# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Leech, Robert

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​LEECH. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 12; h-p. 32.)
Robert Leech entered the Navy, 9 March,, 1803, on board the Ethalion 36, Capts. Chas. Stewart and Hon. Michael De Courcy, and, after serving for some time in the North Sea, proceeded to the West Indies; where, from March, 1806, until she was captured by two French privateers in April, 1807, he served, as Master’s Mate and Acting-Master, in the St. Lucia 16, commanded at first by Capt. De Courcy and next by Capt. Chas. Gordon. Personally, Mr. Leech escaped falling into the hands of the enemy on the latter occasion through the providential circumstance of his having been, placed, the night before, in charge of a prize. Although still clinging to the rating of Midshipman, he further acted (on an assurance from the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Alex. Cochrane,, that he would receive him as such on board his, flag-ship as soon as he had served his time) as Master, for two years and three months, of the Pultusk 16, Capts. Chas. Napier, Geo. Pringle, and David Sloan. During that period he assisted, it appears, at the reduction of the Danish islands of St. Thomas and Ste. Croix, was present in many gallant boat affairs under Capt. Napier (whom he aided in destroying a garda-costa on the Spanish main), and co-operated in the capture of Martinique. On one occasion, too, 12 Feb. 1809, he contrived, with two small boats, to cut out a French letter-of-marque brig, of 8 guns and 20 men, from under a battery on the island of Guadeloupe; an exploit which induced his Captain, Pringle, to forward a recommendation in his favour to Sir Alex. Cochrane. In the following July, as had been agreed, he at length joined that officer, as a Supernumerary-Midshipman, on board the Pompée 74; and on 14 Sept. in the same year he passed his examination. After witnessing the destruction, in L’Ance la Barque, of the 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine, Mr. Leech, in Feb. 1810, united in the operations against Guadeloupe, where he served on shore in command of a party of seamen, and was present at the storming of the forts of Matuba. In July, 1810, at the request of his former Captain, Sloan, our officer, who had accompanied Sir Alex. Cochrane into the Neptune 98, was nominated Acting First-Lieutenant of the Bellette 18; from which sloop, on her sailing, in the ensuing Oct., for England, he was removed, in a similar capacity, to the Amaranthe 18, commanded by another of his old Captains, Geo. Pringle. The state of discipline into which he soon brought that vessel was such that, on the occasion of a visit of inspection from Sir Francis Laforey, the new Commander-in-Chief, he had the satisfaction of receiving the thanks of that Admiral – his Captain generously acknowledging that to him alone was the credit due. Continuing in the Amaranthe until superseded in April, 1811, he proved himself a second time worthy of a strong recommendation from Capt. Pringle for his behaviour during the latter month in an arduous five days’ chase of a national brig, who had hitherto been the destruction of British trade, but who, although she effected her escape, was so battered as to be afterwards incapable of further mischief. On leaving the Amaranthe, as above, Mr. Leech returned, at his own expense, to England, and on his arrival was immediately promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by commission dated 26 July, 1811 . His next appointment was, 21 Sept.. following, to the Edinburgh 74, Capts. Robt. Rolles, Rowland Mainwaring, Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, and John Lampen Manley, with whom he continued to serve, in the North Sea and Mediterranean, until the close of 1814. While under Capt. Dundas, we find him,.in 1813, commanding the Edinburgh’s boats at the capture of Port d’Anzo, and of a large convoy under its batteries; and also at the destruction of the batteries at Via Reggio, the reduction of Lucca, and the unsuccessful attack on Leghorn, where, after landing the troops, he took command of the Edinburgh’s small-arm men. In 1814, being again in charge of the boats of the same ship, Lieut. Leech destroyed all the batteries and towers along the coast of Italy from Via Reggio to the Gulf of Spezia. He next, when at Lerici, took possession of the castle at that place, and successfully defended it against a party of French troops, having previously blown up a large fort and destroyed the arsenal. At the subsequent siege of the fortress of St. Mary, the Lieutenant was there invested with the command of a battery, and had the honour of opening the first fire. On the advance of the squadron towards Genoa, Mr. Leech, owing to the absence of Capt. Dundas and the First and Second Lieutenants, was left in sole charge of the ship, and while so intrusted waited upon Lord Wm. Bentinck, the military Commander-in-Chief at the time on board the America 74, Capt. Josiah, Rowley. For this he obtained the thanks of Capt; Dundas in his public despatches. The Edinburgh returned to England after the fall of Genoa, and was put out of commission in Dec. 1814;. since which period, unable to procure employment, Lieut. Leech has been on half-pay.
* ↑ He had, however, left all his effects behind him.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1814, p. 180.