A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Burniston, Hugh Somerville
BURNISTON. (Lieutenant, 1825.)
Hugh Somerville Burniston was born in 1796.
This officer entered the Navy, 5 Dec. 1808, on board the Caesar 80, Capt. Chas. Richardson, bearing the flag of Hon. Robt. Stopford; and, in the course of 1809, was present at the destruction of three heavy French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, also of the shipping in Aix Roads, and in the expedition to the Walcheren. In April, 1810, he accompanied Capt. Richardson into the Semiramis 36, in the boats of which frigate and of the Diana he assisted, 25 Aug. 1811, at the capture of a large convoy up the Gironde, and at the annihilation, under the fort of Royan, of Le Pluvier national brig, of 16 guns and 36 men. Mr. Bumiston next served for two years in the Mediterranean under Lord Exmouth, and was with that nobleman in the Queen Charlotte 100, at the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816. For his auxiliary conduct on two subsequent occasions, in saving, while belonging, in 1821-2, to the Severn 50, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, the life of a Dutch officer who had been wrecked, and also a French ship, the Julia, with the whole of her crew, he received, in consideration of the first exploit, a gold medal from the King of the Netherlands, valued at 25 ducats, and of the second, the thanks of the Royal Humane Society. He attained his present rank 27 May, 1825; and, since 3 Oct. in the same year, has been employed in the Coast Guard.
Lieut. Burniston married, in Aug. 1825, a daughter of A. Baxter, Esq., R.N., and has issue four sons.