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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Baldwin, Augustus

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1631388A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Baldwin, AugustusWilliam Richard O'Byrne

BALDWIN. (Captain, 1817. f-p.,20; h-p.,33.)

Augustus Baldwin entered the Navy, in May, 1794, on board the Trompeuse sloop, Capt. John Erskine Douglas, with whom he continued uninterruptedly and actively to serve, on the Home and Halifax stations, in the same vessel, and in the Garland 28 and Boston 32, of which latter frigate he was created a Lieutenant, 28 June, 1800, until Dec. 1804. He then joined the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flags, in succession, of Sir Robt. Calder, Sir Jas. Saumarez, Sir Edw. Thombrough, and Lord Gambler; and while in that ship was present in the action of 22 July, 1805, and also at the attack upon Copenhagen in Sept. 1807. Early in Jan. 1808, he became First of the Implacable 74, Capt. Thos. Byam Martin, and, on 26 Aug. following, he highly distinguished himself, and was officially reported as being a most thoroughly deserving officer for his conduct, in a gallant engagement of 20 minutes with the Russian 74-gun ship Sewolod, which was completely silenced, and shortly afterwards, with the assistance of the Centaur 74, captured and burnt, in sight of the whole Russian fleet near Rogerswick; on which occasion the enemy sustained a total loss of 303 men, and the British, in both ships, of not more than 62.[1] Mr. Baldwin, whose behaviour was rewarded with a Commander’s commission, dated 19 Sept. in the same year, did not however succeed in procuring further employment afloat until 7 Feb. 1812, when he was appointed to the Tyrian brig, in which he served in the Channel until posted, 1 Jan. 1817. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.

Capt. Baldwin married Augusta Mary Melissa, daughter of John Mills Jackson, Esq. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1808, p. 1283.