# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Taylor, John

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​TAYLOR. (Retired Commander, 1839. f-p., 20; h-p., 33.)
John Taylor entered the Navy, 6 Dec. 1794, as L.M., on board the Scorpion gun-grig, Lieut.-Commander Thos. Crocker, stationed off Jersey, where he removed, in Sept. 1795, to the Bravo 14, Capt. Philip D’Auvergne. In May, 1796, he became Midshipman of the Juste 80, Capts. Hon. Thos. Pakenham and Wm. Hancock Kelly; the latter of whom, after having served in the Channel, he followed, in May and June, 1797, into the Veteran 64 and Gibraltar 80. Of the ship last mentioned, which was stationed off Cadiz and in the Mediterranean, he was nominated, 29 Aug. 1801, Acting-Lieutenant. In March, 1802, however, he was superseded, and placed, again as Midshipman, on board the Foudroyant 80, flag-ship of Lord Keith, with whom he returned shortly afterwards to England, and was paid off. He was employed next, from May, 1803, until June, 1805, in the Channel, and a second time in the Mediterranean, in the Naiad 38, Capt. Jas. Wallis, and as Master’s Mate in the Royal Sovereign 100, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Bickerton; he was then transferred to the Donegal, 74, Capt. Pulteney Malcolm; and in that ship, of which he was created a Lieutenant 2 April, 1806, he continued until March, 1811. He assisted in consequence at the capture of El Rayo of 100 guns, one of the ships recently defeated at Trafalgar – took part in the action off St. Domingo 6 Feb. 1806 – escorted Sir Arthur Wellesley’s army from Cork to Portugal in 1808 – witnessed the destruction, 24 Feb. 1809, of three French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne – was present, in the ensuing April, at Lord Cochrane’s destruction of the enemy’s shipping in Basque Roads – and shared in an unsuccessful attempt made by Capt. Chas. Grant of the Diana to destroy the two French frigates Amazone and Eliza, protected by the fire of several strong batteries near Cherbourg. The latter affair took place in the afternoon of 15 Nov. 1810; during the night Mr. Taylor, then First of the Donegal, was sent with two boats belonging to his own ship and the Revenge 74 to essay the effect of Congreve’s rockets on the enemy; and at daylight on the 16th it was observed that one of the frigates was on her beam-ends and the other aground. After he left the Donegal, Mr. Taylor was successively appointed Senior – 13 Aug. 1811 and 3 March, 1812, of the Royal Oak 74, Capt. P. Malcolm, and Hannibal 74, Capts. Sam. Pym and Sir Michael Seymour, both in the Channel – 13 June, 1812, and 13 Nov. 1813, of the Maidstone 36 and Romulus 36, armée en flûte, Capts. Geo. Burdett and Geo. Wm. Henry Knight, each on the North American station – and, 17 May, 1815 (after 14 months of half-pay), of the Falmouth 20, also commanded by Capt. Knight, off Boulogne. Among other services of a similar character, he commanded the boats of the Maidstone and Spartan frigate at the destruction of the Morning Star and Polly American privateers of 1 gun, 4 swivels, and 50 men each, in the Bay of Fundy, 1 Aug. 1812; and at the capture, two days afterwards, in the same neighbourhood, of a well-armed custom-house cutter and four merchantmen. He remained in the Falmouth until 1 Nov. 1812; and was placed on the list of Retired Commanders 23 July, 1839. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.