Phaeton (carriage) Roger Button, Benjamin's father, owns a phaeton that is his primary mode of transportation until Benjamin buys the first automobile in Baltimore. In Susannah Kells' novel "Fallen Angels", a phaeton is the transportation of choice for the main character, Campion, who later crashes the carriage in a perfect example of its dangerous and fickle reputation. The character Mr. Spenlow from the novel "David Copperfield" dies suddenly of a heart attack while driving his phaeton home. Henry James, in his short story "An International Episode" (1878) has Lord Lambeth driven through town in "a little basket-phaeton" by his companion Bessie Aldon.
HMS Phaeton (1782) shipping from Île de France. On 18 November 1806 "Phaeton" was at Saint Helena. There she took on board 32 officers and crew from the East Indiaman , which the French had captured. The French had released them at the Cape of Good Hope and a cartel ahd delivered them to St Helena. "Phaeton" was already carrying the Marquis of Wellesley and his suite, who was returning to England after having served as Governor General of India. They arrived at Spithead on 13 January 1806. In October 1806 Captain John Wood took command of "Phaeton". Then in July 1808, Captain