A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hare, Charles
HARE. (Lieutenant, 1810. f-p., 15; h-p., 31.)
Charles Hare is son of Capt. Rich. Hare, R.N., who commanded the Vulcan fire-vessel, with distinction, at the destruction of the French shipping at Toulon in 1793, and died in 1801 while commanding the Madras. He is brother-in-law of the late Admiral Alexander; and cousin of the present General of that name, a very gallant officer, who served as Aide-de-Camp to the late Lord Lynedoch. Mr. Hare, who has lost two brothers of his own rank in the Navy, is also cousin of Lieut. Rich. Hare, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, in Feb. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Madras, commanded by his father, Capt. Chas. Hare, whom he attended in the ensuing expedition to Egypt. In Feb. 1803, after having served for some time in the Minotaur 74, and Amphion 32, Capts. Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, Alex. Frazer, and Thos. Masterman Hardy, he joined La Minerve, of 48 guns, Capt. Jahleel Brenton; and, on 2 July, 1803, he was on board that frigate when she took the ground under the batteries of Cherbourg, and was compelled, in spite of a desperate and sanguinary resistance, to strike her colours. Being in consequence taken prisoner, he remained in captivity until 1809, when, contriving to escape, he was received on board the Royal Oak 74, Capt. Lord Amelius Beauclerk. During the early part of 1810, we next find him (with his name successively on the books of the Circe, Atlas, Ville de Paris, and San Josef) employed at the siege of Cadiz. On 8 June in the same year, having for a few weeks acted as Lieutenant of the Cyane 20, Capt. Thos. Forrest, he was confirmed to that rank in the Porcupine 24, Capt. Robt. Elliot, stationed in the River Plate. He removed, in Nov. 1811, to the Barbadoes 28, Capts. Edw. Rushworth and Thos. Huskisson, stationed in the Channel and West Indies; and was lastly, from Oct. 12 until Sept. 1815, employed in command of the Bream and Manly schooners, and Picton brig. In those vessels he appears to have cruized with great activity in the Bay of Fundy, where he effected the capture of several privateers of superior force. On 9 June, 1811, in particular, when off Cape Forchu, in the Bream, he fell in with the American private armed sloop Wasp, mounting 2 6-pounder carriage-guns, with a crew of 33 men, which did not surrender until after a chase of seven hours and a half and a smart running action.[1] Agents – Coplands and Burnett.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 1990.