​DAWSON. (Capt., 1841. f-p., 13; h-p., 25.)

William Dawson (a) entered the Navy, 24 June, 1809, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Active of 46 guns, Capt. Jas. Alex. Gordon, attached to the fleet, in the Mediterranean. On 12 Feb. 1811, he assisted, as Midshipman, in the boats under Lieut. Jas. Dickinson, at the capture of a convoy, fearfully protected, in the harbour of Ortona; subsequently to which, on 13 March following, we find him enacting a part in the memorable action off Lissa, when a British squadron, carrying in the whole 156 guns and 879 men, completely routed, after a conflict of six hours, and a loss to the Active of 4 men killed and 24 wounded, a Franco-Venetian squadron, whose force amounted to 284 guns and 2655 men. From July, 1811, to Sept. 1814, he next served on the Irish and West India stations in the Leonidas 38, Capts. Anselm John Griffiths, Fred. ​