A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Baker, Henry Loraine
BAKER, Bart., C.B. (Captain, 1815. f-p., 17; h-p., 33.)
Sir Henry Loraine Baker, born 3 Jan. 1787, is eldest surviving son of the late Sir Robt. Baker, Bart., by Dinah, daughter and sole heir of Wm. Hayley, Esq., alderman, and Representative in parliament of the City of London; and brother of Capt. Onslow Baker, of the Hon. E.I.C.’s artillery. He succeeded his father as second baronet 4 Feb. 1826.
This officer entered the Navy, in Dec. 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Unité 38, Capt. Chas. Rowley, in which ship, the Cruizer 18, Capts. Chas. Wollaston and Jas. Brisbane, and, as Midshipman, in the Boadicea 38, commanded also by Capt. Rowley, he continued to serve on the Home station until the peace. In July, 1802, he joined the Centaur 74, Capt. Bendall Robt. Littlehales, and after assisting under Sir Sam. Hood at the reduction of Ste. Lucie, in June, 1803, returned home with the former officer on board the Morne Fortunée hired brig, in charge of the despatches. He then became attached to the Northumberland 74, Capt. Hon. Alex. Inglis Cochrane; but, returning soon to the West Indies, served, in the Theseus 74, Capt. John Bligh, at the blockade of Cape François; the reduction of Port Dauphin, where two forts and a 28-gun ship, La Sagesse, were taken from the enemy; and the surrender of the French squadron with the remains of General Rochambeau’s army from Cape François on board. On 16 July, 1804, Mr. Baker removed with Capt. Bligh, as Acting-Lieutenant, to the Surveillante 38, from which frigate he was transferred, in March, 1805, to the Reynard, of 18 guns and 121 men, Capt. Jeremiah Coghlan, for his meritorious conduct under whom, at the annihilation, on the 20th of the same month, after a warm conflict of 35 minutes, of Le Général Ernouf French privateer, of 20 guns and 160 men, he was confirmed by commission, dated back to 18 Oct. 1804. His next appointments were, between Dec. 1805, and the latter part of 1807, to the Fortunée 36, Capt. Henry Vansittart, Mediator 32, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, and Veteran 64, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres; during which period, while First Lieutenant of the Mediator, he took part in the capture of several privateers, and, in company with Capt. Wise, Lieuts. John Norton and Shaw, and a party of seamen, gallantly stormed and carried, after a cannonade of four hours, the fort of Samana, St. Domingo, 14 Feb. 1807. On his return home from the West Indies in 1807, Lieut. Baker joined the Castor 32, Capt. Wm. Roberts, and, next, the Eagle 74, and Leda 38, Capts. Chas. Rowley and Geo. Sayer. In Aug. 1809, he took charge of a gun-boat, and was particularly mentioned by Sir Geo. Cockburn for his exertions at the bombardment of Flushing;[1] and on 15 Aug. 1810, he assumed command of the Anholt schooner, of 10 guns. His distinguished skill and gallantry, as second in command under Capt. Jas. Wilkes Maurice, at the glorious defence of Anholt, when attacked, in March, 1811, by a Danish force of at least four times the strength of the garrison, on which occasion he gave the coup-de-grâce to the defeat of the enemy by bearing down along the northern shore of the island, and placing them between two fires, was acknowledged, on his arrival in England with the despatches, by promotion to the rank of Commander, 8 April, 1811.[2] On 28 Oct. 1812, Capt. Baker was appointed to the Conflict 16, and on 18 March, 1814, to the Fairy 18, both on the North America station. In Aug. of the latter year he was present, up the Potomac, at the capture of Fort Washington and the capitulation of Alexandria; and, in the despatches of Capt. Jas. Alex. Gordon, again acquired especial praise for the zealous alacrity of his conduct on every one of those salient occasions of difficulty and danger which attended the ascent and descent of the river – but, above all, for the prominent part borne by him in rescuing the grounded Devastation from falling a sacrifice to the boats and fire-vessels of the enemy.[3] He subsequently brought home the despatches announcing the surrender of Guadeloupe, an event to which he had also, as officially testified, very creditably contributed, and was in consequence promoted to Post-rank, by commission dated 13 June, 1815,[4] and, about the same period, nominated a C.B. On 29 July, 1840, the subject of this memoir was selected by Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Digby to be his Flag-Captain in the Howe 120, at Sheerness, where, in Oct. following, a few days after his removal with the above officer to the Camperdown 104, he had the misfortune, while in attendance on the Lords of the Admiralty, to break his leg and receive other severe injuries; owing to which circumstance, and to his former services, he was granted, 19 Jan. 1842, a pension of 180l. He resigned the command of the Camperdown in Dec. 1841, and accepted the half-pay of retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Sir Henry Loraine Baker married, 27 June, 1820, Louisa Ann, only daughter of Wm. Williams, Esq., of Belmont House, South Lambeth, formerly M.P. for Weymouth, and by that lady has issue a son and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Chard.