Orders, Decorations and Medals

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, Off Tamatave 20 May 1811, St. Sebastian, 14 Dec. Boat Service 1814 (James B. Tattnall, Lieut. R.N.) good very fine

James Barnwell Tattnall was born in 1790, and entered the navy in September 1803, as Midshipman on board the Leander, and soon after into the Boston frigate. He subsequently served under Lord Cochrane in the Pallas, and conducted into port one of the richest prizes taken by that frigate, at the commencement of the Spanish war in 1805. On the night of April 5th, 1806, the boats of the Pallas, under Lieutenant John Haswell, captured the French National corvette Tapageuse, of fourteen long 12-pounders and 95 men, lying in the Bordeaux river and under the protection of two strong batteries. During their absence, three ships were observed bearing down to the British frigate, making many signals, and soon perceived to be enemies. “In a few minutes,” says Lord Cochrane, “the anchor was weighed, and, with the remainder of the officers and crew, we chased, drove on shore, and wrecked, one 24-gun ship, one of 22 guns, and La Malicieuse, a beautiful corvette of 18 guns. All in this ship showed zeal for His Majesty’s service. The warrant officers and Mr Tattnall, midshipman, supplied the place of those commissioned.” Tattnall participated in further dashing enterprises during the following month of May. Following Lord Cochrane into the Imperieuse he was at the end of the year, while in charge of two captured French luggers, driven by bad weather into Belleisle, and obliged to surrender. Imprisoned in the fortress at Verdun, he affected his escape from that place, in December 1809, dressed as a girl, and joined the fleet employed in the blockade of Flushing. On promotion, in early 1810, he was sent out to the Leeward Islands where he joined the St. Pierre, and then to the Racehorse on the Cape of Good Hope station. On 11 May he witnessed the capture off Tamatave, of the French frigate Renommée, and assisted in taking possession of La Néréide, together with several merchant vessels.
He was present in the President at the siege of St. Sebastian, and subsequently held several acting commands on the North American station. Whilst belonging to the Tonnant, he served in her boats at the destruction of Commodore Barney’s flotilla, in the Patuxent river; commanded a gun-boat attack upon Baltimore; and had a boat sunk under him, and the greatest part of his crew killed and wounded, at the capture of five heavy gun-vessels in Lake Borgne on 14 December, 1814. In narrating the details of the latter very gallant affair Captain Lockyer, in his despatch, says, “I cannot omit to mention the conduct of Lieuts. Tattnall and Roberts, of the Tonnant, particularly the former, who, after having lost his boat sunk alongside, got into another and gallantly pushed on to the attack of the remainder of the flotilla.” Tattnall was promoted to Commander on 14 April, 1819, and was not afterwards afloat. He is believed to have died in 1851.
Tattnall is shown as Verified aboard - not on roll by Captain Douglas-Morris for the clasp ‘Off Tamatave’.