Hugh Talbot Burgoyne
Encyclopedia
Captain
Hugh Talbot Burgoyne VC
RN
(17 July 1833 – 7 September 1870) was an Irish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
. Born in Dublin, he was the son of John Fox Burgoyne
and the grandson of John Burgoyne
.
Burgoyne was a 21-year-old Royal Navy
lieutenant, serving in the Crimean War
when he performed the following deed for which he was awarded the VC.
, Crimea
, Lieutenant Burgoyne of HMS Swallow, with Lieutenant Cecil William Buckley
from HMS Miranda
and Gunner John Robarts from HMS Ardent
, volunteered to land at a beach where the Russian army were in strength. They were out of covering gunshot range of the ships offshore and met considerable enemy opposition, but managed to set fire to corn stores and ammunition dump
s and destroy enemy equipment before embarking again.
Burgoyne was Commander
on HMS Ganges
under Captain John Fulford during that vessel's service in the waters of the Colonies of Vancouver Island
and British Columbia
during the fledgling years of the latter colony's establishment. "When the American merchant ship Northern Eagle was burned in Esquimalt Harbour, Captain Burgoyne was highly commended for his efforts to save everything possible from the burning ship. Seamen from the Ganges, Pylades, Tribune, and Plumper also assisted."
(1869), which capsized off Cape Finisterre
during a gale
on 7 September 1870. This revolutionary masted turret ship
was the subject of considerable controversy during its design and construction and its loss was attributed to its poor stability.
Burgoyne is buried in Brompton Cemetery
, London.
in British Columbia
was named after him in 1859.
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Hugh Talbot Burgoyne VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
RN
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(17 July 1833 – 7 September 1870) was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Born in Dublin, he was the son of John Fox Burgoyne
John Fox Burgoyne
Field Marshal Sir John Fox Burgoyne, 1st Baronet GCB was a British Army officer.-Military career:Burgoyne was the illegitimate son of General John Burgoyne and opera singer Susan Caulfield. In 1798, he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers as a Second Lieutenant...
and the grandson of John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
.
Burgoyne was a 21-year-old Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
lieutenant, serving in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
when he performed the following deed for which he was awarded the VC.
Details
On 29 May 1855, in the Sea of AzovSea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
, Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, Lieutenant Burgoyne of HMS Swallow, with Lieutenant Cecil William Buckley
Cecil William Buckley
Captain Cecil William Buckley VC RN was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
from HMS Miranda
HMS Miranda (1851)
HMS Miranda was a 14-gun wooden screw sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1851 and sold for breaking in 1869. Two of her crew were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery during the Crimean War.-Design:...
and Gunner John Robarts from HMS Ardent
HMS Ardent (1841)
HMS Ardent was a wooden Alecto-class paddle sloop of the Royal Navy. She was the fourth ship to use the name Ardent. She was launched on 12 February 1841 at Chatham. She was scrapped in 1865. One of the ship's company, Gunner John Robarts, was awarded the Victoria Cross for arson of food stores in...
, volunteered to land at a beach where the Russian army were in strength. They were out of covering gunshot range of the ships offshore and met considerable enemy opposition, but managed to set fire to corn stores and ammunition dump
Ammunition dump
An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives....
s and destroy enemy equipment before embarking again.
Burgoyne was Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on HMS Ganges
HMS Ganges (1821)
HMS Ganges was an 84-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 November 1821 at Bombay Dockyard, constructed from teak...
under Captain John Fulford during that vessel's service in the waters of the Colonies of Vancouver Island
Colony of Vancouver Island
The Colony of Vancouver Island , was a crown colony of British North America from 1849 to 1866, after which it was united with British Columbia. The united colony joined the Dominion of Canada through Confederation in 1871...
and British Columbia
Colony of British Columbia
The Colony of British Columbia was a crown colony in British North America from 1858 until 1866. At its creation, it physically constituted approximately half the present day Canadian province of British Columbia, since it did not include the Colony of Vancouver Island, the vast and still largely...
during the fledgling years of the latter colony's establishment. "When the American merchant ship Northern Eagle was burned in Esquimalt Harbour, Captain Burgoyne was highly commended for his efforts to save everything possible from the burning ship. Seamen from the Ganges, Pylades, Tribune, and Plumper also assisted."
Later career
Burgoyne later achieved the rank of captain and was killed when in command of HMS CaptainHMS Captain (1869)
HMS Captain was an unsuccessful warship built for the Royal Navy due to public pressure. She was a masted turret ship, designed and built by a private contractor against the wishes of the Controller's department...
(1869), which capsized off Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre
right|thumb|300px|Position of Cape Finisterre on the [[Iberian Peninsula]]Cape Finisterre is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain....
during a gale
Gale
A gale is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered a gale. The U.S. government's National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are...
on 7 September 1870. This revolutionary masted turret ship
Turret ship
Turret ships were a 19th century type of warship, the earliest to have their guns mounted in a revolving gun turret, instead of a broadside arrangement....
was the subject of considerable controversy during its design and construction and its loss was attributed to its poor stability.
Burgoyne is buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
, London.
Legacy
Burgoyne BayBurgoyne Bay
Burgoyne Bay is located at the southern end of Saltspring Island in British Columbia, Canada. The shores of the bay are part of the Mount Maxwell Ecological Reserve. The bay is a sidewater of Sansum Narrows, which separates Saltspring from Vancouver Island....
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
was named after him in 1859.