▁to ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 6 - gun ▁sc rew - fr ig ate ▁ ▁commanded ▁by ▁Captain ▁Robert ▁Sp encer ▁Robinson , ▁Lis bon . ▁ ▁He ▁stayed ▁with ▁Ar rog ant ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁recomm ission ed ▁at ▁Port sm outh ▁by ▁Captain ▁Stephen ▁Gre ville ▁F rem ant le ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁F rem ant le ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Captain ▁H ast ings ▁Y el ver ton ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁She ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁in ▁the ▁Crime an ▁War . ▁ ▁Action ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross ▁On ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁in ▁the ▁Balt ic , ▁Lieutenant ▁B yth ese a ▁obtained ▁permission ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁V år d ö , ▁Å land ▁Islands ▁off ▁Finland ▁with ▁a ▁Swedish - spe aking ▁crew man ▁Sto ker ▁William ▁John stone , ▁to ▁intercept ▁important ▁des patch es ▁from ▁the ▁Cz ar ▁which ▁were ▁being ▁sent ▁via ▁V år d ö ▁to ▁Bom ars und . ▁" They ▁lay ▁in ▁wait ▁for ▁three ▁days ▁until ▁five ▁Rus si ans ▁arrived ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁with ▁the ▁post b ags . ▁John stone ▁amb ushed ▁the ▁men , ▁at