A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Dutton, Benjamin
DUTTON. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 13; h-p., 35.)
Benjamin Dutton entered the Navy, 24 Oct. 1799, as A.E., on board the Anacreon brig, Lieut.Commander John Guyon; as Midshipman of which vessel, we find him present, the year following, in an action with a French brig and cutter-of-war off St. Valery. Between Oct. 1802, and Aug. 1808, he served in the Charger and Aggressor gun-brigs, Lieut.-Commanders Reede, Blow, and Watson, on the Home and Baltic stations. He then in succession became Acting Sub-Lieutenant of the gun-brigs Brevdrageren and Centinel, Lieut.-Commanders Dennis and King, and in the latter vessel assisted, in 1808, in beating off a whole Danish flotilla. In Aug. 1811 Mr, Dutton was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Dictator 64, Capts. Robt. Williams and Jas. Pattison Stewart, and, being confirmed to that ship by commission dated 19 Nov. in the same year, was subsequently, on 6 July, 1812, present, in company’ with the Calypso 18, Podargus 14, and Flamer gun-brig, at the gallant capture and destruction, within the rocks of Mardoe, on the coast of Norway, of an entire squadron, consisting of the Nayaden of 48 guns, the Laland, Samsoe and Kiel sloops, and several gun-boats, after a long conflict which occasioned the Dictator a loss of 5 men killed and 24 wounded, and the Danes of 300 killed and wounded. This officer – whose next appointment was, 25 Oct. 1813, to the Urgent 14, Capt. Gamaliel Fitzmaurice, on the Channel station – invalided 9 May, 1814. He has not since been employed.