# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Leith, John

Layout 4
​LEITH. (Captain, 1825. f-p., 20; h-p., 24.)
John Leith, born at Leith Hall, co. Aberdeen, the seat of his father, is second son of the late General Alex. Leith Hay, by Mary, daughter of Chas. Forbes, Esq., of Ballogie; brother of the present Sir Andw. Leith Hay, Kt., of Rannes and Leith Hall, a Lieut.-Colonel in the Army, and M.P. for the Elgin district of burghs; and nephew of Lieut.-General Sir Jas. Leith, G.C.B., K.T.S., Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of France, Governor of Barbadoes, and Commander-in-Chief of the forces in the Windward and Leeward Islands, who died 16 Oct. 1816.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 June, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Lapwing 28, Capt. Alex. Skene, which vessel, when soon afterwards off the banks of Newfoundland, was so closely chased for three days by the French 74-gun ship Duguay Trouin and 40-gun frigate Guerrière, that, in order to effect her escape, she was under the ​necessity of throwing overboard her guns, boats, all her anchors and cables but one, and all but one week’s provisions and water. In Oct. of the same year he removed with Capt. Skene to the Leander 50, commanded next by Capts. John Talbot, Henry Whitby, and Salusbury Pryce Humphreys; and, on 23 Feb. 1805, he was present, under Capt. Talbot, at the capture of La Ville de Milan French frigate oi 46 guns, and re-capture of her prize the Cleopatra 32. Following Capt. Humphreys, in Aug. 1806, into the Leopard 50, Mr. Leigh was in that ship on 22 June, 1807, when she compelled the U.S. frigate Chesapeake to surrender, in consequence of a refusal on the part of the latter to allow the British to search her for deserters. In April, 1808, he joined the Triumph 74, Capt. Sir Thos. Masterman Hardy, and after serving, as Master’s Mate, in the North Sea and at the blockade of L’Orient, became attached with that officer to the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag off Lisbon of Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, who, on 26 June, 1809, nominated him Acting-Lieutenant of the Norge 74, Capts. Edm. Boger and John Sprat Rainier. In the course of the same summer we find Mr. Leith engaged in fitting out some Spanish men-of-war at Ferrol, then threatened by the French. In the following Oct., on 10 of which month he was confirmed a Lieutenant, he went back to the Barfleur, and on the promotion, in Dec. 1810, of the present Capt. Berkeley, succeeded him in the office of Flag-Lieutenant. Previously, however, to that event, he had been invested with the command (which he retained until the final expulsion of the French army under Massena from Portugal) of the telegraph posts on the lines of Torres Vedras. During the last siege of Badajos Mr. Leith, it appears, was present at the head-quarters of Lord Wellington; and in April, 1811, he was there when it was stormed and carried. The Barfleur being ordered home in 1812, he was next (after an interval of a few months, the first he had enjoyed since his entrance into the Navy) appointed, in April, 1813, to the Sceptre 74, Capt. Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Geo. Cockburn; previously to accompanying whom into the Albion 74, he took part in the attack upon Hampton, the capture of Ocracoke and Portsmouth islands (whence were brought off the Anaconda of 20, and Atlas of 12 guns), the occupation of Kent Island, and other services. In June, 1814, he returned to England on board the St. Domingo 74. He attained the rank of Commander 13 June, 1815, but was not again employed until Sept. 1822, on 4 of which month we find him appointed to the Bellette 18, fitting for the West Indies, where he removed, 28 June, 1825, to the Pylades 18, was appointed, 28 June following, Acting-Captain of the Isis 50, and was confirmed, 11 Nov. in the same year, into the Rattlesnake 28. Being paid off on his return home with the Duke of Manchester, late Governor of Jamaica, in Sept. 1827, Capt. Leith remained on half-pay until appointed, 6 Feb. 1837, to the Seringapatam 46, in which frigate he was again ordered to the West Indies, there to take charge of the Barbadoes station. On his passage out he took with him the Romney 50, destined to form a dépôt for liberated negroes at the Havana, where he succeeded in installing her after encountering much opposition from the governor. With the exception of a visit to Jamaica, on the occasion of Sir John Strutt Peyton being sent home in 1838, he remained senior officer at Barbadoes until July, 1841, when he sailed for Halifax to recruit his own health and that of his crew. Before his departure, however, he had the satisfaction of being presented with an address and a piece of plate by the inhabitants. He invalided at last from Halifax in Oct. 1841; and has since been on half-pay.
Capt. Leith is married, and has issue.