Royal Naval Biography/Garrett, Henry
HENRY GARRETT, Esq
Commissioner of the Victualling at Portsmouth. (Resident at the Royal Hospital, Haslar.)
[Post-Captain of 1799.]
If we mistake not, this officer is a son of the late Daniel Garrett, of Portsmouth, co. Hants, Esq. He was born in 1774; entered the naval service in 1787; and served his time as a Midshipman on board the Hebe frigate, under the command of the present Sir Edward Thornbrough, and the late Captain Alexander Hood.
In June 1793, Mr. Garrett was made a Lieutenant, and appointed to the Princess Royal of 98 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Goodall; during the occupation of Toulon by the allied forces, he served on shore with a party of seamen belonging to that ship[1].
Lieutenant Garrett obtained the command of the Trial cutter, armed with eight long 3-pounders, and four 12-pr. carronades, in Dec. 1796; captured le Courier de la Mer, a French brig privateer of 12 guns, near Portland, July 25, 1797; and assisted at the destruction of la Confiante frigate, and a republican cutter, off Havre, May 1, 1798[2]. Towards the close of the same year, he was promoted to the rank of Commander, in the Alecto fire-ship; and in April 1799, appointed to the Calypso sloop of war. His post commission bears date Sept. 16, 1799.
Our officer’s next appointment was, early in 1802, to the Texel of 64 guns; which ship was soon after paid off at Chatham, in consequence of the peace of Amiens. At the renewal of hostilities in 1803, we find him commanding the Southampton district of Sea Fencibles; and from Sept. 1805, till Aug. 1808, the Kent 74, Ville de Paris, and Royal Sovereign, first rates. During the remainder of the war, he superintended the Victualling department at Deptford, where he continued till Feb. 1820, at which period he received his present appointment.
Mrs. Garret died in child-bed Aug. 26, 1812. The Commissioner’s eldest son, a promising young man, was acting as a Lieutenant of the Curlew, and died at Bombay in Nov. 1819. His sister (also deceased) married Captain (now Admiral) Purvis.