A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Benett, Charles Cowper
BENETT. (Commander, 1814. f-p., 10; h-p., 36.)
Charles Cowper Benett, a lineal descendant of John Benett, Sheriff of Wilts in 51 Henry III., is great-grandson of his Grace Dr. Wm. Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury; and eldest son of the Rev. John Benett, LL.D., Rector of Donhead St. Andrew, co. Wilts, and of Ower Moigne, co. Dorset, by Frances, sister of Sir Thos. Turton, Bart. Mr. Wm. Wake Benett, a brother of Commander Benett, also in the R.N., was killed in action.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pelican sloop, Capt. Geo. M‘Kinley, whom he accompanied, 20 Dec. 1801, as Midshipman, into the Abergavenny 54, and next into the Ganges 74, on the Jamaica station, where he continued to serve, until the autumn of 1806, in the Hercule 74, Capt. Solomon Ferris, Cumberland 74, Capt. Fred. Cottrill, and Theseus 74, and Surveillante frigate, both commanded by Capt. John Bligh. Under that officer, at the commencement of 1804, he assisted in the attack on the island of Curaçoa, and in the course of some very successful cruizing participated in the capture of several privateers and, we believe, of 40 sail of merchantmen, besides witnessing the reduction of the Spanish island of St. Andreas. After an attachment of some weeks to the Magnificent 74, Capt. Geo. Eyre, lying at Deptford, Mr. Benett served for 17 months with Sir Sam. Hood in the Centaur 74, and attended during that period the expedition to Copenhagen under Lord Gambier. Acquiring the rank of Lieutenant, 11 April, 1808, he further joined – 3 June, 1808, the Vanguard 74, Capt. Thos. Baker, with whom he served in the Baltic until Aug. 1809 – and, 9 July and 19 Oct. 1812, the Cornwall 74, Capt. John Broughton, and Impregnable 98, flag-ship of Admiral Wm. Young, both on the Mediterranean station. Since his promotion to his present rank, which took place 15 June, 1814, Commander Benett has been on half-pay.
He married, in 1810, Sarah, daughter of Wm. Burlton, Esq., of Donhead St. Andrew. His eldest son, Wm. Morgan, married, 17 April, 1843, Barbara Sarah, youngest daughter of the late Commander Waring, R.N.