. We next find him, in Mar. 1807, serving as sub-lieutenant of the Attentive gun-brig, on the same station, where he was frequently engaged in boat attacks, and on one occasion, with only five companions, most gallantly boarded and captured a large guarda-costa, of two long six-pounders, and thirty-five men. We can nowhere find any printed record of this very dashing affair, but have been favoured by a friend with the following particulars:–

“The details of the various boat affairs in which Mr. Cox was engaged, I cannot at this length of time recollect, except one while he was serving under Lieutenant Robert Carr, in the Attentive. The boats of that vessel had cut out from a small port near Trinity, on the north side