A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Boyter, Alexander
BOYTER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 31; h-p., 10.)
Alexander Boyter entered the Navy, 10 March, 1806, as Midshipman, on board the Volontaire 46, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy, then at the Cape of Good Hope; and, from July following until Sept. 1815 (except from Dec. 1812 to March, 1814, when he appears to have been employed with the same officer in the Channel, on board the Hotspur 36), served with Capt. Hen. Hope, the greater part of the time as Master’s Mate, in the Espoir brig, Glatton 54, Leonidas 38, Topaze 38, Salsette 36, and Endymion, of 48 guns and 319 men, on the Mediterranean and North American stations. During that period he served, on the night of 31 Oct. 1809, in the boats of the Topaze, and of a squadron under Lieut. John Tailour, at the capture and destruction, after a furious struggle, and a loss to the British of 15 men killed and 55 wounded, of the store-ship Lamproie, of 16 guns and 116 men, bombards Victoire and Grandeur, and armed xebec Normande, with a convoy of 7 merchantmen, defended by numerous strong batteries, in the Bay of Rosas.[1] He also, in 1810, witnessed the taking by the Topaze of a privateer and battery at the entrance of the river Barbate. While in the Endymion, Mr. Boyter was severely wounded, 9 Oct. 1814, in an ill-fated boat attack on the American privateer Prince de Neufchatel, of 18 guns and 130 men, on which occasion the British were repulsed, with a loss of 28 killed and 37 wounded; and slightly, at the memorable capture, after an action of two hours and a half, a loss to the enemy of 35 killed and 70 wounded, and to the British of 11 killed and 14 wounded, of the President frigate, of 56 guns and 465 men, 15 Jan. 1815. We are informed that the subject of this memoir was present on shore at the battle of North Point. He obtained his commission on 18 Feb. 1815, and continued in the Endymion, latterly in the Channel, until paid off as above. He was appointed, 17 Oct. 1825, to the Coast Guard, and in that service he remained until invested with the command, 4 Aug. 1842, of the Pike steam-packet, now employed on the Portpatrick station.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1907.