Martin Neville

Posted by Brian Stephens on Saturday 12th of April 2014 12:58

NEVlLLE, MARTIN, Captain, who died in the bay of Honduras in 1803, embarked very early in the naval service. While a child, he was thrown from the mizen-top by the falling of the mast of the Winchelsea frigate. He afterwards embarked with Captain Rodney on board the America, from whence he accompanied his commander to the Vengeance. In this ship he met with another accident by falling overboard. He next joined the St. Alban’s, Admiral Vandeput, whom he accompanied to America, and in 1797 or 8, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on board the Thetis. His next appointment was to the Uranie, from which ship he assisted with her boats in cutting out the Chevrette from under the batteries in Camaret Bay, near Brest, on the night of the 21st of July, 1801. In this conflict he was wounded on the head, breast, and shoulder; and, it is said, that the captain of the Chevrette fell by the hand of this young man, then only 19 years of age. At the conclusion of the war, he was promoted to the rank of commander; and, at the commencement of the present war, he received his commission for the Port Mahon sloop, in which vessel he sailed for the West Indies, where he fell a victim to the climate.