Hutton was born in 1801, and entered the Royal Navy in early 1813."Captain Frederick Hutton R.N.", The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Retrieved 3 December 2015. He rose through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant in 1825, a commander in 1838, and a captain on 3 July 1844. He served as Administrator of Ascension Island from 1847 to 1851, before returning to active naval duties. In April 1863 he was appointed to the rank of Rear admiral.
