William Richard O'Byrne

“ W. A. B. HAMILTON. We deliver the following Lists specifying the Ships and the Battles for which, according to Her Majesty’s gracious commands, and in compliance with the instructions of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Medals have been awarded to the surviving Officers, Seamen, and Marines (and Soldiers who served as Marines) who were present in any successful action which at the time received the marked approbation of the Admiralty, as shown by the official records of the promotion granted in compliment to each occasion. ”

“ For whatever errors may have crept, unconsciously on my part, into the memoirs of those who have afforded me information, I can only express my regret, and suggest as an excuse the impossibility, in a work embracing so immense a body of facts, of guarding against occasional inaccuracies. ”

“ O’Reilly, [1] who had the misfortune to sustain the loss of his right eye, for which he now receives a pension of 91l. 5s. His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant took place 2 Nov. 1815. His appointments have since been – 26 Aug. 1834, to the Coast Guard – 4 Nov. 1835, to the command, which he retained for six years, of the Spider brigantine of 6 guns, on the South American station – and, 29 Aug. 1843, again to the Coast Guard, in which service he continues. It has been Mr. O’Reilly’s good fortune to rescue many persons from shipwreck. ”

“ Hood Hanway Christian, he served for some time in co-operation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain, where, among other places, he beheld the capture of Castro. On one occasion he was sent to assist in cutting out an American brig which had been chased into Vivero harbour. On the return of the party with their prize, a gale arose which caused two boats with 3 men to become detached, and drift towards an inaccessible rock. ”

“ Stringoptional portalportalportal {{per header}}
Page nameoptional related_authorrelated_author related authorrelated_author per {{header}}
Page nameoptional sectionsectionsection per {{header}} when needed to override default
Auto value{{SUBPAGENAME}}Stringoptional onlysectiononlysectiononlysection per use in , when needing to override default
Auto value{{SUBPAGENAME}}Stringoptional
The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Naval Biographical Dictionary/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages. ”

“ The important nature of his services in cases of shipwreck has had the effect of eliciting the acknowledgments of Lloyd’s, of the Royal Humane Society, and of various merchants and shipowners.
Lieut. O’Reilly’s testimonials of conduct are of a high order. ”

“ He would, indeed, be over confident, and possess but a slight knowledge of human nature, who could for a moment believe that it was in his power to please so vast a number of persons as those who must of necessity be more or less interested in these records. All I can fairly hope, is that the result of my labours may be received with general favour, and that the desire I have felt to do entire justice to my subject may have proved successful to as great an extent as I could be warranted in expecting. ”

“ Officers may apply at the Admiralty, Whitehall, for their Medals, either personally, or by any known Navy Agent, or Banker, on and after the 15th February, between the hours of 12 and 3 o’clock.
It will be required of all applicants to make it clear to the Issuing Officer that they do not personate deceased Seamen, Marines, &c. ”

“ O’Reilly was received on board the Hazard sloop, Capt. John Cookesley, off Newfoundland; and in Jan. 1814, after having acted for upwards of 12 months as Master of that vessel, he was transferred to the Asia 74, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane; whom, in the following July, after a servitude of two months with Capt. Rich. Byron as Acting-Lieutenant in the Belvidera 36, he rejoined on board the Tonnant 80. ”

“ PROMOTIONS AND DEATHS.
FROM ‘THE NAVY LIST,’ JULY, 1849.
PROMOTIONS.
Vice-Admiral of the Red Sir John Acworth Ommanney, K.C.B., to the rank of Admiral of the Blue, 4th May, 1849.
Rear-Admiral of the Red Hon. Donald Hugh Mackay, to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 4th May, 1849.
Rear-Admiral of the Red Sir Francis Mason, K.C.B., to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 4th May, 1849.
Rear-Admiral of the Red Thomas Brown, to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 8th June, 1849.
Captain George Ferguson, to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 4th May, 1849. ”

“ Henry Smith, he took part in the hostile operations then in progress in China, where, in Aug. of that year, he assisted at the capture of Amoy and Golongsoo, and was intrusted with the charge of a Signal station at the latter place. On the Druid being paid off in the spring of 1843, having passed his examination 14 July, 1842, he was appointed Mate of the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. ”

“ I have but little more to add: few besides myself can conceive the anxiety I feel for the success of an undertaking that has absorbed so many years of labour, and upon which so large an amount of capital has been expended ”

“ He has been employed in the Coast Guard since 12 Jan. 1836.
He married Agnes, daughter of the late Geo. Gorham, Esq., of Obrennan, co. Kerry, by whom he has issue four sons and one daughter. Agents – Messrs. ”

“ To the country, it was due that it should be made acquainted with the merits, individually, of men to whose collective efforts it is, in the main, indebted for its proud pre-eminence in the scale of nations ”

“ Magicienne, 6 Feb. 1806; Aug. and Sept. 1813; 1840.
Magnanime, 12 Oct. 1798.
Maidstone, [4 April 1812] ; [29 April ] ; [8 April 1814] .
Majestic, 1 June 1794; 1 Aug. 1798.
Malta, 24 July 1814.
Manly, [14 Dec. 1814] . ”

“ DEATHS
NOT NOTICED IN THE BODY OF THE WORK. Name. Rank. Date. Adair, William R. 22 Feb 48 Alexander, W. C. L. Apr 46 Allen, Samuel L. 1846 or 47 Ambrose, Prosper L. 1 Jan 48 Andrews, Zaccheus L. 11 Oct 47 Anderson, James (d) L. 12 Nov 46 Anthony, Charles Cr. ”

“ NAVAL MEDALS — SHIPS AND ACTIONS.
NAVAL MEDALS — BOATS AND ACTIONS.
NAVAL MEDALS — INDEX.
[The Dates within Brackets are those of Boat Actions.]
A.
Abercrombie, Jan. and Feb. 1810.
Aboukir, [29 Sept. 1812] .
Acasta, 6 Feb. 1806; Feb. 1809.
Achates, [13 Deo. 1809] ; Jan. and Feb. 1810.
Acheron, 3 Feb. 1805.
Achille, 21 Oct. 1805; [16 July 1806] Acorn, 29 July 1809.
Active, [28 June 1810] ; 13 March 1811; 29 Nov. 1811.
„ [hired cutter] , 11 Oct. 1797. ”