Footnotes

Provenance:
Christie's London, Antique Arms and Armour, 2 May 1984, lot 172

Literature:
Commander W.E. May, R.N. and P.G. Annis, Swords for Sea Service, 1970, p. 71

The Presentation inscription reads: 'From The Patriotic Fund At LDoyds (sic) To Lieut. Wm. Howe Mulcaster Of H.M.S. Minerva For His Zealous & Active Service On Cutting Out From Under The Fort In Finisterre Bay By The Boats Belonging To That Ship Five Spanish Luggers On The 22d. Of June, As Recorded In The London Gazette Of The 15th Of July 1805.'

William Howe Mulcaster, a nephew of General Sir Samuel Auchmuty, was born in 1785 and entred the Navy at the age of fifteen. On the 22nd June, 1806, whilst serving as first Lieutenant on the 32-guns frigate Minerva, which was becalmed in Finisterre Bay, he was dispatched in command of two boats to investigate some Spanish luggers laying on the coast. The luggers were moored by a fort which mounted both 12 and 24 pounder guns but was quickly taken without loss. After spiking the guns, the five luggers, all laden with wine, were brought out the following morning, again without losses in spite of the fact that they were fired upon for nearly two hours by a two-gun battery just south of the town. It was for this action that he received this sword

In 1809 he served with Captain Yeo on H.M.S. Confiance at the capture of Cayenne for which he received a sword from the Prince Regent of Portugal and was promoted to Commander. He also served with Yeo on the Great Lakes in the War of 1812. He commanded the sloop Royal George in 1813 in several actions on Lake Ontario and in 1814 he led a landing party of 200 men armed with boarding pikes in the Raid on Fort Oswego. He was severly wounded by grapeshot resulting in the loss of his leg. This ended his active career, for which he was awarded a pension of £300 and nominated a Companion of the Order of the Bath. In 1831 he was knighted and became aide-de-camp to King William IV. He died in 1837