Lough Swilly to Plymouth, rejoined the Hazard, in which vessel we find him affording protection to the trade between Ireland and the Downs, during the remainder of the war. There is no service more arduous and unprofitable than that of convoying merchantmen. Most of those placed under Captain Butterfield’s care were heavy sailers, deeply laden, weakly manned, badly found, and sometimes leaky; demanding the greatest skill, perseverance, and patience, to keep them together. Privateers were continually on the watch, waiting only for a gale of wind, or a fog, to separate the unskilful from the rest; yet, with all these difficulties to contend with, Captain Butterfield had the good fortune never to lose a single vessel confided to his charge.
In addition to the above services, Captain Butterfield, whilst in the Hazard, on one occasion fell in with a transport-ship, totally dismasted, and in a miserably shattered state, she having been twice run foul of by other vessels at sea. By great exertions on his part this ship was brought safely into port, and her valuable cargo, intended for the use of the army serving against the rebels in Ireland, forwarded to its destination. For his meritorious conduct in this instance he received the public thanks of Sir Robert Kingsmill, commander-in-chief at Cork. Returning to port with his prize, le Neptune, he discovered a large French privateer, with the Britannia, an English extra India ship in tow. Being crowded with prisoners, and short of complement, several of the Hazard’s crew having been sent away in a recaptured vessel previous to the action, any attempt to secure the enemy or his prize must have proved abortive. He, however, gave such correct information of their position and course to a British frigate which he afterwards met with, as enabled the latter to retake the Britannia. On another occasion he rescued the Triton Indiaman from imminent danger on the coast of Ireland, her crew, principally Lascars, being completely done up by the seventy of the weather, and several privateers hovering about her, when first seen by the Hazard. For this service, and conducting her safe to Portsmouth, the house of David Scott, and Co., of London, presented him with a piece of plate value 150 guineas.
