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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Tryon, Henry

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1980456A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Tryon, HenryWilliam Richard O'Byrne

TRYON. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 7; h-p., 31.)

Henry Tryon entered the Navy, 14 Jan. 1809, as Ordinary, on board the Sirius 36, Capt. Sam. Pym. Under that officer he assisted at the capture, in Sept. 1809, of the town of St. Paul’s, Ile de Bourbon, together with all the shipping in the harbour, consisting of La Caroline French frigate, two prize Indiamen, and a brig-of-war. He contributed also, in July, 1810, to the reduction of the Ile de Bourbon itself; and in the following month he took part, as Midshipman, in a series of valorous, but unsuccessful operations which, by the 28th, terminated in the self-destruction, in Port Sud-Est, Isle of France, of the Sirius and Magicienne 36’s, and the capture, by a powerful French squadron, of the Néréide and Iphigenia frigates. In the following Dec, having been exchanged, he was afforded, on board the Bombay Anne, an opportunity of aiding at the conquest of the Mauritius. On his return to England in La Manche, one of the prizes there taken, he joined, in May, 1811, the Havannah 36, Capts. Hon. Geo. Cadogan, Edw. Reynolds Sibly, and Gawen Wm. Hamilton; employed at first in the Channel and subsequently in the Adriatic and on the coast of North America. In the Adriatic he saw much active service, was wounded at the cutting-out of some vessels off Tremiti, and obtained a gold medal from the Austrian Government for his conduct at the capture, after an investment of 13 days, of the strong fortress of Zara, mounting 110 guns, 7 large mortars, and 11 howitzers, and garrisoned by 2000 veteran troops under the command of Baron Roise. While on the American station he was present in the attack upon Baltimore, and was again, in Dec. 1814, wounded and taken prisoner in a cutting-out affair on the river Potomac. He regained his liberty at the peace; and on 18 March, 1815, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. From 6 Sept. until 14 Nov. 1837 he officiated as Admiralty-Agent on board a contract mail steam-vessel. With the exception of that short interval he has not been afloat since the war.

The Lieutenant is married and has issue.