A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Smith, Benjamin
SMITH. (Retired Commander, 1836.)
Benjamin Smith died about the commencement of 1848.
This officer entered the Navy, previously to Aug. 1790 (at which period he attained the rating of Midshipman), on board the Hannibal 74, Capt. John Colpoys, attached to the force on the Home station. In March, 1792, he removed to the Hussar frigate, Capt. Rupert George, at Halifax; and from the close of that year until made Lieutenant, 6 Nov. 1795, into the Sylph sloop, Capt. John Chambers White, he was employed in the Mediterranean and Channel in the Thetis and Leda frigates, Capts. Geo. Campbell, Hon. Wm. Paget, and John Woodley, Alcide 74, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Philip Cosby, and Triumph 74, Capt. Sir Erasmus Gower. He was present in the Leda in a rencontre with two French frigates near Toulon, at the occupation of that place and the siege of Bastia, and in another action with two frigates off Cadiz; and in the Triumph, in Cornwallis’s retreat, 16 and 17 June, 1795. In the Sylph he assisted at the capture, in May and Sept. 1796, of the Mercury Dutch brig of 16 guns and Phoenix French privateer of 4 guns and 32 men. He was on board the same vessel in July, 1797, when by a well-directed fire she prevented the crew of the French 36-gun frigate Calliope, on shore near the Penmarcks, from using any means to save their ship or stores; and in the following month he was in her in an attack made upon a French convoy at the entrance of Sable d’Olonne, and at the capture of five coasting-vessels and the destruction of Le Petit Diable French cutter of 18 guns and 100 men. In the affair with the Calliope the Sylph had 6 of her people wounded, and with the convoy at Sable d’Olonne 2 killed and 4 wounded. From March, 1798, until April, 1802, Mr. Smith served on various parts of the Home station in the Lion 64, Capt. Manley Dixon, Tigre 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Sidney Smith, America 64, Capt. John Smith (part of the force engaged in the expedition to Holland in 1799), Royal George 100, Capt. Wm. Domett, and Texel 64, Capts. Rich. Incledon and Henry Garrett; from July, 1803, until June, 1805, he was employed in the Sea Fencibles; he then joined the Audacious 74, Capt. John Lawford, lying at Plymouth; and from Aug. 1805 until July, 1811, and from Oct. 1813 until Dec. 1814, he had charge of a Signal station in the counties of Denbigh and Devon. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior list 31 Dec. 1830, and on the Senior 24 March, 1836.
Commander Smith married, 4 Aug. 1841, Mrs. Ann Nibbs, widow, formerly of Liverpool. His only daughter, by a former marriage, is the wife of Lieut. W. S. Bradley, R.N. Agent – J. Hinxman.