John Butchart

Posted by Bob Brooks on Thursday 14th of May 2015 15:03

A correction.
HMS Argo (5th/44) was taken 17 Feb 1783 by two 32-gun French frigates, Amphitrite & Nymphe, then retaken by Invincible (3d/74) three days later on 20 Feb 1783. Captain Alexander John Ball was commissioned to command the retaken Argo. John Butchard's trial by court-martial was on 03 Apr 1783 (ADM 1/5322) presumable after being exchanged.

Posted by Bob Brooks on Thursday 14th of May 2015 00:01

There appears to have been two contemporary John Butchart’s.
During the American War, Lt. John Burchart [1st] (DOR 03 Sep 1760) was commissioned 31 May 1774 as 1st Lt. Thames (5th/32) (ADM 6/21p.32), then 1st Lt. Arethusa (5th/32) 20 June 1775 (ADM 6/21p.98), until superseded on 16 May 1778. No further record of service found.
I opine that Lt. John Butchard [2d?] (DOR ?18 Apr 1778?), an obvious protégé of VAdm the Hon. John Byron, is a younger man. He was commissioned by Admiralty 18 Apr 1778 as 4th Lt, Albion (3d/74), Byron’s flagship (ADM6/21p.392), then moved with Byron to 4th Lt, Princess Royal (2d/90) when Byron moved his flag (ADM6/21p.400). Byron promoted him Commander, Star, Sloop, on 01 Dec 1778 (ADM6/21p.506), then Byron commissioned him Commander, Tobago, Sloop, on 24 Mar 1779 (ADM 6/22p.146), and then Byron promoted him Captain, Fame (3d/74) on 15 June 1779 (ADM6/22p.46) in which ship he returned home in early 1781. On 31 May 1781 Admiralty commissioned him Captain, Argo (5th/44) (ADM 6/22p.293) serving until superseded 20 Mar 1783 in the West Indies by Alexander John Ball (ADM 6/23p.158).