# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wyvill, Christopher

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​WYVILL. (Captain, 1832. f-p., 28; h-p., 14.)
Christopher Wyvill is son of the late Rev. Christopher Wyvill; and brother of the present Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq., of Constable Burton, co. York, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for the co., and twice M.P. for the city of York.
This officer entered the Navy, 25 Oct. 180.5, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Tribune 36, Capt. Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, with whom, after cruizing in the Channel, he removed, in May, 1806, to the Fame 74. In that ship, of which he was rated Midshipman in Nov. 1807, he visited the West Indies, served for some time off Cadiz, and then proceeded up the Mediterranean; where he was employed, from March, 1810, until May, 1813, in the Thames 32, Capts. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave and Chas. Napier, and Volontaire 38, also commanded by Capt. Waldegrave. In the boats of the Thames, assisted by those of the Pilot and Weazle sloops, he contributed, 25 July, 1810, to the very gallant capture and destruction, under the batteries of Amantea, on the coast of Naples, and in face of a most spirited opposition, of a convoy of 31 vessels, laden with provisions and stores for Murat’s army at Scylla, together with seven large gun-boats and five armed scampavias. He was present at the cutting out too, 5 Oct. in the same year, by the boats of the Thames and Éclair sloop, of 10 transports, collected near Agricoli, in the Gulf of Salerno; and on 16 June, 1811, he witnessed the destruction, by a detachment from the Thames and Cephalus 18,of a similar number of armed feluccas on the beach near Cetraro. Besides sharing in a variety of other dashing services, we find him, 31 March, 1813, employed in the boats of the Volontaire, Undaunted, and Redwing, under Lieut. Isaac Shaw, at the capture and destruction (with a loss to the British of 1 man killed and 4 severely wounded, and to the French of 4 killed, 5 wounded, and 17 taken prisoners) of two strong batteries (mounting 5 36-pounders and 2 24’s) and 18 sail of vessels, at Morjean, near Marseilles. For his conduct on that occasion he was strongly noticed in Capt. Waldegrave’s official letter. In May, 1813, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Kingfisher sloop, Capt. Ewell Tritton; and on 5 July following he was confirmed. He was paid off in Nov. of the same year; and was subsequently appointed – in Feb. and Oct. 1814, to the Leopard 50 and Towey 24, Capts. Edw. Crofton and Hew Steuart, on the Halifax and Home stations – 22 July, 1815, for three months, to the Tigris 36, Capts. Philip Pipon and Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas, at Portsmouth – in Jan. 1816, to the Pactolus 46, Capt. Wm. Hugh Dobbie, on the coast of North America, whence he returned to England and was paid off in Aug. 1817 – 10 Nov. 1818, as Senior, to the Arab 18, Capt. Chas. Simeon, on the Cork station- and, 14 Nov. 1821, to the Dover 28, as Flag- Lieutenant to Sir John Poo Beresford at Leith. Attaining the rank of Commander 29 July, 1824, he was appointed in that capacity, 28 April, 1827, to the Camelion 10, on the Mediterranean station; where he became, 31 Oct. 1828 and 28 April, 1830, Second-Captain of the Asia 84 and Britannia 120, flag-ships of Sir Pulteney Malcolm. The Camelion formed part of a squadron under the orders of Sir Thos. Staines in an attack made upon a fort and several vessels in the possession of the pirates at Carabusa, 31 Jan. 1828. On the return home of the Britannia, Capt. Wyvill was presented with a Post-commission dated 22 Feb. 1832. He commanded the Cleopatra 26, on the North America and West India and Cape of Good Hope stations, from 31 Dec. 1840 until 1847 4 and since 7 May, 1849, has been serving in the Castor 36. In 1827, while Capt. Wyvill was on his passage in the Dartmouth 42 to join the Camelion, the former ship narrowly escaped being burnt, in consequence of some men having set fire to a cask of spirits which they had clandestinely opened. The catastrophe was however averted through the handsome conduct and exertions of Capt. Wyvill, who, with one of the gunner’s mates, plugged the cask and slung it, apparently in the midst of the flame. He is Senior of 1832. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
* ↑ He removed to the Volontaire in Feb. 1812.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1810, p. 1860.
* ↑ See our memoir of Sir Chas. Napier.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 1148.