# Royal Naval Biography/West, John

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JOHN WEST, Esq Rear-Admiral of the White.
This officer was a Lieutenant of the Royal George, bearing the flag of the late Lord Bridport, in Earl Howe’s action, June 1, 1794; and afterwards commanded the Diligence ​sloop of war in the West Indies, where he was made post into la Tourterelle, of 30 guns, by commission dated Nov. 15, 1796. Towards the conclusion of the war, he was appointed to the Utrecht, of 68 guns.
Early in 1807, Captain West obtained the command of the Excellent, a third rate; and in the following year displayed great skill and gallantry on the coast of Catalonia, where he was employed in co-operation with the Spanish patriots.
On the evening of the 6th November, the French troops were observed in motion between Figueras and Castillern; and on the following morning, they had complete possession of the heights encompassing the bay of Rosas. On the same day at noon, a small body of the enemy entered the town, which in an instant was cleared of its inhabitants, who either fled to their boats or the citadel for protection; but a well-directed fire from the Excellent, and Meteor bomb, both within point-blank shot of the town, obliged the enemy precipitately to retire.
On the first appearance of the French, the governor of the citadel made application to Captain West for assistance, and his garrison was immediately reinforced with the marines of the Excellent, (with the exception of an officer and 25 men, who had been previously despatched to Fort Trinité) and a party of seamen. On the 7th, the enemy took possession of several houses and ruins in the rear of the town as an advanced post, from which he was repeatedly dislodged by the shot and shells from the citadel and the ships in the bay. On the 8th, at noon, observing a body of miquelets hard pressed, Captain West was induced to make a sortie with the seamen and marines, for the purpose of rescuing them. In this spirited affair, several men were wounded, and Captain West’s horse was shot under him.
The Spaniards were very sensible and grateful for the support afforded to them by the English, both on shore and by the fire from the ships, which compelled the enemy to proceed by rules of art against a place that with their great force they had hoped to take by a coup-de-main; and thereby gave ample time for the Spanish government to reinforce the garrison, and replenish the stores, &c. of that important post.
The Excellent having been relieved on the service at Rosas ​by the Fame, Captain West proceeded off Toulon, where he joined the fleet under the orders of Lord Collingwood, by whom he was subsequently sent to the Adriatic; on which station he continued for some time, and gave great annoyance to the enemy’s trade. During the remainder of the war he commanded the Sultan, of 74 guns, principally employed off Toulon. His promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral took place Aug. 12, 1819.
Residence.– Braywick Lodge, near Maidenhead, Berks.
* ↑ See note at p. 75, et seq.
* ↑ The particulars of several important services performed by the boats of the Excellent, under the command of Lieutenant (now Captain) John Harper, form part of an interesting memoir of that gallant officer, which we have prepared for insertion in our next volume.