# Royal Naval Biography/Leach, James

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JAMES LEACH, Esq. [Commander.]
Was born at Deal, in Kent, Oct. 16th, 1778; and sent to France, at a very early age, in order to acquire the language of that country. He commenced his naval career in Aug. 1790; and served until the breaking out of the French revolutionary war, as midshipman on board the Cockatrice, of 14 guns, Captain Walter Locke; Pomona 28, Captain Henry Savage; and Kite 14, Captain William Lamb. He was in the Alfred 74, Captain John Bazely, at the great battle of June 1st, 1794 ; in the Blenheim 90, commanded by the same officer, at the destruction of l’Alcide 74, in the vicinity of Toulon, July 13th, 1795; in le Censeur 74, Captain {now Sir John) Gore, when that ship was taken by an enemy’s squadron, under Mons. Richery, after a most obstinate defence, Oct. 7th following; in the Isis 50, Captain Robert Watson, during the mutiny at the Nore; and in the same ship, acting as lieutenant, under the command of Captain William Mitchell, at the defeat of the Dutch fleet, near Camperdown, Oct. 11th, 1797. For his conduct on the two latter occasions, he was promoted into the Albatross sloop. Captain George Scott, on the 18th of the ensuing month.
After a short period. Lieutenant Leach was removed to the Isis, at the particular request of Captain Mitchell; and we subsequently find him serving under the late Lord Collingwood, in the Triumph 74, off Brest. His next appointment appears to have been to the Falcon 14, which sloop was converted into a fire-vessel, and sent with three others to attempt the destruction of four French frigates, in Dunkirk roads; an enterprise already noticed under the head of ​Captain Patrick Campbell. Between July, 1800, and Nov. 1801, he commanded the hired armed vessels Thetis and Earl Spencer. After the renewal of hostilities, in 1803, he was successively appointed to raise seamen at Lynn, in Norfolk; to serve under Captain Richard Grindall, in the Prince 98; to command the Jennet cutter; to assist in training the Topsham district of Sea-Fencibles; to be a lieutenant of the Audacious 74, Captain (now Admiral) Lawford; and to command the Prince Frederick, convalescent-ship, and, July 30th, 1806, the Milbrook schooner, which vessel was wrecked on the Burlings, near Lisbon, Mar. 26th, 1808. Previous thereto, he had received the following handsome testimonials from the British Factory at Oporto:
“September 2d, 1807.
“Dear Sir,– I have herewith the pleasure to send you a copy of the resolution taken at a general meeting of the Factory on the 31st ultimo, with a bill for the purchase of the token therein mentioned.
“To this public testimony of the deserved esteem in which you are held by all your countrymen here, I beg leave to add the assurance of my personal regard and most friendly consideration. I shall be at all times happy to be in any shape useful to you, in this part of the world; and with my best wishes for your health and happiness, I am, dear Sir, your most faithful, humble servant,
(Signed)“William Warre, Consul.”
(Enclosure).
“Resolved, – That Mr. Consul be requested to convey our hearty thanks to Lieutenant Leach, commander of H.M. schooner Milbrook, for the effectual protection he hath afforded to our trade, as well as to the trade in general of this port, during the time of his being stationed here; and together with the assurance of our best wishes for his health and happiness, to beg his acceptance of a piece of plate, of the value of 50l, as a token of our regard, and of the high sense we have of his professional merit.”
(Signed by the Consul, by Richard Pennell, Esq. the Treasurer, and by the heads of fourteen mercantile firms).
Copies of these documents, together with a letter signed by most, if not all, of the masters of merchant vessels then employed in the Oporto trade, were transmitted to the ​under-writers at Lloyd’s, and by them laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. The court-martial by which Lieutenant Leach was necessarily tried, for the loss of the Milbrook, not only acquitted him of all blame, but deemed his conduct highly meritorious and praiseworthy; and the crew of that vessel, in order to evince their esteem and gratitude, requested his acceptance of a sword, value fifty guineas.
We next find Lieutenant Leach proceeding in the Black Joke lugger, to the coast of Spain, on a special service; and afterwards commanding the Desperate, mortar-vessel, on the Downs station. He served as an agent for transports during the Walcheren expedition, in 1809; obtained the command of the Arrow schooner, on his return from the Scheldt; and was advanced to the rank of commander in Oct. 1810. Between Sept. 1814 and Dec. 1815, he commanded the Martial sloop, successively employed on the Irish, West India, and Channel stations. From June 1825 until July 1828, he assisted Captain John Bowker and his successor, in superintending the Ordinary at Plymouth.
Commander Leach died at his native place. Deal, Aug. 22d, 1831. He was twice married; but left no issue.