# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lewis, Francis James

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​LEWIS. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 29; h-p., 29.)
Francis James Lewis is son of the late Lieut.-General Lewis.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1789, as Lieutenant’s Servant, on board the Andromeda frigate, Capt. Salusbury, on the books of which ship he was borne until 17B0. Becoming Midshipman, in 1793, of the Hector 74, Captain, afterwards Rear-Admiral, Geo. Montagu, he took part in the unsuccessful attack made, in June of that year, on the island of Martinique. In July, 1794, we find him joining the London 98, bearing the flag of the late Sir John Colpoys, under whom he was still serving at the period of the Spithead mutiny. After an attachment to various other ships, he was nominated, in April, 1804, Acting-Lieutenant of the Wasp 18, Capts. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer and John Simpson; on board which vessel it was his fortune to be present in Aug. 1805, when she effected a most gallant escape from the celebrated Rochefort squadron, compelling, on the occasion, by the excellent fire of the only six guns her perilous position had not compelled her to throw overboard, a large frigate and brig, who for 40 minutes had been engaging her on each quarter, to give up the pursuit. He was confirmed a Lieutenant on 11 of the ensuing month; and between that period and May, 1814, he was in succession employed, on the Home, East India, and North American stations, in the Hibernia 120, flag-ship of Admiral Douglas, Mars 74, Capts. Robt. Dudley Oliver and Wm. Lukin, Aeolus 32, Capt. Lord Wm. FitzRoy, Décade frigate, Capt. Stuart, Pallas 32, Capts. Geo. Fras. Seymour and Hon. Geo. Cadogan, Argus sloop, Capts. Stuart and Bott, Malacca 36, Capts. Wm. Butterfield and Sam. Leslie, Modeste 36, Capt. Jas. Coutts Crawford, and Saturn 56, Capt. Jas. Nash. While in the Mars, he contributed to the capture, 28 July, 1806, of Le Rhin, of 44 guns and 318 men, and was with Sir Sam. Hood’s squadron on 25 Sept. in the same year at the taking, off Rochefort, of four heavy French frigates, two of which, the Gloire 46, and Infatigable 44, struck to the Mars. During his servitude in the Pallas he witnessed Lord Cochrane’s destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads, and co-operated in the siege of Flushing. In Aug. 1814 he obtained an appointment to the Albion 74, flag-ship in the Chesapeake of the present Sir Geo. Cockburn; upon being appointed Signal-Lieutenant to whom in the Northumberland 74, we find him escorting Napoleon Buonaparte to St. Helena; where, from March to Aug. 1816, he held the acting-command of the Julia 14. He next, in Nov. 1819, joined the Vigo 74, flag-ship on the Leith and St. Helena stations of Rear-Admirals Robt. Waller Otway and Robt. Lambert, with whom he continued until advanced to the rank of Commander 29 Jan. 1821. His last appointment was, 12 May, 1827, to the Ocean 80, Capt. Patrick Campbell, then stationed as a guard-ship at Plymouth, but afterwards employed in withdrawing the ​British troops from Portugal, and finally attached to the force in the Mediterranean, whence he returned home and was paid off in May, 1830. Capt. Lewis was advanced to Post-rank 22 July following. He married, 3 Feb. 1831, Anne, second daughter of the late Wm. Land, Esq., of Hayne House, Silverton.