Adam Mackenzie

Captain Adam Mackenzie (died 13 November 1823) was a Royal Navy officer who served in the American, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, being present at numerous fleet actions, as well as serving as successful ship captain.

Biography

Early career Mackenzie was present as a midshipman in several actions between the British and French during the American War: under Augustus Keppel at Ushant in 1778; under John Byron at Grenada in 1779; under Rodney at Cape St. Vincent and Martinique in 1780; and the relief of Gibraltar under Earl Howe in 1782. He was eventually commissioned as a lieutenant on 3 March 1790, and was present as the first lieutenant of the frigate at the Glorious First of June in 1794. In April and May 1798 he captured the fishing vessels Staadt Altona and De Hoop. On 27 March 1799 he captured the Noyt Gedacht and Goode Hoop. On 12 May 1799 Pylades and captured the Vrow Etje. Pylades was part of a squadron led by Captain Frank Sotheron in the frigate , composed of the frigate , the brig-sloop , the sloops Ranger and , the hired cutters Courier, Fox and Diligent, and the hired lugger Speculator, that captured six Dutch ships between March and May 1799. Pylades received a share of the prize money paid for three of them; Vinnern (5 May), Jonge Picter (7 May) and Ferwagting (14 May), but after deductions for the cases of six other ships (presumably disallowed by the prize court), Mackenzie's share came to only £31 13s 0d. On 10 July 1799, he led an attack by boats near the island of Ameland, bringing out three valuable merchantmen, and burnt a galliot, loaded with ordnance stores.

Frigate captain Mackenzie was then present at the capture of the Dutch fleet of Vice-Admiral Samuel Story on 30 August 1799, and was promoted to post-captain on 2 September. He remained on half-pay until October 1801, when was appointed to the 28-gun , commanding her until March 1802, when the Treaty of Amiens brought a temporary peace. Magicienne also formed part of the squadron under Sir John T. Duckworth at the Battle of San Domingo on 6 February 1806. Mackenzie was subsequently ordered to escort a convoy from Jamaica to England. Soon after leaving the Gulf of Mexico, a hurricane struck, sinking twenty vessels, and obliging him to sail for Bermuda to repair damage. he commanded the 74-gun in the Channel and North Sea.