A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Stroud, Henry
STROUD. (Captain, 1841. f-p., 20; h-p., 19.)
Henry Stroud entered the Navy, 2 Nov. 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Vanguard 74, Capts. Thos. Baker and Henry Rich. Glynn. In that ship, in which he continued until transferred, in Aug. 1811, as Midshipman (a rating he had attained in July, 1810), to the Vigo 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Manley Dixon, he was very fully engaged in affording security, during their passage through the Baltic, to various British and Swedish convoys; was in almost daily collision with the Danes, either in destroying their trade or in chasing their gun-boats; and on one occasion aided in repelling, with considerable loss to the enemy, the attack of a large flotilla. He saw, likewise, much boat-service. On his return in the Vigo from the Baltic, he removed, in Feb. 1812, to the Montagu 74, fitting for the flag of Rear-Admiral Dixon, who had been appointed to the chief- command on the coast of Brazil; where he continued actively employed until the summer of 1815 in the Nereus 42, Capt. Manley Hall Dixon, Albacore 18, Capt. Joseph Patey, and Valiant 74, bearing the flag of Admiral Dixon, and took part in the various operations occasioned by the war with the United States. In the Albacore in particular he aided, in Dec. 1814, in chasing the True-Blooded Yankee a mischievous privateer of 18 guns, into St. Salvador, where she was kept closely blockaded until sold to defray the expenses of her stay. He returned to England in July, 1815, in the Valiant; and in the ensuing Aug., at which period he was serving at Plymouth in the St. George 98, flag-ship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by a commission dated back to 9 of the preceding March. His succeeding appointments were, 8 June, 1824, and 5 March, 1825, to the Ramillies 74 and Hyperion 42, Coast Blockade ships, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye; and, as First-Lieutenant – 21 Sept. 1825, to the Hind 20, Capt. John Furneaux, equipping for the East Indies – 18 March, 1829 (on the latter vessel being sold), to the Andromeda, a new 46-gun frigate just launched at Bombay, which was brought home by Capt. Furneaux and the officers and crew of the Hind, and paid off, in Nov. of the same year – 25 Feb. 1830, to the Blanche 46, Commodore Arthur Farquhar, with whom he served on the North America and West India station until paid off on his return to England in Nov. 1833 – and 3 April, 1837, to the Asia 84, Capt. Wm. Fisher. While on her passage through the West Indies to join the Admiral, Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys, at Halifax, the Blanche was caught in a hurricane and for 18 hours was so pressed down upon her beam-ends as to be altogether unmanageable. On reaching her destination under a jury-rig, it was found necessary to subject her to nearly a thorough refit, including even a new bowsprit and new lower masts. During the insurrection of 1831-2 on the north side of the island of Jamaica, Mr. Stroud was for several weeks employed on shore in command of a detachment of seamen and marines for the purpose of co-operating with the military and militia, and of affording protection to the town of Montego Bay. While he was so engaged several ineffectual attempts were made by the insurgents to pass the outposts, set fire to the town, and destroy the magazines. On 26 Nov. 1832, in consequence of certain changes occasioned by the death of Sir E. G. Colpoys, Sir. Stroud was ordered to act as Commander of the Blanche; but on the arrival of the new Commander-in-Chief he resumed his former post of First-Lieutenant 18 April, 1833. On the paying off of the Blanche, having served for upwards of seven years in the capacity last mentioned in various ships, he made every exertion, but in vain, to obtain promotion. When, however, in the Asia, in the Mediterranean, he was advanced, 28 June, 1838, to the rank of Commander, and was immediately, 7 July, re-appointed to that ship as Second-Captain. Continuing in her until paid off in May, 1841, he was afforded an opportunity of figuring in many important scenes, was present throughout part of the operations on the coast of Syria, and assisted at the blockade of Alexandria. He was promoted in consequence to the rank he now holds on 30 Oct. in the latter year; and he is now on half-pay.
Capt. Stroud married, 21 May, 1844, Mary Ann, daughter of the late Edw. Cruse, Esq.