Orders, Decorations and Medals

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, 1 June 1794 (S. Butcher, Midshipman) with original ribbon, nearly extremely fine £1200-1400

Samuel Butcher is confirmed on the roll as a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Queen. The rolls also indicate entitlement to a second clasp for ‘23rd June 1795’ but the above medal is clearly as issued.

Samuel Butcher, later ViceAdmiral of the Blue, was born on 30 October 1770, at Cople, Bedfordshire. He entered the navy in February 1786, as Captain’s Servant on board the Barracouta cutter, actively employed against the smugglers of the Channel. From November 1788 until June 1791, he served as Able Seaman in the Salisbury, flagship at Newfoundland of Admiral Milbanke. He next served as Master’s Mate in the Childers, attached to a force in the Channel, and then in the Queen, bearing the flag of Rear Admiral Gardner. In this ship he witnessed the unfortunate attack on Martinique in 1793, and was present with Lord Howe in the actions of 28 and 29 May and 1 June 1794, the last two days as Acting-Lieutenant. He was present in the Aquilon as First Lieutenant of that frigate when she acted as one of Lord Bridport’s repeaters in the action with the French fleet off Ile de Groix, 23 June 1795.

In April 1800, after further service in the Channel and West Indies, Butcher was given command of the Guachapin brig, of fourteen 4-pounder and two 18-pounder carronades, with a complement of 65 men and boys. On 21 April, 1801, Captain Butcher very gallantly, under cover of the Guachapin’s fire, cut a privateer out of the Bay of Aguada, Porto Rico, although lashed to the shore and defended by two formidable batteries and a whole range of howitzers and small arms. On 16 August the same year, he again proved himself worthy of all praise by the capture, after a sterling conflict of two hours and a half, the yards of the two ships being part of the time locked together, of the Spanish letter-of-marque La Teresa, carrying 120 men, two long 18-pounder, 10 long 12-pounder, and six 36-pounder carronades. For these and other services he was advanced to Post-rank in April 1802.

During the period of peace Butcher commanded a district of Sea Fencibles in Ireland, and it was not until 1812 that he again went to sea, briefly in the Barham, and shortly afterwards in the Antelope. In this ship he was employed in protecting trade in the Great Belt, and was particularly successful in capturing the enemy’s gun boats and privateers. In March 1814 he was sent with two ships to reinforce a squadron of frigates in the West Scheldt. While attempting to force the Hondt passage, without the aid of her pilots, one of whom had deserted and the other being disabled, the Antelope became grounded abreast of Flushing, and for 48 hours lay exposed to an incessant discharge of shells from the batteries of the place. She was however ultimately got off in safety through the colossal exertions of her officers and ship’s company, who justly received the unqualified acknowledgement of the Commander-in-Chief and of the Board of the Admiralty. Captain Butcher, by order of the Lord High Admiral, was subsequently presented to the Prince Regent as “the officer who had so highly distinguished himself in the Scheldt.” Butcher paid off the Antelope, after a voyage to Quebec, on 22 December 1815, and saw no further service afloat. His advancement to Flag-rank took place in August 1840, and he became Vice-Admiral of the Blue in February 1847.