A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stewart, Peter Benson
STEWART. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 4.)
Peter Benson Stewart, born 6 Dec. 1808, is fourth son of the late Wm. Stewart, Esq., of Horn Head, co. Donegal. One of his ancestors was a Captain in William III.’s army at the battle of the Boyne.
This officer entered the Navy, 11 April, 1822, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Active 46, Capts. Andrew King and Hon. Robt. Rodney, stationed at first in the Channel and then in the Mediterranean, where, in 1824, he was for six months engaged at the blockade of Algiers, and took part in the demonstration made by Sir Harry Burrard Neale before that place. He coniinued to serve in the Active, in the capacity of Midshipman, until Aug. 1825. Being then paid off, he was next, from March, 1826, until June, 1831, and from July in the latter year until Nov. 1836, employed in the Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Edw. Durnford King and Hon. Duncombe Pleydell Bouverie, and Beagle 10, Capt. Robt. FitzRoy. In the former ship he was stationed off Lisbon and again in the Mediterranean; and in the Beagle, in which vessel he circumnavigated the globe, he aided in surveying the coast of South America. Having passed his examination 28 Nov. 1828, he was at length, 10 Jan. 1837, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His succeeding appointments were – 12 July, 1837, to the Alligator 28, Capt. Sir Jas. John Gordon Bremer, in which vessel, after assisting in the formation of a colony at Port Essington, in Australia, he proceeded to the East Indies – 22 June, 1840, to the acting-command of the Hyacinth, off the Canton river – 15 July following, again, as First-Lieutenant, to the Alligator, then commanded by Capt. Augustus Leopold Kuper – and, 9 July, 1841, to the command of the Royalist 10. While serving in the Alligator he assisted, during the operations on the coast of China, at the destruction of the Bogue Forts. He landed, also, at the storming, 27 Feb. 1841, of the enemy’s works close to Whampoa Reach, where 54 pieces of cannon were taken; served in the boats, on 13 March, at the capture of several rafts and of the last fort protecting the approaches to Canton; and, while participating in the second series of hostilities against that city, was mentioned for the activity with which, in command of the Alligator’s boats, he towed clear of that vessel a body of fire-rafts sent by the Chinese to effect her destruction.[1] In addition to these services he took part in the attack upon Amoy, and was in command of the boats when they drove on shore three large row-galleys of very superior force, and destroyed a war-junk. In Feb. 1842, having been advanced to the rank of Commander 8 June preceding, he left the Royalist; and since 13 Feb. 1845 he has been employed as an Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard.
Commander Stewart married, 16 July, 1844, Charlotte Augusta, eldest daughter of Capt. John Foote, R.N.Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1841, pp. 1501, 1503, 2504, 2505.