by John Marshall

“ Woollnough thanked him for the friendly hint, and requested his permission to visit London for that purpose. “No,” said Sir Roger, “I cannot give you leave to go to London, but I will allow you to be absent from your duty for twenty-four hours, and you may go where you like.”
Mr. Woollnough was received by Mr. Yorke in the most gentlemanly manner; his services were considered by him as a sufficient claim to promotion; but he was told, that he must go abroad, as no officer, “except for immediate and particular service,” would be promoted at home. ”

“ On the 8th April, while still detained with the prizes at Gibraltar, Mr. Woollnough had the mortification to see a French squadron from Toulon, consisting of eleven sail of the line, seven frigates, two brigs, and a store-ship, pass the Straits to the westward. Every eye was turned to the Mediterranean, in expectation of Lord Nelson and his squadron; but he not appearing. Lord Mark Kerr, of the Fisgard, then senior officer in the bay, immediately despatched a small fast-sailing vessel with the intelligence to his Lordship, while he himself watched the enemy until their arrival at Cadiz. ”

“ Many of the older seamen, when they went over her side for the last time, were actually shedding tears. Her name will always be associated with that of Britain’s greatest naval hero. Still, among all our new ships, we have not an “Agamemnon.” Mr. Woollnough’s stay in the Foudroyant was but short. He passed his examination on the 23d of August; and, in three days afterwards, was appointed sub-lieutenant of the Steady gun-brig, then under the command of the late Captain Arthur Stow. While in this vessel he became a good pilot for the Rio de la Plata and the adjacent coast of Brazil. ”

“ On a service of this kind, an officer who turns his whole attention, as it is his duty, to the suppression of smuggling, cannot expect to be very fortunate in seizures, as the very activity which prevents the successful pursuits of the illicit trader drives him to try some other part of the coast, which he hopes to find less vigilantly guarded. Lieutenant Woollnough, however, captured about 1000 tubs of spirits while on this station, and was moreover successful in materially checking the contraband trade. ”

“ Like most country gentlemen of his time, he appears to have been a free liver and a great sportsman; an oracle among the neighbouring gentry and farmers, in all questions relative to horses and dogs; liberal and hospitable, but thoughtless and extravagant. ”

“ The gun-boats at Cuxhaven were consequently equipped with all possible speed, and moved up in company with the Shamrock and Blazer, the former sloop having wintered at Gluckstadt. Their crews consisted of British and Danish seamen, some Hanoverian peasantry, and 300 Russian soldiers. The only officers to command this motley group were Commanders Marshall and Banks, Lieutenants Woollnough and Edgecombe, two second masters, and two midshipmen; those who had been employed in them during the sieges of Cuxhaven and Gluckstadt having gone home with the Heligoland squadron. ”

“ On the 5th Aug. 1809, the Agamemnon was wrecked near Gorita, an island in the Rio de la Plata. Mr. Woollnough’s exertions after the ship struck, in saving her stores, &c. were most incessant and laborious; they attracted the notice of Captain Richard Turner Hancock, commanding the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral De Courcy, who offered him a mate’s rating in that ship, which he accordingly joined on the 8th of the same month. ”

“ After the embarkation of the French army, the charge of the arsenal at Hamburgh was given to Commander Banks; and Lieutenant Woollnough was sent with some gun-boats to Gluckstadt, to claim the brass guns and mortars belonging to that fortress, and to equip and bring away the late Danish flotilla. ”

“ As soon as he had gained sufficient strength, he embarked on board another vessel belonging to the same owners, bound to Gibraltar; where his father was then acting surgeon of l’Aurore prison-ship, and also attached to the naval hospital [2] .
We next find our young officer, Sept. 26th, 1803, re-entering the royal navy, as midshipman on board the Bloodhound gun-brig, commanded by the late Lieutenant Henry Richardson, and employed in the blockade of Boulogne. In the course of the same year, he was four times engaged with the enemy’s flotilla and land batteries. ”

“ He soon afterwards volunteered to serve in Canada, the only quarter which then appeared to afford an opening for a zealous officer’s exertions: but negociations for peace between Great Britain and America having commenced about the same period, probably prevented his appointment. In the spring of 1815, when the return of Napoleon Buonaparte from Elba again called forth the energies of the British nation, permission was given for a certain number of seamen from the ships in commission, to join the army in Belgium, as volunteers, for the purpose of working guns and managing pontoons. ”

“ The subsequent operations against Gluckstadt, in all of which he bore an ample share, are officially detailed under the head of Captain (now Sir John) Marshall. [6]
After the fall of the latter place, the Blazer returned to Cuxhaven, where she remained in charge of the flotilla and French prisoners, until the breaking up of the ice, in Mar. 1814. The prisoners, about 300 in number, including several ladies, were placed under the directions of Lieutenant Woollnough, in the “chateau,” with every regard to their comfort. ”

“ Woollnough was present at two attempts made to block up the entrance of Boulogne harbour, by means of three large merchant ships, loaded with masses of stone, firmly clamped and cemented together; leaving only spaces around the masts, filled with combustibles to ensure their destruction. After the abandonment of this hopeful scheme, the Bloodhound was incessantly employed in watching and annoying the enemy’s flotilla. On the 31st July, 1804, the thanks of the Admiralty were read to her officers and crew, for their gallant conduct in a recent action, of which an account is given in Vol. ”

“ After the battle of Waterloo, the Hearty was employed in suppressing a very serious riot among the seamen in the river Tyne, for which service her commander, officers, and crew Mere honored with the thanks of H.M. ministers. She was paid off, at Deptford, Dec. 1st, 1815. Up to this period. Lieutenant WooUnough had witnessed the capture and destruction of 44 sail of the line (French, Spanish, and Danish) , 11 frigates (one of which was a Russian seized at Spithead) , 19 sloops, 57 gun-boats, and 13 merchant vessels, mounting altogether 4337 guns. ”

“ Captain Marshall, Commander Banks, and Lieutenant Edgecombe, had each received permission to wear their respective orders; though the only firing which took place at Hamburgh was on the occasion mentioned in p. 284, which led to no result, and where the former and the latter officers only were present, Commander Banks, as well as Lieutenant Woollnough, being on the other side of the river, separated from them by a long range of islands. On no occasion was Commander Banks under fire, that Lieutenant Woollnough was not so likewise ”

“ The Agamemnon subsequently accompanied Sir John T. Duckworth to the West Indies, and formed part of the squadron under that officer’s command, at the battle of St. Domingo, Feb. 6th, 1806. Mr. Woollnough afterwards assisted at the capture of la Dame Ernouf, French privateer, of 17 guns and 115 men; la Lutine, national brig, of 18 guns and 95 men ”