Henry William Bayntun
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Henry William Bayntun GCB
(1766 – 16 December 1840) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
, whose distinguished career in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
was a catalogue of the highest and lowest points of the Navy during the conflict. His record includes extensive operations in the West Indies followed by shipwreck, the battle of Trafalgar
and the disastrous expedition to Buenos Aires
in 1807.
in 1766 where his father was Consul general, Bayntun joined the navy very young and received his lieutenancy at just seventeen on 15 April 1783. Bayntun was actively employed following the outbreak of war
with Revolutionary France in 1793. He took command of the sloop following her captain's death on 4 May 1794 and proceeded to participate in the capture of the French frigate
, as well as other shipping off Port Royal, Martinique. He was also prominent in the capture of both that island and Guadeloupe
by the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis
.
Given command of , Bayntun unfortunately wrecked her, but was absolved of the loss and given . He then commanded ships of the line, including and , with which he won acclaim with a successful blockade of the French Caribbean islands following their return to France in the Peace of Amiens. In 1803 he captured the French frigate , along with her convoy and hundreds of troops aboard returning to France.
In 1804 Bayntun returned to England after ten years in the West Indies, and was given command of the fast third rate . She joined Nelson's fleet off Brest and subsequently sailed to the West Indies again before arriving in Cadiz
. Bayntun was in this way unusual amongst Trafalgar captains, many of whom had only just arrived on blockade station off Cadiz. (After the Cape Finisterre action
, many officers returned home to testify in the court martial of Admiral .)
At the Battle of Trafalgar
on the 21 October, Bayntun in Leviathan was fourth in Nelson's northern line, after , and . Leviathan raked the and battled the French before engaging with the massive . Seeing the distant approach of Admiral Dumanoir's
squadron from the north, Captain Thomas Hardy ordered Leviathan and other ships to close the enemy. Leviathan managed to catch the Spanish ship and easily capture it, but the remainder of the squadron fled, terminating the battle.
The Leviathan suffered only 26 casualties of the battle and was able to return to Gibraltar unaided in the growing storm. She did however lose her prize, the San Augustin, which was burnt as she foundered some days after the action. After the battle, Bayntun was among the many officers that the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund
honoured with gifts. He also was the guidon bearer at Nelson's state funeral.
In 1807 Bayntun participated in the naval aspects of the failed invasion of Argentina
, but escaped the condemnation received by other of the officers involved. He continued in service, commanding the Royal Yacht
Royal Sovereign in 1811.
Bayntun continued in the Navy as a semi-retired officer slowly gaining promotions, whilst living privately. In in 1837 he was made an Admiral
of the Blue on 10 January 1837 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 25 October 1839.
Henry William Bayntun died in Bath in 1840 and is buried in All Saints' Church, Weston
, Bath, together with several family members.
The Captain-class
frigate
was named for him. She served during the Second World War.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1766 – 16 December 1840) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, whose distinguished career in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
was a catalogue of the highest and lowest points of the Navy during the conflict. His record includes extensive operations in the West Indies followed by shipwreck, the battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
and the disastrous expedition to Buenos Aires
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
in 1807.
Career
Born in AlgiersAlgiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
in 1766 where his father was Consul general, Bayntun joined the navy very young and received his lieutenancy at just seventeen on 15 April 1783. Bayntun was actively employed following the outbreak of war
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
with Revolutionary France in 1793. He took command of the sloop following her captain's death on 4 May 1794 and proceeded to participate in the capture of the French frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, as well as other shipping off Port Royal, Martinique. He was also prominent in the capture of both that island and Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
by the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
.
Given command of , Bayntun unfortunately wrecked her, but was absolved of the loss and given . He then commanded ships of the line, including and , with which he won acclaim with a successful blockade of the French Caribbean islands following their return to France in the Peace of Amiens. In 1803 he captured the French frigate , along with her convoy and hundreds of troops aboard returning to France.
In 1804 Bayntun returned to England after ten years in the West Indies, and was given command of the fast third rate . She joined Nelson's fleet off Brest and subsequently sailed to the West Indies again before arriving in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
. Bayntun was in this way unusual amongst Trafalgar captains, many of whom had only just arrived on blockade station off Cadiz. (After the Cape Finisterre action
Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805)
In the Battle of Cape Finisterre off Galicia, Spain, the British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder fought an indecisive naval battle against the Combined Franco-Spanish fleet which was returning from the West Indies...
, many officers returned home to testify in the court martial of Admiral .)
At the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
on the 21 October, Bayntun in Leviathan was fourth in Nelson's northern line, after , and . Leviathan raked the and battled the French before engaging with the massive . Seeing the distant approach of Admiral Dumanoir's
Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley
Vice-Admiral Count Pierre-Etienne-René-Marie Dumanoir Le Pelley was a French Navy officer, best known for commanding the vanguard of the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar.- Early career :...
squadron from the north, Captain Thomas Hardy ordered Leviathan and other ships to close the enemy. Leviathan managed to catch the Spanish ship and easily capture it, but the remainder of the squadron fled, terminating the battle.
The Leviathan suffered only 26 casualties of the battle and was able to return to Gibraltar unaided in the growing storm. She did however lose her prize, the San Augustin, which was burnt as she foundered some days after the action. After the battle, Bayntun was among the many officers that the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund
Lloyd's Patriotic Fund
Lloyd's Patriotic Fund founded in 28th July 1803 at Lloyd's Coffee House. They gave grants to those wounded in service to the crown and set up annuities to the dependents of those killed in action. They also awarded prizes for those who went beyond the call of duty, such rewards could be a sum of...
honoured with gifts. He also was the guidon bearer at Nelson's state funeral.
In 1807 Bayntun participated in the naval aspects of the failed invasion of Argentina
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
, but escaped the condemnation received by other of the officers involved. He continued in service, commanding the Royal Yacht
Royal Yacht
A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head...
Royal Sovereign in 1811.
Bayntun continued in the Navy as a semi-retired officer slowly gaining promotions, whilst living privately. In in 1837 he was made an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the Blue on 10 January 1837 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 25 October 1839.
Henry William Bayntun died in Bath in 1840 and is buried in All Saints' Church, Weston
All Saints' Church, Weston
All Saints' Church is a Church of England parish church which has been located on a hill at the centre of Weston, a small village on the outskirts of Bath, England, for a thousand years...
, Bath, together with several family members.
The Captain-class
Captain class frigate
The Captain class were 78 frigates of the Royal Navy, constructed in the United States, launched in 1942–1943 and delivered to the United Kingdom under the provisions of Lend-Lease. They served in World War II as convoy escorts, anti-submarine warfare vessels and coastal forces control frigates...
frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
was named for him. She served during the Second World War.
Further reading
- The Trafalgar Captains, Colin White and the 1805 Club, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005, ISBN 1-86176-247-X