Samuel Mitchell VC (1841 - 1894)

Descendants

Biography

Samuel Mitchell was born on 8 September 1841 in Husborne Crawley, Bedfordshire, England ^[1][2] as the son of William Mitchell and Eleanor Field.

In 1851, Samuel was living in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England^[3].

Samuel was a sailor, a bluejacket in the Royal Navy who served on the HMS Harrier during its time in the New Zealand Wars. ^[4] The Harrier participated in an expedition up the Waikato River in support of British Army operations. Mitchell, who had been made Captain of the Foretop, ^[5] and was a member of the Naval Brigade that was raised for service in the Waikato and which fought in the Battle of Rangiriri. By the end of the year, the fighting in the Waikato region had ceased but hostilities had shifted to Tauranga, and Mitchell's brigade was moved there to participate in the Tauranga Campaign. On 29 April 1864, Mitchell was a member of a storming party of 150 sailors and marines from the Harrier ordered to attack a fortified position in the defences at Pukehinahina (Gate Pā). When the enemy's fire had killed most of the storming party and wounded the commanding officer, the team was ordered to retreat. Even being wounded himself, Mitchell went forward and brought back the commanding officer out to safety. For gallantry in the face of the enemy, he was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC). ^{[6] [7]}

The citation for his VC read:

For his gallant conduct at the attack at Te Papa, Tauranga, on the 29th of April last, in entering the Pah with Commander Hay, and when that Officer was mortally wounded, bringing him out, although ordered by Commander Hay to leave him, and seek his own safety. This man was at the time 'Captain of the Fore-top' of the "Harrier," doing duty as Captain's Coxswain; and Commodore Sir William Wiseman brings his name to special notice for this act of gallantry. ^[8]

Upon return to the Australian Colonies, the Harrier was stationed in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), New South Wales. Samuel was presented with his Victoria Cross on 24 September 1864 in Sydney.

Still just 24 years of age, he ended his career in the Royal Navy in 1865 and moved to the West Coast region of New Zealand.

Samuel married Agnes Ross on 21 May 1870 in New Zealand ^[9]. They had ten children together

1. Esther Agnes Mitchell
2. Lizzie Mitchell
3. Isabella Mary Mitchell
4. John Mitchell
5. Samuel Myer Mitchell
6. Edith Mitchell
7. Frank Mitchell
8. Andrew Stewart Mitchell
9. Ruby Mitchell
10. Henry William Mitchell

Samuel died on 16 March 1894 attempting to cross the Mikonui River, Westland, New Zealand. ^{[10] [11]}. He is buried in Ross Cemetery, Ross, West Coast, New Zealand. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYCK-HMY : 19 March 2020), Samuel Mitchel, 1841
2. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NST-PRY : 1 October 2014), Samuel Mitchell, 1841; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGCH-DSZ : 8 November 2019), Samuel Mitchell in household of William Mitchell, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England; citing Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England, p. 1, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
4. ↑ James Cowan calls him "a bluejacket named Samuel Mitchell, captain of the foretop of HMS Harrier" in The New Zealand Wars and the Pioneering Period vol 1 : p: 433
5. ↑ captain of the foretop ie. the sailor responsible for the management of sails and rigging at the top of the foremast, the mast nearest the bow of the ship
6. ↑ West Coast Times, Issue 9786, 24 March 1894, Page 2
7. ↑ Full report of the battle : Engagement at Tauranga New Zealander, Volume XX, Issue 2110, 7 May 1864, Page 2
8. ↑ Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2112, 6 October 1864, Page 2
9. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths and Marriages - Online. Registration: 1870/7092; Bride: Agnes Ross; Groom: Samuel Mitchell; accessed 27 Aug 2022
10. ↑ Press, Volume LI, Issue 8747, 20 March 1894, Page 5
11. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths and Marriages - Online Registration: 1894/1936; Name: Samuel Mitchell; Age at Death: 52Y; accessed 27 Aug 2022
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/7996464/samuel-mitchell: accessed 27 August 2022), memorial page for Samuel Mitchell (8 Sep 1841–16 Mar 1894), Find A Grave: Memorial #7996464, citing Ross Cemetery, Ross, Westland District, West Coast, New Zealand; Maintained by Find a Grave

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 11 April 2021, 03:41), entry for Samuel Mitchell V.C. (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:K2M6-TQ4 ); contributed by various users.

See also:

• Wikipedia : Samuel Mitchell (VC)
• Wikidata: Item Q7412204, en:Wikipedia