Henry John Carr

Notes on Officer

This officer entered the Navy, in Sept. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Majestic 74, Capts. Lord Amelius Beauclerk and Robt. Moorsom, on the Home station. He removed, in Aug. 1805, to the Saturn 74, Capt. Lord A. Beauclerk, in which ship he served, the greater part of the time as Midshipman, off Cadiz and in the Channel, until 1809; and he was then transferred to the Royal Oak 74, commanded by the same officer, to whom he acted as Aide-de-camp at the debarkation of the Walcheren army in the following July. After sharing in many detached services on the coast of France, he accompanied Sir Pulteney Malcolm to North America in 1812; from which period, until the peace of 1815, he appears to have been most arduously employed – participating in the attack, as officer in charge of a boat, on Commodore Barney’s flotilla, the destruction of Washington, the operations against Baltimore, and the expedition to New Orleans. On 12 Dec. 1814, at the commencement of the hostilities against the latter place, Mr. Carr again had charge of a boat in a valiant conflict which rendered captive to the British a flotilla of five American gun-vessels on Lake Borgne, after the heavy loss to the former of 17 men killed and wounded. He also assisted in landing the army; was otherwise very responsibly employed; and, for his conduct in particular at the storming of the line of forts along the left bank of the Mississippi, was appointed by Sir P. Malcolm to a Lieutenancy in the Borer sloop, Capt. Wm. Rawlins. Mr. Carr, whose promotion was confirmed by the Admiralty, 8 Feb. 1815, returned to England in the Bulwark 74, and was placed on half-pay in May following. He subsequently obtained an appointment in the Coast Blockade as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Hyperion 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, 6 July, 1825; and, on 16 March, 1831, was transferred to the Coast Guard, in which service he has been ever since very effectively employed.