# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pasley, James

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​PASLEY. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p., 18; h-p., 35.)
James Pasley entered the Navy, 17 June, 1794, as Ordinary, on board the Spitfire sloop, Capt. Clements, attached to the force in the Channel, where he joined, in the following Sept., the Minotaur 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral John Macbride, and, in July, 1795, the Rattler sloop, Capts. Willoughby Thos. Lake, John Cochet, J. Hall, W. Duncombe, John Hayes, and John Wentworth Loring. After assisting, as Midshipman, at the capture, in May, 1796, of the French privateer Le Pichegru of 10 guns and 34 men, he sailed for the West Indies; on which station he witnessed the evacuation of the Cayemites Islands, near St. Domingo, and in Sept. 1799 accompanied Capt. Loring, as Acting-Lieutenant, into the Lark 18, commanded subsequently by Capts. Caton, Tippet, New, and Jas. Johnstone. While in that vessel he appears to have been most actively employed, and to have contributed to the capture of a large number of armed and other vessels. On 13 Sept. 1801, in particular, with two of her boats under his orders, each carrying 16 men, he attacked, in face of a heavy fire, boarded, and gallantly took, within the Portillo reefs, in the island of Cuba, the Spanish privateer-schooner Esperanza of 1 long 8 and 2 4-pounders and 45 men, 21 of whom were killed and 6 wounded, with a loss to the British of 1 man killed and 13 wounded. He had previously, we are informed, while serving, pro tem., on board the Beaulieu 38, Capt. Steph. Poyntz, assisted in the boats of that ship and of the Doris and Uranie frigates, commanded by Lieut. Keith Maxwell, at the cutting-out, on the night of 21 July, 1801, of La Chevrette corvette of 20 long 9-pounders and 350 men, under the batteries in Camaret Bay, a position deemed almost impregnable, after a deadly conflict, in which the enemy lost their Captain, 6 other officers, and 85 men killed, and 1 Lieutenant, 4 Midshipmen, and 57 men wounded, and the British 1 Lieutenant R.M., 1 Midshipman, and 9 men slain, and 2 Lieutenants, 1 Master’s-Mate, 3 Midshipmen, and 51 men wounded. In June, 1802, he rejoined Capt. Caton on board the Trent 36, in which ship he continued for about 12 months on the West India station. His subsequent appointments were – 5 April, 1804, to the Sea Fencibles in Ireland – 8 June, 1805 (having left the latter service in the preceding Peb.), to the Argus sloop, Capts. Edw. Kittoe and Jas. Stewart, off Cork – and, 19 June, 1807, to the command, which he retained until 28 May, 1813, of the Enchantress, at Bristol. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 26 Nov. 1830; and on the Senior 17 Feb. 1845. Agents – Burnett and Holmes.
* ↑ On 14 March, 1800, the boats, under Lieut. Lane, who was killed, having been repulsed in an endeavour to obtain possession of a privateer lying under the protection of two heights at the entrance of a bay in the island of Cuba, Mr. Pasley landed with a party of men at a place ten miles distant, and advanced on the enemy’s rear with so much expedition, and judgment, that, on the arrival of Capt, Loring in the boats to renew the attack, he found nothing left for him to do than to witness, and bestow his commendation on, the successful issue of the steady and good conduct which had been displayed. – Vide Gaz. 1800, p. 825.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1802, p. 115.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1801, p. 919.