A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Bushby, Thomas
BUSHBY. (Captain, 1840. f-p., 24; h-p., 19.)
Thomas Bushby is brother of the late Capt. John Bushby, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 14 July, 1804, as Midshipman, on board the Spy 18, commanded by his brother, Capt. J. Bushby, under whom we find him for many months in continual collision with the Boulogne batteries and flotilla. From Oct. 1805, until Sept. 1808, he next served, on the Home and West and East India stations, in the Oberon 16, Capt. J. Bushby, Trusty 50, Capt. Brian Hodgson, Acasta 38, Capt. Philip Beaver, Wasp 18, Capt. John Haswell, and Monmouth 64, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Wm. O’Brien Drury, with the latter of whom he appears to have been present at the surrender of Tranquebar in 1808. After an attachment, as Master’s Mate, from Sept. in that year until 16 May, 1811, to the Princess Caroline and Cressy 74’s, both commanded by Capt. Chas. Dudley Pater on the North Sea and Baltic stations, Mr. Bushby, who passed his examination in Dec. 1810, became Acting-Lieutenant of the Belette 18, Capt. David Sloan, and, on 16 Aug. following, was confirmed into the Diligence 18, Capt. Abraham Lowe, also in the Baltic. On 28 March, 1812, he next joined the Herald 20, Capt. Geo. Jackson, in the West Indies, and on 27 Nov. 1812, he was appointed to the Junon 38, Capts. Jas. Sanders and Clotworthy Upton, on the North American station. In the course of 1813 he commanded the Junon’s boats on many gallant occasions; first, on 8 Feb., when, forming part of a squadron under Lieut. Kelly Nazer, they boarded, and in the most spirited style carried, the Lottery American letter-of-marque, of 6 12-pounder carronades and 28 men, a service for which the Commander-in-Chief returned his especial thanks; a few days afterwards, at the capture of the Cora, of 8 guns and 40 men; and again, under Lieut. Philip Westphal, at the rescue, 29 July, of the Martin 18, then aground in Delaware Bay, from a powerful flotilla, consisting of two block-vessels and eight gun-boats, one of which, after a brave defence, was taken with loss. Lieut. Bushby also co-operated in the attack upon Craney Island and the capture of Hampton. He subsequently served, between 1 Oct. 1814, and 30 June, 1815, with Capt. Henry Thos. Davies, Commodore Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo, and Capt. Wm. Bourchier, in the Prince Regent 56, St. Lawrence 98, and Montreal 18, on Lake Ontario; and he was thenceforward employed, in command of the Newash 6, and Sank 4, and as Superintendent of the Naval Establishment, on Lake Erie, until his return home in July, 1822, towards the close of which year, 26 Dec, he was advanced to the rank of Commander. On 28 Sept. 1832, he obtained an appointment in the Coast Guard, at Kingstown, Dublin, where he continued until Oct. 1835; and he, lastly, commanded, from 25 Jan. 1837, until placed out of commission in Aug. 1839, the Wanderer 16, employed in the active suppression of slavery on the North America and West India station. Since his promotion to Post-rank, 3 July, 1840, Capt. Bushby has been on half-pay. Agents – Coplands and Burnett.