# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Noble, James

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​NOBLE. (Vice-Admiral of the White, 1846. f-p., 13; h-p., 47.)
James Noble, descended from a respectable mercantile family settled at Bristol, co. Somerset, is second and only surviving son of a distinguished loyalist, who sacrificed considerable property in the royal cause during the war with America, where, after raising an independent corps, consisting chiefly of Germans employed at the iron-works on his estate in the Bergen County, East Jersey, he received a bayonet wound in his right eye and had his skull fractured in an affair with the Republicans (a calamity which deprived him for upwards of 18 months of the use of his reason, and caused a majority to which he had been nominated to be conferred on another), and was afterwards killed by a party of rebels while holding the appointment of Assistant-Commissary under Sir Henry Clinton. The Vice-Admiral’s eldest brother, Richard, was drowned in La Dorade, a French privateer, prize to the Clyde frigate; and his youngest, Dejoncourt, a Midshipman of the Vanguard 74, fell a victim to the yellow fever in the West Indies.
This officer entered the Navy, in July, 1787, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Impregnable 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Byard, flag-ship at Plymouth of Admiral Graves; and served, between Sept. 1788 and Nov. 1791, latterly in the capacity of Midshipman, in the Termagant sloop, Capt. John Salisbury, Impregnable again, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Bickerton, and Ferret sloop, Capt. Wm. Nowell, on the Home station. Joining next, in Jan. 1793, the Bedford 74, Capts. Robt. Mann and Davidge Gould, he assisted, and was employed on shore with a party of small-arm men, at the occupation of Toulon, and shared also in the partial actions of 14 March and 13 July, 1795, with the French fleet; on the former of which occasions the Bedford came into close contact with the Censeur 74, and Ça Ira 80, whose fire killed 9 and wounded 17 ’of her people. After serving a short period with Admiral Hotham in the Britannia 100, he was nominated, 5 Oct. 1795, Acting-Lieutenant of the Agamemnon 64, Commodore Horatio Nelson; to which ship the Admiralty confirmed him by a commission bearing date 9 March, 1796. A short time prior to the latter event he had been taken prisoner while conveying despatches to the Austrian camp near Savona. On 25 of the following April, having rejoined his ship, we find him serving in her boats, with those of the Meleager, Diadem, and Peterel, at the bringing off of four vessels, laden with corn, rice, wine, powder, 8 brass guns, and 1600 stand of arms, from under a heavy fire from the enemy’s batteries and musketry at Loano. “It is with the greatest grief I have to mention,” says Nelson, in his report of this affair to the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Jervis, “that Lieutenant James Noble, a most worthy and gallant officer, is, I fear, mortally wounded.” In July of the same year, Lieut. Noble, who had by that time recovered, and had been transferred with the Commodore to the Captain 74, was invested with the temporary command of La Génie otherwise Vernon gun-brig. Rejoining his heroic chief in the ensuing Oct., he continued to serve with him as his Flag-Lieutenant in the Captain, Minerve of 42 guns and 286 men, Captain again, and Irresistible 74, until 20 March, 1797. In the Minerve, besides witnessing, among other services, the capture of Porto Ferrajo and the island of Capraja, together with the evacuation of Corsica, he assisted, 20 Dec. 1796, at the capture and defeat, in presence of the Spanish fleet, of the Sabina of 40 and Matilda of 34 guns. The former ship struck her colours, after a combat of three hours; and a loss, out of 286 men, of 14 killed and 44 wounded; the other was compelled to wear and haul off at the close of a sharp action of half an hour; the collective loss of the Minerve on both occasions amounting to 7 men killed and 44 wounded. Among the latter was Lieut. Noble severely, in regard to whom Commodore Nelson, in his letter to Sir John Jervis, thus a second time expressed himself:– “You will observe, too, I am sure with regret, amongst the wounded, Lieut. Jas. Noble, who quitted the Captain to serve with me; and whose merit and repeated wounds, received in fighting the enemies of our country, entitle him to every reward ​which a grateful nation can bestow.” In the action fought off Cape St. Vincent 14 Feb. 1797, being again in the Captain, he occupied a conspicuous position in the brilliant part enacted by Nelson and his gallant companions; with whom he boarded and assisted in carrying in succession the San Nicolas of 80 and San Josef of 112 guns. On 27 of the same month his continued meritorious conduct was rewarded with a Commander’s commission. His last appointment was to the Sea Fencible Service in Sussex, in which he remained from 29 May, 1798, until Nov. 1802. His promotion to Post-rank took place 29 April in the latter year. He was placed on the Retired List of Admirals 10 Jan. 1837, but was removed to the Active List 17 Aug. 1840, and on 9 Nov. 1846 advanced to the rank he now holds.
Vice-Admiral Noble married, first, in 1801, Sarah, daughter of Jas. Lamb, Esq., of Rye, co. Sussex, by whom, who died in 1818, he had issue seven sons and three daughters; secondly, in 1820, Dorothy, daughter of the late ___ Halliday, Esq., M.D.; and, that lady dying in Aug. 1840, thirdly, 2 Feb. 1842, Jane Anne, widow of Edm. Spettigue, Esq. One of his sons, Jeffery Wheelock, is a Captain R.N.; and another, Edward Meadows, a Lieutenant in the same service (1841), died 22 Jan. 1843, at Amoy, in China, while belonging to the Serpent 16, Capt. Wm. Nevill. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1796, p, 614.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1797, p. 200.