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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Andrews, Benjamin

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1625006A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Andrews, BenjaminWilliam Richard O'Byrne

ANDREWS. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 11; h-p., 31.)

Benjamin Andrews was born, 28 Dec. 1794, in London.

This officer entered the Navy, 4 Oct. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Savage 16, Capts. Jas. Wilkes Maurice, Wm. Robilliard, and Wm. Perrie. During a servitude of more than five years in that sloop he assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture, in 1808, of the Spanish privateer Don Quixote, and was present at the reduction, in 1809-10, of the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. After a further attachment to the Curieux 16, and Theseus 74, Capts. Colin Campbell and Wm. Prowse, in the latter of which ships we find him employed in escorting the East India trade, Mr. Andrews, about the end of 1813, became Master’s Mate of the Hebrus, of 42 guns and 284 men, Capt. Edm. Palmer, under whom, on 27 March, 1814, he commanded the forecastle guns, and received three severe contusions at the capture of the French frigate L’Etoile, of 44 guns and 315 men, which surrendered after a close and obstinate combat of two hours and a quarter, that cost the British a loss of 13 men killed and 25 wounded, and the enemy of 40 killed and 73 wounded. He afterwards, while in the same ship, assisted in landing a body of troops up the Patuxent, witnessed the destruction of Commodore Barney’s flotilla, and was further present at the re-embarkation of the army after the capture of Washington. In Nov. 1814, having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 27 of the previous May, Mr. Andrews joined the Wasp 18, Capt. John Fisher, on the Halifax station, where he continued until Sept. 1815. He next, from 7 Nov. 1818, to 4 Feb. 1819, served in the Coast Blockade as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Severn 40, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, but since the latter date has been on half-pay.

He married 28 Aug. 1826. Agents – Goode and Lawrence.