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) sailed from Nantes on the 17 of February and ten days later had captured the packet ship "Princess Elizabeth", which was her only prize. On 28 May, "Phaeton", , and the hired armed lugger "Speedwell" detained "Frederickstadt". On 16 September "Phaeton" took the 6-gun "Chasseur". Then two days later she took the privateer "Brunette". Then with "Unite" she took 16-gun "Indien" on 24 September off the Roches Bonnes. On 9 October "Unite" captured "Découverte", with the 32-gun frigate "Stag" and "Phaeton" in company. "Phaeton" also recaptured three British vessels. These were "Adamant" (24 September), "Arcade" (3 October), and "Recovery" (20