A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hawker, Edward
HAWKER. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1837.)
Edward Hawker is son of Capt. Jas. Hawker, R.N., who commanded the Hero 74, and was with the squadron under Commodore Johnstone when attacked by M. de Suffrein, at Porto Praya, in 1781.
This officer (whose name had been borne since 28 May, 1786, on the books of the Pegasus 28, commanded by H.R.H. Prince Wm. Henry, Powerful 74, and Impregnable 98, Capt. Sir Thos. Byard) successively became Midshipman, in 1793, of the Pegasus, and of the Swiftsure 74, each commanded by Capt. Chas. Boyles, under whom he was nominated, 14 July, 1796, Lieutenant of the Raisonnable 64. His other appointments, in the latter capacity, were – 22 July. 1799, and 2 Oct. 1800, to the Spitfire sloop, Capt. Michael Seymour, and Garland 28, Capt. Robt. Honyman, both on the Channel station – 13 June, 1801, as Senior, to the Thames 32, Capt. Aiskew Paffard Hollis, in which frigate, after witnessing, we believe. Sir Jas. Saumarez’ action of 12 and 13 July following in the Gut of Gibraltar, and commanding her boats at the very spirited capture, 21 Sept. 1801, of a Spanish privateer called the Sparrow, carrying 2 4-pounders, 2 brass swivels, and 31 men,[1] he visited the shores of Egypt – 30 June, 1803, to the command of the Swift cutter, employed off Martinique and Jamaica – and, 22 Aug. in the same year, again as First, to the Bellerophon 74, Capt. John Loring. He was promoted, on 29 of the latter month, to the command of the Port Mahon brig, also on the Jamaica station, where he was shortly afterwards transferred to the Mignonne. Attaining Post-rank, 6 June, 1804, he joined, on 15 of the following month, the Theseus 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Jas. Rich. Dacres; from which ship, after experiencing a very dreadful hurricane, he removed, in the next Dec, to the Tartar 32. In that vessel Capt. Hawker cruized for nearly two years in the West Indies and off the coast of America, and captured, on 9 June, 1806 (in company with the Bacchus cutter), L’Observateur, French national brig, of 18 guns and 104 men.[2] The Tartar being then ordered to England, in consequence of the damages she had sustained in a recent hurricane, he exchanged into the Melampus 36; in which frigate we find him, in Jan. 1809, convoying a fleet of transports from Halifax to Barbadoes; and, on 16 of that month, capturing Le Colibri, a French brig-of-war mounting 16 guns, with a complement of 92 men, having on board 570 barrels of flour and a large quantity of gunpowder for the relief of St. Domingo.[3] On 14 of the ensuing Dec. he intercepted Le Beauharnais, of 16 guns and 109 men, laden with flour and warlike stores, from Bayonne bound to Guadeloupe;[4] after assisting at the reduction of which island, and capturing, in company with the Driver sloop-of-war, La Fantôme, French letter-of-marque, pierced for 20 guns, with a complement of 74 men, he returned to the Halifax station, where he continued until Jan. 1812. From 6 March, 1813, to Dec. 1815, he appears to have next commanded the Bellerophon 74, and Salisbury 58, bearing each the flag of Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats at Newfoundland; on his passage whither in the former ship he captured Le Génie French privateer, of 16 guns and 73 men. His last appointments were, 30 April, 1827, and 7 Sept. 1829, to the Britannia and St. Vincent 120’s, flag-ships at Plymouth of the Earl of Northesk. He went on half-pay 30 April, 1830; and attained Flag-rank 10 Jan. 1837.
The Rear-Admiral is married, and has issue.