50
BARRETT—BARRETTÉ—BARRIE.
part of her convoy. Returning home, in Oct. 1809, as Midshipman of the Sandwich 12, Lieut.-Commander Foley, Mr. Barrett became attached to the Cadmus 10, Capt. Thos. Fife; while under whose command we find him figuring in several cutting-out affairs on the coast of France, and, on the occasion of the destruction of a fleet of merchant-vessels in St. Mary’s Bay, Oléron, gallantly rescuing the Semaphore signals from a brig that had already been set in flames. He was subsequently wounded in cutting out a vessel under the grand batteries of Belleisle, and on 3 March, 1810, while master of a prize which had been similarly captured, was wrecked, taken prisoner, and sent to Verdun, where he remained until the peace of 1814. From April to Aug. 1815, he next officiated as Midshipman and Master’s Mate of the Royal Sovereign 100, flag-ship of Sir Benj. Hallowell. He obtained his commission on 7 Dec. in the same year; was afterwards employed for nearly four years on the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Ramillies and Talavera 74’s, both commanded by Capt. Hugh Pigot; and since 7 Sept. 1830, has been in charge of a station in the Coast Guard.
He married, 24 Sept. 1816, and has issue five children. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
BARRETT. (Lieut., 1828. f-p., 10; h-p., 24.)
Robert John Barrett, born 28 Aug. 1799, is son of the late gallant Capt. John Barrett, R.N., who, with nearly 500 of his crew, perished on board the Minotaur 74, when wrecked, on the Haak sands, near the Texel, 22 Dec. 1810.
This officer (who had already attained a proficiency in mathematics) entered the Navy, 11 Dec. 1813, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hebrus, of 42 guns and 284 men, commanded by his friend and patron, Capt. Edm. Palmer. On 27 March, 1814, having attained the rating of Midshipman, he took charge of the foremost quarter-deck guns, and assisted at the capture, under Cape La Hogue, after a close and obstinate engagement of two hours and a quarter, in which the British had 13 men killed and 25 wounded, and the enemy 40 killed and 73 wounded, of the French frigate L’Etoile, of 44 guns and 315 men. Besides participating as Aide-de-camp to Capt. Palmer in many minor expeditions, Mr. Barrett subsequently shared in all the arduous duties connected with those against Washington and Baltimore. He also, after blockading an American frigate of superior force lying in Hampton Roads, served in the Hebrus’ launch when, in conjunction with the boats of the Dragon, she led the attack on the enemy’s fort at Point Petre; and was further present at the surrender of the town of St. Mary’s. In a subsequent action between the boats of the Hebrus and five American gun-vessels, when the launch, in which Mr. Barrett was again employed, together with a prize-tender, was captured by the enemy, he only escaped being himself taken from the circumstance of his having remained behind to spike the guns of his boat while his comrades were being transferred to another vessel, which afforded an opportunity to the cutter of his own ship to bear him off in safety. In July, 1815, we find him still in the Hebrus, engaged in forcing the formidable passage of the Gironde, destroying the heavy batteries by which it was defended, and actively co-operating with the French royalists in the neighbourhood of Bordeaux. When the Hebrus, in July, 1816, was ordered to the Mediterranean, Mr. Barrett, although not then 17 years of age, was appointed her Acting-Master, and in that capacity performed the responsible duty of navigating the ship to Gibraltar. After distinguishing himself at Algiers, he became successively attached to the Severn 40, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer, and Glasgow 50, Capt. Hon. Anthony Maitland. As Second Master of the latter ship he was present during Sir Thos. Maitland’s interview with the celebrated Ali Pacha in the Palace of Prevesa, on the occasion of the ratification of the treatv of Parea. At the request of the Commnder-in-Chief, Mr. Barrett subsequently consented to act as Master of the Scout 18, Capt. Wm. Ramsden, which sloop he twice conducted through the intricate navigation of the Archipelago as far as Smyrna, without the aid of a pilot, although two were allowed. Passing his examination for Lieutenant in July, 1821, he was next for a short time employed on the Coast Blockade at Hastings, in the capacity of Admiralty Midshipman; and in the course of 1827, after an unemployed interval of five years, was in succession appointed Admiralty Mate of the Revenge 74, Capt. Norborne Thompson, and Royal George yacht. On his eventual return from a voyage made with despatches to the coast of Africa in the Onyx tender, he joined the Royal Sovereign yacht, bearing the flag of the Duke of Clarence, through whose interest, after having accompanied His Royal Highness in a visit to all the naval ports, and in an experimental cruize in the Channel, he was at length awarded a commission, dated 8 Aug. 1828 – some years previously to which event he had refused the warrant of Master. The effects of a severe bodily injury which Mr. Barrett had formerly received in the service, recurring about the same period with all their original violence, have since prevented him from seeking active employment, and consequently further advancement in his profession.
Lieut. Barrett has on three separate occasions perilled his own existence by jumping overboard to the rescue of others. He is the author of various and interesting papers in the U.S. Journal, of which it may be sufficient to instance “The Passage of the Gironde,” “Naval Recollections of the American War,” “The Battle of Algiers,” “The last Cruize of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence,” &c. He has been married several years, and has issue two sons. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
BARRETTÉ. (Lieut., 1820. f-p., 11; h-p., 27.)
Augustus George Barretté entered the Navy, 31 Oct. 1809, as Second-cl. Boy, on board the Frederickstein 32, Capts. Joseph Nourse and Fras. Beaufort, the latter of whom he accompanied on a surveying expedition to the Archipelago. After a continued servitude of two years and a half in the Mediterranean as Midshipman of the Volontaire 38, Capt. Nourse, Repulse 74, Capt. Rich. Hussey Moubray, and Undaunted 38, Capts. Rich. Thomas and Thos. Ussher, he rqoined the first-mentioned officer in Sept. 1813, on board the Severn 40, and proceeded with a fleet of transports and merchantmen to Bermuda. He afterwards attended the expeditions against Washington and Baltimore, assisted at the taking of St. Mary’s, a town on the coast of Georgia, and further contributed to the capture of several of the enemy’s privateers and other vessels. From Sept. 1815, until confirmed in his present rank, 12 June, 1820, Mr. Barrette served as Master’s Mate, Admiralty Midshipman, and latterly as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Rosario 10, Capt. Thos. Ladd Peake, Sybille 44, flag-ship of Sir Home Popham, and Iphigenia 42, Capt. Hyde Parker, on the Channel, West India, and Mediterranean stations. He has since been on half-pay. He married, in Feb. 1823, Sarah, youngest daughter of the late Thos. Jelly, Esq., solicitor, of Bath.
BARRIE. (Commander, 1846.)
William Barrie is son of Rear-Admiral of the White the gallant Sir Robt. Barrie, K.C.B., K.C.H. (1837), who rendered his name famous as Captain of the Dragon 74, during the last American war, and died in June 1841, aged 67.
This officer obtained his first commission 16 June, 1837; was appointed, 31 Aug. following, to the President 50, flag-ship in the Pacific of Rear-Admiral Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross; and from 4 Aug. 1842, until promoted to the rank of Commander 9 Nov. 1846, was employed on the same sta-
