A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Barnard, Edward (a)
BARNARD. (Captain, 1817. f-p., 24; h-p., 26.)
Edward Barnard entered the Navy, 12 May, 1797, as A.B., on board the Sirius 36, Capts. Rich. King and Wm. Prowse, and attained the rating of Midshipman in August following. On 24 Oct. 1798, when off the Texel, he aided in capturing the two Dutch frigates Waakzaamheid of 26, and Furie, of 36 guns, with French troops, arms, and ammunition on board, destined for the use of the disaffected in Ireland – the latter vessel after a running fight of half an hour. He further assisted, on 28 Jan. 1801, in taking the French 36-gun frigate Dédaigneuse off Cape Finisterre, after a chase of two days; and, on the return of hostilities, was very actively engaged on the coast of France. On 9 May, 1805, Mr. Barnard, who had passed his examination in Dec. 1803, rejoined Capt. King, as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Achille 74, one of Lord Collingwood’s blockading squadron before Cadiz. At the close of the battle of Trafalgar, in which he had the fortune to participate, we find him taking possession of the French 74-gun ship Berwick, in which he remained until wrecked in the six days’ gale that ensued. His appointment to the Achille being confirmed 7 Jan. 1806, he continued to serve in that ship under Sir Rich. King for an additional period of five years, and was consequently present with Sir Sam. Hood’s squadron at the pursuit and capture, 25 Sept. 1806, of the four French frigates from Rocheforte, besides contributing to the bombardment of Flushing in Aug. 1809, and sharing for 10 months in the arduous boat-service at the defence of Cadiz in 1810. From Feb. 1811, until April, 1812, he was next, under the same Captain, attached to the San Josef 110, flag-ship in the Mediterranean and Channel of Sir Chas. Cotton; and on the former assuming, as Rear-Admiral, a command off Toulon, with his flag in the San Josef, became, in April, 1818, his Signal-Lieutenant, in which capacity he bore a part in the attacks on the French fleet of 5 Nov. 1813, and 13 Feb. 1814. On the death of Capt. Wm. Stewart, the Flag-Captain, during the San Josef’s passage home in July of the latter year, Lieut. Barnard was invested with the command in his stead, and on his arrival in England was officially promoted 10 Aug. following. His next appointment was, 17 Dec. 1816, to the Bacchus 18, on the East India station, where he was posted by the Commander-in-Chief, his friend Sir Rich. King, into the Conway, of 26 guns, 4 July, 1817. From that period until 20 Jan. 1820, we find him employed in protecting the trade in the Persian Gulf, and in suppressing the slave-traffic in the Isle of France. Capt. Barnard’s subsequent appointments appear to have been – 15 Aug. 1833, to the Ocean 80, flagship of his patron Sir R. King, at Sheerness, where he remained until the death of that gallant officer in Sept. 1834 – 25 Jan. 1839, to the Hercules 74, in which he conveyed troops from the West Indies to North America, and afterwards to Lisbon – and, 31 Jan. 1840, to the Cambkidge 78, part of the force subsec[uently employed during the operations on the coast of Syria, and the blockade of Alexandria. He paid the Cambridge off 26 Jan. 1843, and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Capt. Barnard married, in Aug. 1811, Miss Mary Parkin, and by that lady has, with four daughters, five sons, of whom four are in the service of their country; viz. – Frederick Lamport and Edward King, Lieutenants, R.N. – John James, a Midshipman – and Charles Loudon, Second Lieutenant, R.M. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.