A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hamilton, William
HAMILTON. (Lieut., 1810. f-p., 16; h-p., 32.)
William Hamilton entered the Navy, in Aug. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Resolution 74, Capts. Wm. Mitchell and Alan Hyde Gardner, of which ship, successively stationed in the Channel and West Indies, he became Midshipman 17 Dec. 1800. In Feb. 1803, having been unemployed since the preceding July, he joined the Hound, Capt. Keith Maxwell, with whom, on returning to the West Indies after visiting the Baltic, he removed to the Shark sloop, and next to the Tartar frigate. While attached, between Sept. 1804 and Sept. 1808, to the Franchise 36, Capts. Hon. John Murray and Chas. Dashwood, Mr. Hamilton bore hie full share in a variety of active services. On the night of 6 Jan. 1806, in particular, he proved instrumental to the achievement of an exploit of more than ordinary gallantry, nothing less than the cutting-out, in Campeachy Bay, of a Spanish corvette El Raposa, carrying 12 guns and 75 men, besides swivels and cohorns; which vessel, after an obstinate conflict of 10 minutes’ duration, and a loss to the enemy of 5 men killed and 26 wounded, was boarded and carried by the British, who, in three boats with 64 men, of whom only 7 were wounded, had also to contend against a brig of 20 guns, a schooner of 8 guns, and 7 gun-vessels. On leaving the Franchise, Mr. Hamilton successively became Acting-Lieutenant, 12 Sept. 1808 and 6 Jan. 1809, of the Polyphemus 64, flag-ship of Admiral Bartholomew Sam. Rowley, and Daedalus frigate, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield. In Sept. of the latter year he went back, in a similar capacity, to the Franchise, and continued in that ship on the Jamaica station until confirmed 20 Jan. 1810. He then joined the Rose sloop, commanded in the Baltic by Capt. Thos. Mansell, and, invaliding from that vessel in Sept. 1812, was next (appointed – 27 March, 1813, to the Doterbl 16, Capt. Wm. Westcott Daniel, on the Jamaica and Halifax stations – and, 1 Oct. 1814, to the command there of the Shelburne schooner, in which he remained until June, 1816. He has since been on half-pay.
Lieut. Hamilton holds the appointment of Branch Pilot at Nassau. He has received a gratuity, we are informed, from the Patriotic Fund.