A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Butcher, Samuel
BUTCHER. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1840. f-p., 25; h-p., 36.)
Samuel Butcher, born 30 Oct. 1770, at Cople, co. Bedford, is a near relative of the late Admiral Sir Robt. Barlow, G.C.B., and of the present Capt. Chas. Anstruther Barlow, R.N., C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 Feb. 1786, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Barracouta cutter, Lieut.-Commander Robt. Barlow, actively employed against the smugglers of the Channel; served, from Nov. 1788, until June, 1791, as A.B., in the Salisbury, flag-ship at Newfoundland of Admiral Milbanke; then rejoined Capt. Barlow, as Master’s Mate, in the Childers 16, attached to the force in the Channel; and, on his subsequent removal to the Queen 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Alan Gardner, witnessed the unfortunate attack on Martinique in 1793, and was present with Lord Howe in the actions of 28 and 29 May and 1 June, 1794, the two last days as Acting-Lieutenant. He was confirmed to the Aquilon 32, Capt. R. Barlow, 17 July following, and was First of that frigate when she acted as one of Lord Bridport’s repeaters in the action with the French fleet off Ile de Groix, 23 June, 1795. On 9 Oct. following Mr. Butcher was appointed to the Sans Pareil 80, fitting for the flag of Lord Hugh Seymour, with whom he continued to serve, in the Channel and West Indies, until 28 April, 1800, when he was promoted by that nobleman to the command of the Guachapin brig, of 14 4-pounder and 2 18-pounder carronades, with a complement of 65 men and boys. On 21 April, 1801 (a few weeks previously to which period, 19 Feb., his appointment had been confirmed), Capt. Butcher very gallantly, under cover of the Guachapin’s fire, cut a privateer out of the Bay of Aguada, Porto Rico, although lashed to the shore and defended by two formidable batteries and a whole range of howitzers and small arms; and, on 16 Aug. in the same year, he proved himself worthy of all praise by the capture, after a sterling conflict of two hours and a half, the yards of the two ships being part of the time locked together, of the Spanish letter-of-marque La Teresa, carrying (with 120 men) 2 long 18-pounder, 10 long 12-pounder, and 6 36-pounder carronades.[1] For these and other valuable services he was advanced to Post-rank 29 April, 1802. He afterwards, from March, 1804, until Dec. 1808, commanded a district of Sea Fencibles in Ireland; and was next, on 18 Nov. and 21 Dec. 1812, appointed, in succession, to the Barham 74, and Antelope 50. In the latter ship he was for some time employed in protecting the trade in the Great Belt, and while on that service was particularly successful in capturing the enemy’s gun-boats and privateers. On 1 March, 1814, having joined the fleet in the Roompot under Admiral Wm. Young, he was sent with two ships to reinforce a squadron of frigates in the West Scheldt. Owing, however, to the disablement of one of her pilots, and the desertion of the other, the Antelope, while in the act of forcing the Hondt passage for that purpose, unfortunately took the ground abreast of Flushing, and for 48 hours lay exposed to an incessant discharge of shells from the batteries of the place. She was, however, to the astonishment of the whole Roompot fleet, ultimately got off in safety through the colossal exertions of her officers and ship’s company, who justly received the unqualified acknowledgments of the Commander-in-Chief and of the Board of Admiralty. Capt. Butcher, by order from the Lord High Admiral, was subsequently, on the occasion of the grand levee at Portsmouth, presented to the Prince Regent, by Rear-Admiral Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood, as “the officer who had so highly distinguished himself in the Scheldt.” He paid off the Antelope, after a voyage to Quebec, 22 Dec. 1815, and has not since been afloat. His advancement to Flag-rank took place 17 Aug. 1840.
Rear-Admiral Butcher married, 4 Feb. 1806, Elizabeth, daughter of Rich. Townsend Herbert, Esq, of Caharneen, co. Kerry, and has issue five sons and three daughters.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1801, p. 1283.