A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Arbuthnott, Alexander Dundas Young
ARBUTHNOTT. K.C.C., K.S.F. (Captain, 1824. f-p., 13; h-p., 31.)
Alexander Dundas Young Arbuthnott, a lineal descendant of the first Viscount Arbuthnott, through his second marriage, and heir to the title and estates of the present nobleman after his own immediate family, is only son, by Miss Murray, of Canada, of the late Robt. Arbuthnott, Esq., Lieut.-Colonel of the 31st foot, who died on board the Raymond of wounds he had received at Ste. Lucie, 10 July, 1796.
This officer entered the Navy, 9 April, 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Northumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Alex. Inglis Cochrane. During a subsequent attachment of nearly seven years to the Mars 74, Capts. Geo. Duff, Robt. Dudley Oliver, Wm. Lukin, and Henry Raper, of which ship he was created a Lieutenant, 26 Oct. 1809, Mr. Arbuthnott took part, as Midshipman, in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805 – assisted at the capture of the French frigate Le Rhin of 44 guns, 28 July, 1806 – was also present at the capture, by a squadron under Sir Sam. Hood, of four other of the enemy’s frigates, two of which, La Gloire 46, and L’lnfatigable 44, struck to the Mars off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806 – accompanied the expedition to Copenhagen in Aug. and Sept. 1807 – and saw much gunboat service in the Baltic in 1808-9. Being subsequently appointed, 27 June, 1811, after a short servitude in the Christian VII. 80, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Philip Chas. Durham, to the Impregnable 98, successive flag-ship of Admiral Wm. Young and H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, Mr. Arbuthnott co-operated in the reduction of the islands of North and South Beveland, was present at the capture of Antwerp, and, having as First Lieutenant escorted to England the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia, assisted at the grand naval review held at Spithead. Assuming on that occasion the rank of Commander, by commission dated 27 June, 1814, he next joined, 24 April, 1823, the Jasper 10, and in that vessel, on being sent on a mission to St. Petersburg, had the honour of entertaining His Imperial Majesty and all the Court. Until posted, 14 Oct. 1824, he afterwards held the successive command of the Redwing 18, and Terror bomb – the latter employed on the second expedition against Algiers. His retirement took place 1 Oct. 1846.
Although Capt. Arbuthnott has since been on half-pay, he has not been inactive. Accompanying the British Auxiliary Legion to Spain, as Colonel on the Staff, he there became Colonel-Commandant, in Sept. 1835, of the depot at Santander and of the Convent of Carban, and was afterwards created a Knight Commander of the distinguished order of Charles III. by the Queen Regent, as a reward for his services in relieving San Sebastian when closely besieged by the Carlist troops, as also of the order of San Fernando for his gallantry in conducting the forlorn hope at the storming of Irun. When the Legion returned to England in 1838, Capt. Arbuthnott had attained the rank of Brigadier-General in the Spanish service. We next, in 1840, find him, at the recommendation of the First Lord of the Admiralty, appointed by Lord Palmerston to serve in Syria, as a Captain in the Navy, with Gen. Mitchell and the Commission employed in concert with the Turkish army to drive Ibrahim Pacha and the Egyptian forces out of that country. On the Commission being recalled, in 1842, he was presented by the Sultan with a gold medal. Capt Arbuthnott, who had been appointed in Nov. 1824 one of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber to George IV., holds the same office under Her present Majesty. He married, in May, 1826, Catherine Maria, third daughter of Chas. Eustace, Esq., of Robertstown, co. Kildare, claimant of the Viscounty of Baltinglass, by whom he has issue a daughter. Agent – J. Hinxman.