Royal Naval Biography/Byng, Henry Dilkes
HON. HENRY DILKES BYNG.
[Post-Captain of 1814.]
Is the fourth son of John, fifth Viscount Torrington, and a brother to the noble peer whose long and arduous services, in every quarter of the globe, we have recorded at p. 652, et seq. of our first volume.
Mr. Henry D. Byng first embarked, in 1797, on board the St. Albans 64, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral George Vandeput, who placed him under the care of Captain S. G. Church, commanding la Topaze frigate, on the Halifax station, June 20, 1798.
From that ship he was removed, Dec. 22 following, to the Madras 54, Captain John Dilkes, with whom he sailed for the Cape of Good Hope and China, about the end of 1799. The Madras had previously been attached to the North Sea fleet, under Admiral Lord Duncan[1].
We next find Mr. Henry Byng serving as master’s-mate of the Galatea 32, under the command of his eldest brother[2]; in which active and well disciplined frigate he continued from Jan. 13, 1801, until April 26, 1802. During the peace of Amiens, he successively joined the Centaur 74, flag-ship at Plymouth; and the Imogene 18, Captain Henry Vaughan; with whom he again visited the Cape of Good Hope. On ihe 7th April, 1803, he was discharged from that sloop into the Texel 64, Captain George Byng, who, as we have before stated, was then the senior officer of all the block-ships stationed in the river Medway.
The subject of this memoir was one of the master’s-mates of the Texel, whom we have also mentioned, as having been promoted by Earl St. Vincent, on his retirement from the Admiralty[3]. His first commission bears date May 6, 1804; from which period, he was almost constantly employed, in different ships abroad, until appointed by Sir John B. Warren, to command the Bream schooner, on the Halifax station, in July, 1809.
In Oct. following. Lieutenant Byng received an order from the same officer to act as commander of the Goree sloop; which appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, Dec. 12, 1809.
At the commencement of the war between Great Britain and the United States, Captain Henry Byng captured the Ranger, an American ship from the Pacific Ocean bound to Nantucket, with a cargo of considerable value.
The Goree being converted into a prison-ship at Bermuda, in Mar. 1813, he was then removed to the Mohawk brig, which vessel formed part of a detachment sent by Sir J. B. Warren, to penetrate the rivers at the head of the Chesapeake, for the purpose of cutting off the enemy’s supplies, and destroying their foundries, stores, and public works.
“The enterprise,” says Sir John B. Warren, “was conducted with diatinguidhed ability and gallantry under Rear.Admiral Cockburn, and most zealously and bravely executed by Captains Burdett, Lawrence, and Byng, their officers and men. I trust, that when their lordships consider, that this service was performed in the interior of the enemy’s country, where the detachment was frequently opposed by superior force, and in a difficult and unknown navigation, that the behaviour of the officers and men will entitle them to their lordships’ favor and protection.”
The detachment consisted of the Maidstone frigate. Fantome 16, Mohawk 16, four-armed tenders, 180 seamen and 200 marines from the naval brigade, and a small party of royal artillery. Captain Henry Byng’s particular share in the business will be seen by the following letter from Rear-Admiral Cockburn to the commander-in-chief, dated off the Sasafras river, May 6, 1813:–
“Sir,– I have the honor to acquaint you, that, understanding Georgetown and Frederickstown, situated up the Sasafras river, were places of some trade and importance; and the Sasafras being the only river or place of shelter for vessels at this upper extremity of the Chesapeake, which I had not examined and cleared, I directed last night the assembling of the boats alongside the Mohawk, from whence, with the marines as before[4], under Captains Wybourn and Carter, with my friend Lieutenant Robertson of the artillery, and his small party, they proceeded up this river; being placed by me, for this operation, under the immediate directions of Captain Byng, of the Mohawk.
“I intended that they should arrive before the above-mentioned towns by dawn of day; but in this I was frustrated by the intricacy of the river, our total want of local knowledge in it, the darkness of the night, and the great distance the towns lay up it; it, therefore, unavoidably became late in the morning before we approached them, when, having intercepted a small boat with two of the inhabitants, I directed Captain Byng to halt our boats about 2 miles below the towns, and I sent forward the two Americans in their boat, to warn their countrymen against acting in the same rash manner the people of Havre de Grace had done; assuring them, if they did, that their towns would inevitably meet with a similar fate; but, on the contrary, if they did not attempt resistance, no injury should be done to them or their towns; that vessels and public property only would be seized; that the strictest discipline would be maintained; and that whatever provisions, or other property of individuals, I might require for the use of the squadron, should be instantly paid for in its fullest value; after having allowed sufficient time for this message to be digested, and their resolution taken thereon, I directed the boats to advance, and I am sorry to say, I soon found the more unwise alternative was adopted; for on our reaching within about a mile of the towns, between two projecting elevated points of the river, a most heavy fire of musketry was opened on us from about 400 men, divided and intrenched on the two opposite banks, aided by one long gun: the launches and rocket-boat smartly returned this fire, with good effect; and, with the other boats and the marines, I pushed ashore immediately above the enemy’s position, thereby ensuring the capture of his towns, or the bringing him to a decided action. He determined, however, not to risk the latter, for the moment he discerned we had gained the shore, and that the marines had fixed their bayonets, he fled with his whole force to the woods, and was neither seen nor heard of afterwards, though several parties were sent out to ascertain whether he had taken up any new position, or what had become of him. I gave him, however, the mortification of seeing, from wherever he had hid himself, that I was keeping my word, with respect to the towns, which, excepting the houses of those who had continued peaceably in them, and had taken no part in the attack made on us, were forthwith destroyed, as were four vessels lying in the river, and some stores of sugar, lumber, leather, and other merchandize; I then directed the re-embarkation of our small force, and we proceeded down the river again, to a town I had observed, situated in a branch of it, about half-way up; and here I had the satisfaction to find, that what had passed at Havre, Georgetown, and Frederickstown, had its effect, and led these people to understand, that they had more to hope for from our generosity, than from erecting batteries, and opposing us by means within their power; the inhabitants of this place having met me at landing, to say that they had not permitted either guns or militia to be stationed there, and that whilst there I should not meet with any opposition whatever. I therefore landed with the officers and a small guard only; and having ascertained that there was no public property of any kind, or warlike stores, and having allowed of such articles as we stood in need of being embarked in the boats, on payment to the owners of their full value, I again re-embarked, leaving the people of this place well pleased with the wisdom of their determination on their mode of receiving us; I also had a deputation from Charlestown, in the N.E. river, to assure me that that place is considered by them at your mercy, and that neither guns nor militia-men shall be suflered there; and as lI am assured that all the places in the upper part of the Chesapeake have adopted similar resolutions, and as there is now neither public property, vessels, nor warlike stores remaining in this neighbourhood, I propose returning to you with the light squadron to-morrow morning.
“I am sorry to say, the hot fire we were under this morning cost us 5 men wounded, one only, however, severely; and I have much satisfaction in being able to bear testimony to you, of the zeal, gallantry, and good conduct of the different officers and men serving in this division. To Captain Byng of the Mohawk, who conducted the various arrangements, on this occasion, with equal skill and bravery, every possible praise is most justly due; as well as to Captains Wyborn and Carter, Lieutenant Robertson, R.A. and Lieutenant Lewis, of the Highflyer (tender); Lieutenant Alexander, of the Dragon, the senior officer under Captain Byng, in command of the boats, deserves also that I should particularly notice him to you for his steadiness, correctness, and the great ability with which he always executes whatever service is entrusted to him; and I must beg permission to seize this opportunity of stating to you how much I have been indebted, since on this service, to Captain Burdett, who was good enough to receive me on board the Maidstone, when I found it impracticable to advance higher in the Marlborough, and has invariably accompanied me on every occasion whilst directing these various operations, and rendered me always the most able, prompt, and efficacious assistance. I have the honor to be, &c.
On the 29th June, 1813, Captain Henry Byng assumed the temporary command of the Diadem troop-ship, vice Captain John Martin Hanchett, who had been severely wounded, seven days before, in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession of Crany island; and for whom he continued to act until Mar. 31, 1814.
This officer’s post commission bears date Mar. 9, 1814. During the last 12 years he has held an appointment connected with the naval service in Canada. He married, Oct. 2, 1810, Maria Jane, daughter of the Hon. J. B. Clarke, Member of H.M. Council for Cape Breton.
Agents.– Messrs. Maude & Co.
Having stated, in our first volume, that H.S.H. the Prince of Orange, now King of the Netherlands, when recalled from his exile in England, to rule over the Dutch, was conveyed to Holland in the Warrior 74, commanded by Viscount Torrington, and that he subsequently conferred upon his lordship the insignia of the Order of Wilhelm, for which an elegant sabre was afterwards substituted; we shall here give the translation of a letter shewing the alleged cause of such an exchange having been made.
“Sir,– Your Excellency will recollect, that the King, wishing to give some testimony of his satisfaction to Lord Viscount Torrington, for having commanded the ship which conveyed his Majesty, in 1813, to Scheveling, had named that officer a Knight of the Order of William of the 2d class, but that the regulations established in England were opposed to his receiving the honor which his Majesty had conferred upon him.
“The king, always disposed to give to Lord Torrington a mark of his esteem, has charged me to avail myself of the departure of Vice-Admiral Baron Van de Capellen, to address to your Excellency a Sword of Honor, which His Majesty intends for the noble Lord, as a substitute for the order of knighthood.
“I beg your Excellency to deliver personally to Lord Torrington this honorable remembrance, giving him at the same time, in his Majesty’s name, the most flattering assurances of his satisfaction. If Lord Torrington should not be in London, I beg your Excellency to acquaint him by letter, of the kind intentions of the King with regard to him.
“Accept, Sir, the renewed expressions of the high consideration with which I have the honor to be,
(Signed)“A. W. C. de Nagell.”
“To His Excellency, the Baron Fagel,
“Ambassador, &c. &c. &c.
“London.”
The following is a copy of a letter on the same subject from Viscount Torrington to the Right Hon. George Canning:–
“My dear Sir,– I trust I am not incorrect in addressing myself to you, and in requesting you would interest yourself in preferring what I feel to be my just claim to a Foreign Order, which has been withheld from me, under circumstances of peculiar hardship.
“In soliciting your kind attention to those circumstances, I have to apologize for intruding myself upon your valuable time, and I rely upon your good humour to forgive it.
“The King of the Netherlands, as a testimony of my conduct, when in command of his Majesty’s ship Warrior, forwarded to the Admiralty, the second Order of William III. to be conferred upon me; which Order was returned without my having any intimation of the circumstance.
“When I afterwards visited Holland, and paid my respects to the King , his Majesty was pleased to notice it, with an expression of regret, and referred me to his prime minister for an explanation; when it appeared by a communication from the Secretary to the Admiralty, that the Order in question had been sent back, with an intimation that I could not be permitted to accept it, in consequence of my not having been under fire. To this decision I submitted, without any remonstrance, as a deference due to superior authority.
“Finding, however, that Captain (now Rear-Admiral) Baker, who served in the same expedition, junior to myself in rank, and who had only arrived on the coast the preceding day, having merely communicated with the existing government, and landed a few marines, had received the royal permission to accept and wear the third Order of William III., as appears by the London Gazette, I naturally conceived that I had a similar claim to the same indulgence.
“Without desiring to detract, in the slightest degree, from the merits of that gallant and distinguished officer, I beg leave to observe, that he was not engaged with the enemy any more than myself; the service consisted in both of us having landed men, arms, ammunition, &c.
“The King of the Netherlands, and the British Ambassador, the Earl of Clancarty, having both expressed, in the strongest manner, their sense of my services on that occasion, which you will find recorded in your own office, I am induced to hope, that his Majesty’s Government will, on a reconsideration of my case, remove the invidious distinction that has, from some misapprehension no doubt, been thus drawn between myself and an officer acting under me, and by giving their sanction to my wearing the Order intended for me, dismiss those impressions which must be unfavorable to me as a naval officer. I have the honor to be,
“Your most obedient and very humble Servant,
(Signed)“Torrington.”
In reply to this appeal, Viscount Torrington received a very polite note from the Prime Minister, who, however, declined to interfere in his behalf.
It is worthy of remark, that the late monarch of France, as well as the present sovereign of the Netherlands,was once under his lordship’s protection. The former, while proceeding to Rostock, with his eldest son and suite, all huddled together in a British gun-brig, was fallen in with, at the entrance of the Great Belt, by the Warrior, and escorted by her to the squadron under the late Sir George Hope, then cruising off the island of Rugen.
It has been remarked by a contemporary writer, that “the naval battles of Great Britain, from the accession of the illustrious House of Hanover, commence with the name of Byng[5];” and it might justly have been added, that the loyalty and zeal then manifested by the Nelson of that age, has ever since been emulated by his descendants; for no family in the empire has ever surpassed them in attachment to their sovereign, or in readiness to support the glory of his crown.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. pp. 360–362.
- ↑ Then Captain George Byng.
- ↑ See id. Part II. p. 657.
- ↑ See Captains John Lawrence, C.B. and Sir George A. Westphal, Knt.
- ↑ Ekins’ Review of Naval Battles, 2d edit. p. 1.