# Royal Naval Biography/Burnaby Greene, Pitt

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PITT BURNABY GREENE, Esq. [Post-Captain of 1811.]
Was made a lieutenant in Nov. 1790, and promoted to the rank of commander May 8, 1804. He commissioned the Foxhound, a new 18-gun brig, about May, 1807; and was attached to the fleet under Lord Gambier, in Basque Roads, April, 1809. His post commission bears date March 7, 1811; at which period he commanded the Bonne Citoyenne corvette. In that ship he continued until Aug. 23, 1814.
The Bonne Citoyenne was principally employed on the South American station; and Captain Greene appears to have carried on the duties as senior officer in the Rio de la Plata, ​from Dec. 1811 until superseded by Captain Peter Heywood, about Sept, 1812. He shortly afterwards sailed from Rio Janeiro for England, with specie to the amount of half a million sterling on board, but was obliged to put into St. Salvador, and heave his ship down, in consequence of her having sustained great damage by running on shore between that port and the Brazilian capital.
Shortly after Captain Greene’s arrival there, the United States’ ships Constitution and Hornet likewise entered the harbour of St. Salvador; the former commanded by Commodore Bainbridge, and the latter by Captain Lawrence, both of whom, and Mr. Hill, the American consul, laid their heads together, to contrive something that, without any personal risk to either, should contribute to the renown of their common country: after various consultations, the following letter was written by Captain Lawrence and addressed to his consul:–
“When I last saw you, I stated to you my wish to meet the Bonne Citoyenne, and authorised you to make my wishes known to Captain Greene. I now request you to state to him, that I will meet him whenever he may be pleased to come out, and pledge my honor that neither the Constitution, nor any other American vessel, shall interfere.”
To this challenge. Commodore Bainbridge added, “If Captain Greene wishes to try equal force, I pledge my honor to give him an opportunity, by being out of the way, or not interfering.”
Captain Greene’s very proper reply to the challenge will be seen by the following copy of a letter from the British consul to Mr. Hill:–
“Fort de St. Pedro, Dec. 29, 1812.
“Sir,– I transmitted your letter to me of yesterday to Captain P. B. Greene, to whom the substance is directed; and, having received his reply, I herewith insert it verbatim. I am, &c.
(Signed)“Frederick Landsman.”
Enclosure.
“I hasten to acknowledge the favor of your communication, made to me this morning from Mr. Hill, consul of the United States of America, ​on the subject of a challenge, stated to have been offered through Mr. Hill, by Captain Lawrence, of the U.S. sloop of war the He met, to myself, as commander of H.B.M. ship the Bonne Citoyenne, anchored in this port, pledging his honor, as well as that of Commodore Bainbridge, that no advantage shall be taken by the Constitution, or any other American vessel whatever on the occasion. I am convinced, Sir, if such rencontre were to take place, the result could not be long dubious, and would terminate favorably to the ship which I have the honor to command; but I am equally convinced that Commodore Bainbridge could not swerve so much from the paramount duty he owes to his country, as to become an inactive spectator, and see a ship belonging to the very squadron under his orders fall into the hands of an enemy: this reason operates powerfully on my mind for not exposing the Bonne Citoyenne to a risk upon terms so manifestly disadvantageous as those proposed by Commodore Bainbridge; indeed, nothing could give me greater satisfaction than complying with the wishes of Captain Lawrence; and I earnestly hope that chance will afford him an opportunity of meeting the Bonne Citoyenne under different circumstances, to enable him to distinguish himself in the manner he is now so desirous of doing. I further assure you, that my ship will, at all times, be prepared, wherever she may be, to repel any attacks made against her, and I shall also act offensively wherever I judge it proper to do so. I am. Sir, with great regard, &c.
(Signed)“P. B. Greene.”
“It would appear,” says Mr. James, “as if the Commodore had purposely inserted the words, ‘or not interfering,’ lest Captain Greene, contrary to his expectation, should accept the challenge; for, had the two ships met by agreement, the Constitution looked on without interfering, and the British been the conqueror, the pledge of honour, on the part of both American commanders, would have been fulfilled; and can any one for a moment imagine, that Commodore Bainbridge would have seen the Bonne Citoyenne carry off a United States’ ship of war, without attempting her rescue? It was more than his head was worth. Where was the guarantee against recapture, which always accompanies a serious proposal of this sort, when a stronger force, belonging to either party, is to preserve a temporary neutrality?” The Bonne Citoyenne and Hornet each mounted eighteen 32-pounder carronades; in addition to which the former had two long 9-pounders, and the latter two long twelves: the British ​sloop had, including 21 supernumeraries, 150 officers, men and boys; the American 173:– could Captain Greene have accepted the challenge he received, we are convinced that the result would not have been long dubious. The Bonne Citoyenne continued at St. Salvador until Jan. 26, 1813, when she sailed from thence under the protection of the Montagu 74: she arrived at Portsmouth in the month of April following.
Captain Greene’s son, an officer in the Hon.E.I. Company’s military service, died on his passage from Rangoon to Madras, Aug. 23, 1825, aged 26 years.
Agents.– Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son.
* ↑ See Vol. I. p. 84.
* ↑ See Vol. II, Part II, p. 794.
* ↑ Nav. Hist. VI. 276.