| Sir Henry William Bayntun | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1766 Algiers , North Africa |
| Died | 16 December 1840 Bath, Somerset, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1777-1840 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Trafalgar, 1805 |
| Awards | Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
Admiral Sir Henry William Bayntun GCB (1766 – 16 December 1840) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy, whose distinguished career in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars was a catalogue of the highest and lowest points of the Navy during the conflict. His record includes extensive operations in the West Indies followed by shipwreck, the battle of Trafalgar and the disastrous expedition to Buenos Aires in 1807.
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Born in Algiers in 1766 where his father was Consul general, Bayntun joined the navy very young and received his lieutenancy at just seventeen on 15 April 1783. Bayntun was actively employed following the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France in 1793. He took command of the sloop Avenger following her captain's death on 4 May 1794 and proceeded to participate in the capture of the French frigate Bienvenue, as well as other shipping off Port Royal, Martinique. He was also prominent in the capture of both that island and Guadeloupe by the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervis.
Given command of Reunion, Bayntun unfortunately wrecked her, but was absolved of the loss and given Quebec. He then commanded ships of the line, including Thunderer and Cumberland, with which he won acclaim with a successful blockade of the French Caribbean islands following their return to France in the Peace of Amiens. In 1803 he captured the French frigate Créole, along with her convoy and hundreds of troops aboard returning to France.
In 1804 Bayntun returned to England after ten years in the West Indies, and was given command of the fast third rate Leviathan. She joined Nelson's fleet off Brest and subsequently sailed to the West Indies again before arriving in Cadiz. Bayntun was in this way unusual amongst Trafalgar captains, many of whom had only just arrived on blockade station off Cadiz. (After the Cape Finisterre action, many officers returned home to testify in the court martial of Admiral .)
At the Battle of Trafalgar on the 21 October, Bayntun in Leviathan was fourth in Nelson's northern line, after Victory, Temeraire and Neptune. Leviathan raked the Bucentaure and battled the French Neptune before engaging with the massive Santissima Trinidad. Seeing the distant approach of Admiral Dumanoir's squadron from the north, Captain Thomas Hardy ordered Leviathan and other ships to close the enemy. Leviathan managed to catch the Spanish ship San Agustín and easily capture it, but the remainder of the squadron fled, terminating the battle.
The Leviathan suffered only 26 casualties of the battle and was able to return to Gibraltar unaided in the growing storm. She did however lose her prize, the San Augustin, which was burnt as she foundered some days after the action. After the battle, Bayntun was among the many officers that the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund honoured with gifts. He also was the guidon bearer at Nelson's state funeral.
In 1807 Bayntun participated in the naval aspects of the failed invasion of Argentina, but escaped the condemnation received by other of the officers involved. He continued in service, commanding the Royal Yacht Royal Sovereign in 1811.
Bayntun continued in the Navy as a semi-retired officer slowly gaining promotions,[1][2] whilst living privately. In in 1837 he was made an Admiral of the Blue on 10 January 1837 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 25 October 1839.
Henry William Bayntun died in Bath in 1840 and is buried in All Saints' Church, Weston, Bath, together with several family members.
The Captain-class frigate HMS Bayntun was named for him. She served during the Second World War.