A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lyster, Henry
LYSTER. (Captain, 1845. f-p., 25; h-p., 11.)
Henry Lyster entered the Navy, 28 Nov. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Mercury, Capt. Clement Milward, with whom he continued to serve as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Peruvian 16, and Herald 20, on the West India and North American stations until Oct. 1815. He was then for two years and a half employed on the coast of Africa in the Inconstant and Semiramis frigates, bearing each the broad pendant of Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo. On his arrival home in the autumn of 1818 he became for a few weeks attached to the Severn Coast Blockade ship, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch; after which he sailed for South America, and was there retained on service in the Slaney 20, Capts. Donat Henchy O’Brien and Henry Stanhope, until transferred, in June, 1822, to the Jupiter 60, Capt. Geo. Augustus Westphal, [fitting for the conveyance of Lord Amherst to Bengal. After having acted for six months as Lieutenant, he was confirmed in that rank, on the return of the Jupiter to England, 20 Jan. 1824; and he was next appointed – towards the close of the same year, to the Ferret sloop, Capt. Wm. Hobson, on the Jamaica station, whence he invalided in March 1826 – 4 July, 1831, as Senior to the Imogene, Capt. Price Blackwood, in which vessel, on proceeding to China, he assisted in forcing the passage of the Boca Tigris 9 Sept. 1834 – 18 March, 1836, to the Cornwallis 74, Capt. Robt. Worgan Geo. Festing, fitting at Plymouth – 12 July 1836, as First, to the Royal Adelaide 104, flag-ship at that port of Lord Amelius Beauclerk, under whom he served for a period of nearly three years – and 2 April, 1840, in a similar capacity, to the Vanguard 80, Capt. Sir David Dunn, on the Mediterranean station. Obtaining a second promotal commission 23 Nov. 1841, he was appointed, 3 March, 1842, to the Second-Captaincy of the Agincourt 72, fitting for the flag of Sir Thos. John Cochrane, Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies. On 18 Aug. 1845 [errata 1], being at the time Acting-Captain of that ship, he assumed charge, as second in command under Capt. Chas. Talbot, of the boats of a squadron carrying altogether 530 officers, seamen, and marines, and by his valorous conduct materially contributed to the destruction of the piratical settlement of Malloodoo, on the north end of the island of Borneo, where the British, owing to a desperate opposition, experienced a loss of 6 men killed and 15 wounded. During the operations he was for upwards of an hour undauntedly engaged, under a well-sustained fire from 11 of the enemy’s guns, not 200 yards distant, in endeavouring to effect an opening through a remarkably well-constructed boom which had been placed across the river to obstruct the progress of the British; and in which he ultimately succeeded. He was in consequence confirmed in his present rank by a commission dated back to 30 of the previous June. He returned home in 1846, and has since been on half-pay.
Capt. Lyster married, in April, 1831, at Wexford, Elizabeth, second daughter of the late General Hatton.