Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce N.G.S. for an American boat service action awarded to Lieutenant William Hutchison, Royal Navy, who escaped from a French prison in January 1811, after three years in captivity; he afterwards saw much service on the coast of North America and commanded a boat at the capture of the United States schooner Asp in July 1813

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, 29 April Boat Service 1813 (William Hutchinson, Lieut. R.N.) note spelling of surname, contained in its original named card box of issue, toned, brilliant extremely fine £12000-15000

Both this clasp and that for ‘April & May Boat Service 1813’ were authorised for the actions fought on 29 April and 3 May, both up the Elk River in Chesapeake Bay. The same landing parties under the personal command of Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn were engaged in each action. It appears that early applicants received the clasp dated 29 April whilst later ones were engraved with April & May. Of the total of 57 clasps issued, 19 are known to have survived, 7 of which bear the clasp dated 29 April.

William Hutchison entered the Navy on 3 May 1800, as a 2nd Class Boy, on board the Windsor Castle 98, Captains Albemarle Bertie and James Oughton, in which ship, bearing for some time the flag of Sir Andrew Mitchell, he continued to serve as Midshipman on the Channel and Irish stations until April 1804. From June 1805, until taken prisoner in January 1808, he performed the duties of Master’s Mate in the Mediterranean and Channel on board the Rose 18. Hutchison is confirmed as a prisoner of the French in Napoleon and his British Captives, by Michael Lewis, wherein it is recorded that he escaped on 14 January 1811.

Returning to the Navy in March 1811, he joined the Norge 74, Captains John Spratt Rainier and William Waller. Being promoted from the St Domingo 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Borlase Warren, to a Lieutenancy in the Mohawk 16, Captain Hon. Henry Dilkes Byng, he appears to have been much employed in that vessel up the rivers and along the shores of North America, and commanded a boat at the capture of the United States schooner Asp.

Captured by H.M.S. Narcissus on 17 January 1813, the United States brig Viper was taken into the Royal Navy and, renamed Mohawk, was placed under the command of Captain Henry Dilkes Byng for operations in the Chesapeake. Mohawk was one of the vessels in the squadron under Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren's that contributed boats and men to the cutting out party under Lieutenant J. Puckinghorne that rowed 15 miles up the Rappahannock River on 13 April 1813. The British captured four American privateer schooners: Dolphin, Lynx, Racer and Arab. Although the British sustained a number of casualties, Mohawk herself had none. The Royal Navy took three of the schooners into service as Mosquidobit (Lynx) and Shelburne (Racer), whilst Dolphin retained her name.

On 29 April 1813, boats from Mohawk, together with boats from Fantome, Dolphin, Highflyer and Racer, which had not yet been renamed, went up the Chesapeake Bay to Frenchtown to destroy five American ships and stores; they also purchased provisions for the squadron from the locals. This took until 3 May 1813 to complete. On the way back, a battery fired on the British from the shore and was destroyed by a landing party.

Mohawk was among the ships benefiting from the proceeds of the capture of the American ships Rolla on 29 May and Protectress on 18 June. She was also among the vessels benefiting from the capture of the Spanish brig St Iago on 11 June, the American schooner Surveyor on 12 June, the American ships Governor Strong and Emily, also on 12 June, the Star on 14 June, and the Herman on 21 June.

On 14 July 1813 the brigs Contest and Mohawk spotted the American schooners Asp and Scorpion, and immediately gave chase. Scorpion made good her escape up the Chesapeake, but Asp's poor sailing qualities forced her to put back into the Yeocomico River. Contest and Mohawk anchored off the bar and prepared a boat expedition. Contest's cutter, under the command of Lieutenant Curry, and Mohawk's cutter, under the command of Lieutenant Hutchison, followed Asp three or four miles up the Yeocomico. Asp was armed with one long 18-pounder gun and two 18-pounder carronades, together with some swivels, with a crew of 20 under the command of Midshipman Sigourney.

As the British boats approached, Asp cut her cable and tried to escape further up the river. The American account states that three British boats attacked but were beaten off. Then two more British boats joined the first three for a second attempt, which proved successful. The Americans fought valiantly in spite of the lopsided odds. Midshipman Sigourney and ten of his 20-man crew were killed defending their ship while the remainder escaped ashore when the issue became hopeless. Despite fire from Asp and from militia on the shore, the British captured the schooner within a short time, but at a cost of two men killed and six wounded, including Lieutenant Curry, slightly. The British set fire to Asp and retired, at which point Asp's second in command, Midshipman H. McClintock, led the remnants of her crew back on board, extinguished the flames, and put her back in fighting trim. For whatever reason, the British declined to renew the combat.

Hutchison’s conduct was duly praised in the despatch from Captain Rattray, of H.M.S. Contest, to Admiral Warren, ‘Two men in the boats were killed and six wounded; among the latter, Lieutenant Curry, slightly, whose conduct is highly commended, as also that of Lieutenant Hutchinson..’ (London Gazette 1813, p. 1767).

Lieutenant Hutchison was invalided home in December 1813, and was lastly employed, from 5 September 1822 until September 1826, in the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary Lieutenant of the Severn and Ramillies, and from 24 July 1829 until the early part of 1834, in the Coast Guard. See lot 1234 for his his son’s medals.