A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Binstead, Cheesman Henry
BINSTEAD. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 26; h-p., 11.)
Cheesman Henry Binstead entered the Navy, 10 June, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Pallas 36, Capt. Edwards Lloyd Graham, on the North Sea station, where he assisted at the capture and destruction of several Danish privateers. He subsequently became Midshipman, under the same Captain, of the Alcmene 38, and, after participating in the seizure of many vessels, and the blockade, during a whole winter, of the French fleet in Toulon, joined, in Feb. 1814, the Caledonia 120, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Pellew. In that ship Mr. Binstead commanded the maintop in a skirmish, on 13 of the latter month, with the French 74 Romulus, and took part in various other slight encounters with the enemy, besides sharing in the siege of Genoa. He next served in the Cossack 22, Capt. Hon. Algernon Percy, on the North American station, Eridanus 36, Capt. Wm. King, in the Channel, and Liverpool 50, Capt. Arthur Farquhar, at the Cape of Good Hope; passed his examination 3 July, 1816; and, having rejoined Lord Exmouth in the Queen Charlotte 100, was present, 27 Aug. following, at the battle of Algiers. From 1817 until the death of Buonaparte in May, 1821, we find him, in the Blossom 24, Capts. Fred. Hickey and Fred. Edw. Venables Vernon, arduously employed on the Brazilian coast, in the South Seas, and off St. Helena; after which he again joined the Queen Charlotte, flagship at Portsmouth of Sir Jas. Hawkins Whitshed, and, in 1823, was received on board the Owen Glendower 42, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Sir Robt. Mends on the western coast of Africa. While on the latter station, Mr. Binstead, who was frequently sent up the rivers for weeks at a time in an open boat in pursuit of different slavers, served on shore at Cape Coast Castle during the Ashantee war, was present in several attacks made by the enemy, and witnessed the death of General Sir Chas. M‘Carthy. He returned home in March, 1824, with a constitution severely impaired from the fevers of the climate, as Acting-Lieutenant of the Owen Glendower; obtained his commission on 10 April; and, in July following, was appointed to the Ganges 84, Capt. Patrick Campbell, lying in Portsmouth Harbour. On 23 Nov. 1826, Lieut. Binstead, with Capt. John Hayes, the constructor, joined the Challenger 28, an experimental frigate, afterwards commanded by Lord Adolphus FitzClarence, in which he continued until July, 1828, when he was nominated Agent for Transports afloat. During the six years of his being so employed he conveyed upwards of 40,000 troops to the colonies – assisted in shifting the naval establishment from Gibraltar to Malta – succeeded on numerous occasions in saving the lives of soldiers who had accidentally fallen overboard – and was twice the means of preserving a transport-ship from destruction. In the discharge of all the trying duties that devolved on him he obtained the flattering encomiums of his several Commanders-in-Chief, and was further honoured -with the approbation of the Admiralty. He subsequently served at Portsmouth, as Senior Lieutenant to Sir Edw. Codrington, in the Britannia, Queen, and St. Vincent, first-rates, from 19 April, 1839, until advanced to his present rank, 23 Nov. 1841. He has since been on half-pay.
Commander Binstead married, 7 July, 1833, Emily, third daughter of John Fulleck, Esq., of Liphook, co. Hants, and has issue three children. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.