A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hatton, Villiers Francis
HATTON, M.P. (Captain, 1812. f-p., 11; h-p., 37.)
Villiers Francis Hatton, born 20 Aug. 1787, at Dromana, co. Waterford, is eldest son of Geo. Hatton, Esq., formerly M.P. for Lisburne, co. Antrim, by Lady Isabella Rachel Seymour Conway, sixth daughter of Francis, first Marquess of Hertford. He is brother of Commander Henry John Hatton, R.N. (1815), a Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber, who died 21 Dec. 1831; nephew of the late Major-General John Hatton; and cousin of the present Marquess of Londonderry. His uncle, the late Henry Hatton, Esq., of Clonard, co. Wexford, married the eldest daughter of the second Earl of Arran; which lady espoused, a second time, the first Marquess of Abercorn.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Sans Pareil 80, Capt. Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, bearing the flag in the Channel and West Indies of his uncle, Lord Hugh Seymour. In 1801 he removed, as Midshipman, with Capt. Penrose to the Carnatic 74; and he next, between 1802 and 1805, served, on the Home and East India stations, in the St. Fiorenzo 36, Capt. Joseph Bingham, and Trident 64, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Peter Rainier, by whom he was then appointed Lieutenant of the Grampus 50, Capt. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild. Returning home shortly after his official promotion, which took place 31 Jan. 1805, he joined, on 3 Oct. in that year, the Seagull, of 16 guns and 94 men, Capt. Robt. Cathcart, and proceeded to the North Sea station, where he displayed great zeal for the public service, and often cruized, for days at a time, in an open boat for the suppression of smuggling. On 19 June, 1808, being at the time First of the Seagull, Mr. Hatton participated, off the coast of Norway, in a desperate and heroic action of two hours and a half, which, after the British had sustained a loss of 8 men killed and 20 wounded, and had been actually reduced to a sinking state, terminated in the surrender of that vessel to the Danish sloop Lougen, of 20 guns and 160 men, and six gun-boats, each armed with 2 long-24-pounders, and manned with from 60 to 70 men. During the contest Mr. Hatton lost an arm, and received two other wounds, one of which, in the knee, nearly deprived him of the use of his right leg; yet, although he was so dangerously wounded, he continued to give his support and encouragement to the last.[1] So distinguished indeed was his conduct that it not only called forth the highest approbation of the court-martial which assembled to try the officers and crew of the Seagull for the loss of their ship, but procured for him a Commander’s commission dated back to the day of the action. From 3 March, 1810, until posted, 7 Feb. 1812, Capt. Hatton served in the Port Mahon brig, on the Portsmouth station and on the north coast of Spain. He has not been since afloat.
Capt. Hatton, who is M.P. for co. Wexford, enjoys a pension of 300l. in consideration of his wounds. He married, 24 May, 1817, Harriet, second daughter of the Right Hon. David La Touche, M.P. for co. Carlow, by Lady Cecilia Leeson, daughter of the first Earl of Miltown; and by that lady has issue one son, in the Army, and two daughters. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1808, p. 1285.