The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters

Commander Joseph R. R. Webb, R.N., who was a Lieutenant in the Cherokee at the capture of the French privateer Amiable Nelly off Dieppe Harbour in January 1810

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Cherokee 10 Jany 1810 [4] (J. R. R. Webb, Lieut. R.N.) minor edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise good very fine £12000-14000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters.

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Provenance: Spink, July 2000 (Ron Byatt Collection).

Cherokee 10 Jany 1810 [4 issued] - George Arguile, Ord.; Henry Barber, Supernumerary Pilot (National Maritime Museum); Henry Pitcher, Supernumerary Pilot; Joseph R. R. Webb, Lieutenant R.N.

Joseph Richard Raggett Webb was born at Penzance, Cornwall, on 14 September 1788. He entered the Navy as First Class Volunteer aboard the Galykheid during the course of 1798, and went on to serve in the North Sea in her, and two other ships, prior to transferring in August 1803, as a Midshipman, to the Romney. In this latter vessel, having served in waters off Africa and in the West Indies, he was wrecked in the Texel in November 1804. Sufficiently recovered from this latter ordeal, Webb next served in the Flagships Namur and Leopard, and in March 1806, as a Lieutenant, he removed to the Anson, then fitting out for Bermuda. A few months later, he received his own Command, the Laura, bringing her home from the latter place.

In June 1808, Webb removed to the 10-gun Cherokee, a small brig with a complement of 70 men, under the command of Commander Richard Arthur and, in early January 1810, assisted in her at the capture of the French privateer Aimable Nelly off Dieppe Harbour. Having discovered seven lugger privateers lying close together at anchor, under the batteries within two hundred yards of the pier head, Commander Arthur resolved to attack them, and standing in with a favourable wind, ran between two of the luggers, and laid one of them on board. The crew of the lugger attempted to board the Cherokee but were repulsed, and the lugger was boarded and taken by the British. The other luggers kept up a heavy fire of musketry, but the Cherokee got away with her prize, the Aimiable Nelly, a new lugger of sixteen guns and a crew of 60 men, of whom two were killed and eight wounded. The Cherokee did not lose a man, but her lieutenant [Webb?] and boatswain were wounded. For this dashing exploit, Commander Arthur was promoted to post rank.

For the remainder of the War with France, Webb served in the Franchise on the Mediterranean and Newfoundland Stations. He was advanced to Commander on 1 May 1828, and was lastly, from February 1839 until March 1842, employed in the Ocean 80, guard-ship at Sheerness.