A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Christian, Hood Hanway

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CHRISTIAN. (Rear-Admiral of the White, 1838. f-p., 21; h-p., 34.)

Hood Hanway Christian, born 23 July, 1784, is eldest son of the late Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian, K.B.,^[1] by Anne, only daughter of Barnabas Leigh, Esq., of Thorleigh, in the Isle of Wight, and niece of the late Lord Holmes.

This officer entered the Navy, in May, 1792, as a Volunteer, on board the Colossus 74, commanded by his father, with whom he removed to the Queen Charlotte 100, both on the Home station. After escorting H.R.H. the Princess of Wales to this country in the Princess Augusta royal yacht, Capt. Wm. Browell, he rejoined the former officer, then Rear-Admiral Christian, as Midshipman, on board the Prince George 98, in Oct. 1795; and continuing to serve with him, until Feb. 1797, in the Glory 98, Thunderer 74, and Beaulieu 44, was present, in the Thunderer, at the capture of Ste. Lucie, 25 May, 1796. On his return home he became attached for a few months to the Queen Charlotte 100, bearing the flag of Lord Keith in the Channel; after which he served for some time at the Cape of Good Hope on board La Virginie 44, and Sceptre 74, both flag-ships of Sir H. C. Christian, and Tremendous 74, Capts. Sam. Osborne and Searle. He then joined the Garland 28, Capt. Jas. Athol Wood, and while in that frigate had the misfortune to be wrecked, in pursuit of an enemy’s vessel, off Madagascar, 26 July, 1798. We subsequently find him doing duty in the Sphynx 20, Capt. Lord Augustus Fitzroy, in which ship he returned to England, Boadicea 88, Capt. Rich. Goodwin Keats, with whom he shared in the attack on the Spanish squadron under the batteries of Isle d’Aix, 2 July, 1799, and Queen Charlotte again, bearing the flag of Lord Keith in the Mediterranean. Having been created a Lieutenant of the Phoenix 36, Capt. Lawrence Wm. Halsted, 25 Jan. 1800, Mr. Christian commanded the boats of that ship at the reduction of Genoa, the cutting out of the Prima galley, and the successful defence of Porto Ferrajo, besides witnessing the capture and destruction, 3 Aug. and 2 Sept. 1801, of the French frigates Carrère, Succès, and Bravoure. While in the Albion 74, Capt. John Ferrier, to which ship he had been appointed 11 Nov. 1802, the subject of this sketch further aided at the capture of La Franchise of 36 guns, as likewise in chasing her consort, a line-of-battle ship, into L’Orient. For his subsequently meritorious conduct, during a gale of wind in the Bay of Bengal, as temporary Captain of the Trident 64, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Peter Rainier, he was placed by the latter officer in command, 20 Oct. 1804, of the Arrogant guardship at Bombay, and, next, of the Victor 18, to which sloop he was officially appointed, 21 March, 1805. After holding for some months the Acting-Captaincy of the Sir Edward Hughes 38, he received a Post-commission dated 30 Jan. 1806, and then returned home. Capt. Christian appears to have afterwards served – from April to Nov. 1809, in the Heroine 32, part of the Walcheren expeditionary armament, and one of the 10 frigates which, under Lord Wm. Stuart, forced the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadsand on the afternoon of 11 Aug.^[2] – from 7 May, 1811, to Dec. 1814, in the Iris 36, employed on the north coast of Spain, where in actively co-operating with the patriots he distinguished himself at the capture of Castro, of which fortress, on being appointed governor, he kept up a successful defence^[3] – and, lastly, from 16 Sept. 1824, until the year 1828, as Commodore, at the Cape of Good Hope, with his broad pendant in the Owen Glendower 42. He attained flag-rank 28 June, 1838.

Rear-Admiral Christian married, in Feb. 1808, Harriet, second daughter of the late Sam. Shute, Esq., of Fernhill, Isle of Wight. Agent – John P. Muspratt.

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1. Sir H. C. Christian was born in 1747. He commanded the Suffolk 74, in Byron’s action with D’Estaing, 6 July 1779; was in the actions with De Guychen of 17 April and 15 and 19 May, 1780; and commanded the naval force employed in co-operation with the army under Sir Ralph Abercromby at the reduction of Ste. Lucie in May 1796. He died Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope in Nov 1798.
2. Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1298.
3. Vide Gaz. 1811, pp. 2329, 2473, and Gaz. 1812, p. 1440.