A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hall, William Hayhurst
HALL. (Commander, 1840.)
William Hayhurst Hall entered the Navy 25 Sept. 1813; passed his examination in 1820; and, on 23 Dec. 1826, was awarded a commission by the Admiralty in acknowledgment of his meritorious conduct during the war in Ava, where, in the course of the same and the preceding year, he had contributed, in the capacity of Acting-Lieutenant, to the destruction of a large 36-gun stockade at Than-ta-bain, the annihilation of numerous fire-rafts and canoes on the river Irawady, and the capture of the formidable fortresses of Donoobew and Mellone. His gallantry at the storming of the stockade at Than-ta-bain, which he was one of the very first to enter, was so conspicuous, that it obtained him the particular notice of the Governor-General of India in Council. Mr. Hall, whose health had latterly become seriously affected, joined, at the period of his promotion, the Slanev 20, Capt. Sam. Thornton, with whom he returned to England and was paid off in May, 1827. His subsequent appointments were – 31 Dec. 1829 and 19 Feb. 1830, to the Ramillies and Talavera 74’s, both commanded on the Coast-Blockade service by Capt. Hugh Pigot – 4 March, 1830, to the Curlew 10, Capts. Geo. Woollcombe and Hen. Dundas Trotter, stationed at the Cape of Good Hope, whence he invalided in Feb. 1833 – 18 March, 1836, again to the Talavera, Capts. Thos. Ball Sulivan and Wm. Bowen Mends, under whom he served the greater part of four years on the Lisbon and Mediterranean stations, nearly the whole time as First-Lieutenant – and, 19 March, 1840, also as Senior, to the Thunderer 84, Capt. Maurice Fred. Fitzhardinge Berkeley. He was promoted, for his services in the latter ship at St. Jean d’Acre, 4 Nov. 1840; but has not been since afloat. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.