Lieutenant Benjamin Fitz-Bourne Hunter, USN (Ret.), was a sailor and officer of the United States Sailing Navy. Born November 11, 1821 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he held positions of increasing responsibility and commanded many groups of sailors. He crossed the bar April 9, 1884, age 62, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and was buried in Natchez, Mississippi (Hunter Lot #205, Plot #3).
Benjamin F.B. Hunter was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, honorably retired in 1851. He entered naval service in 1835 at the age of 14 and served two years "before the mast" on the USS Warren and resigned in 1837. Hunter reentered service in 1839, was the Sailing Master of the USS Portsmouth, led an expedition to resupply Captain John Fremont during the War with Mexico and later led land forces during the Mexican–American War campaign for Los Angeles. He also led a 140-man landing party ashore in San Jose, Mexico, where the American flag was raised with no resistance.
Contained below are excerpts from official orders and correspondence as published.
From the National Archives, Naval Officer Records (dates are as written in the official log):
August 20, 1835: Benjamin F.B. Hunter, Esq. of the State of Georgia appointed an acting Midshipman.
October 10, 1837: Resigned, accepted October 31, 1837.
March 22, 1839: Reinstated and hold in readiness for active service.
March 28, 1839: To the USS Constitution at Norfolk.
April 10, 1839: Received Warrant, reappointed as a Midshipman from the 20th day of August 1835.
April 10, 1839: Assigned to the U.S.S. Constitution.
April 11, 1839: To the Constitution at NY.
April 13, 1839: Reported for duty.
January 27, 1841: Permission to attend Naval School.
June 30, 1841: Received Warrant as Passed Midshipman
September 8, 1841: To the Madison.
September 14, 1841
October 22, 1842: Detached from the Phoenix.
February 4, 1843: Recg.ves at Charleston.
September 27, 1843: Detached to the Vandalia as Acting Master.
October 3, 1843: Previous order revoked & Waiting Orders.
October 14, 1843: to the On-Ka-Hy-E as Master.
October 25, 1843: Request to transfer account to Charleston S. C. station.
April 17, 1844: det to the Somers.
April 22, 1844: det from the On-ka-hy-e.
April 14, 1845: Inquiry to Treasury Department, 4th Auditors Office, for payments due officers.
June 24, 1845: to the Cyane as Acting Master. He sailed to the South Pacific on August 10, 1845 and made port calls in Callao, Sandwich Islands and Mazatlan. The USS Cyane's roster in August 1845 shows Benjamin Hunter as the ship's Acting Master.
March 1846: Transferred to U.S.S. Portsmouth. Hunter was listed in the ship's roster as Acting Master with the 1847 Pacific Squadron.
June 11, 1846: Orders to proceed up Sacramento River and deliver arms and supplies to Fremont's camp. In the Cruise of the Portsmouth Downey tells of the ship's launch being sent to Fremont's camp near the Sacramento River.
Downey's book Filings From An Old Saw describes the departure of the launch..
Passages from Frd Blackburn Roger's book Montgomery and the Portsmouth describe the boatload of supplies sent to Fremont.
July 29, 1846: Orders to take one of Portsmouth's boats from Yerba Buena to Sonoma with communications for Capt John Grigsby.
Ships Sailed
USS Warren, (4th), 1825: 2nd class sloop, 18 guns, builder: Boston Navy Yard, sold at Panama Jan 1, 1863, 2 medium 32-pounders and 18 32-pounders carronades.
USS Constitution, 1797: Frigate, 44 guns, length 175 b.p., moulded beam 43'6", depth in hold 14'3", 1,576 tons, builder: George Claighorne, launched October 21, 1797, at Boston, extensive repairs 1812-15, rebuilt 1831, 1871–77, 1906, 1927–30, still afloat Boston Harbor.
USS James Madison, (2nd), 1842: Revenue cutter schooner, length 73'4" b.p., moulded beam 20'2", depth in hold 7'4", 112 tons, used by Navy during the Seminole Wars.
USS Onkahye, 1843: Schooner, 2 guns, length 96', beam 22', 250 tons builder: William Capes, Williamsburg, N.Y., yacht purchased 1843, wrecked on Caicos Reef, West Indies, on June 21, 1848.
