Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Interesting Naval Life
PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:37 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:18 pm
Posts: 33
I copied this down from a memorial in my local church at Egloshayle, Wadebridge.

'John Consett Peer, Capt of Royal Navy who departed this life at Lostwithiel on the 11th of November 1798, aged 46 years.

Left an orphan at an early age to the care of his maternal uncle, he was sent by him into the West India service. In the year 1770 he entered in to the Royal Navy on board the Torbay, Capt. Drake, in 1776 he was appointed Master and Pilot to His Majesty's schooner Despatch, mounting 6 three-pounders and carrying 30 men and on the 12th July distinguished himself in an engagement with the Tyrannicide, American privateer, mounting 14 double-fortified six-pounders and carrying 125 men. The Lieutenant being killed in the early part of the action, the command devolved on Mr Peers, who maintained a vigorous and hot fight nearly four hours, when he received a shot in the right elbow which shattered his arm, and most of his men being killed or wounded he was obliged to submit to a force so superior, after this he was tried by a court martial and honourably acquitted.

In 1794 the honourable Board of the Admiralty gave him a pension and in 1797 he was promoted to the rank of Commander, frequently engaged in dangerous and difficult services in America where he remained the whole war.

His Loyalty and heroism as an officer were uniformly evinced by his zeal in the cause of his Country and the success with which it was crowned and as a man, the active benevolence, and private virtues of his character will be ever remembered whilst there reamins a grateful bosom to acknowledge his bounty, or a sorrowing widow to deplore his loss.'

Wonder if Nelson knew him? The Peers family of Lostwithiel seem to have connections to the church at Egloshayle, although Lostwithiel is 'some miles distant' from Wadebridge. A Henry Peers was the vicar here in the 1770s. Another slate hung in the porch at the church remembers Captain Peers. Hope it is of some interest to all you 'Naval nerds'! - I like the description of the 'hot fight'.

Regards

Caitlin


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