Christopher Nesham
| Christopher John Williams Nesham | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1771 |
| Died | 4 November 1853 |
| Allegiance | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | January 1782-30 July 1852 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Foudroyant HMS Melville (74) HMS Suffisante (sloop) HMS Intrepid |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Camperdown |
Christopher (John Williams) Nesham (1771 –4 November 1853), admiral, born in 1771, was son of Christopher Nesham, a captain in the 63rd regiment, by his wife Mary Williams, sister of William Peere Williams-Freeman, admiral of the fleet.
Nesham entered the navy in January 1782 on board HMS Juno, with Captain James Montagu, and in her was present at the action off Cuddalore on 20 June 1783. On his return to England in 1785, he was for some time aboard HMS Edgar, guardship at Portsmouth, commanded by Captain Adam Duncan, afterwards Lord Duncan, and aboard the frigate HMS Druid until March 1788.
He was then sent to a college in France, and was still there at the outbreak of the revolution. He was at Vernon, in Normandy, in October 1789, when a furious mob fell upon a corn merchant, Planter by name, who had been charitable to the poor, but who, having sent flour to Paris, was accused of wishing to starve the town. The town-hall, where he had taken refuge, was stormed, and Planter was dragged down the stairs towards the lamp-post at the corner of the building. Attempts were made to fasten a rope round his neck. Nesham, however, with two others, remained by Planter and warded off the blows aimed at him as well as themselves. Knocked down, Nesham sprang up again and vigorously resisted the mob. Planter was at length got away from the lamp-post into an adjoining street, and, a door being thrown open, was finally pushed in and saved. One of the first acts of the municipality on the restoration of order was to confer citizenship on Nesham (17 November). He was shortly afterwards summoned to Paris, January 1790, when he was presented by the assembly with a uniform sword of the national guard, and a civic crown was placed on his head.
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