A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hawkins, Abraham Mills
HAWKINS. (Capt., 1835. f-p., 25; h-p., 24.)
Abraham Mills Hawkins, born at Kingsbridge, co. Devon, is second son of Rich. Hawkins, Esq., of that place, and enumerates amongst his ancestors the celebrated Sir John Hawkins, who was knighted for the conspicuous part he had enacted, as Rear-Admiral, in the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and Sir Rich. Hawkins, his son, an officer also distinguished in the naval annals of those days. Queen Elizabeth, in consideration of the important services rendered to his country by Sir John Hawkins, granted honourable augmentations to the family arms, which are still borne by Capt. Hawkins.
This officer entered the Navy, 23 March, 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Barfleur 98, Capt. Jas. Rich. Dacres, employed in the Channel and off Cadiz; and in Jan. 1799 became Midshipman of the Prince 98, bearing the flag of Sir Roger Curtis, whom he soon accompanied to the Cape of Good Hope in the Lancaster 64. He there removed for a few months in 1800 to the Rattlesnake, Capt. Roger Curtis, but afterwards rejoined the Lancaster, and continued to serve in that ship until Nov. 1803. He was then transferred to the Trident 64, flag-ship of Admiral Rainier on the East India station; where, from July, 1804, until his return to England towards the close of 1806 in the Woolwich armée en flûte, Capt. Fras. Beaufort, he was further employed, as Acting-Lieutenant, on board the Victor sloop, Capt. Jas. Johnstone, Sheerness 44, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart (under whom he was wrecked, in a, gale of wind, off Trincomalee, 7 Jan. 1805), Psyche frigate, Capt. Wm. Woolridge, and Duncan 38, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart. On being officially promoted, 11 June, 1807, Mr. Hawkins was appointed to the Aimable 32, in which frigate, and the Horatio 38, both commanded by the last-mentioned officer, he served on the North Sea station, principally as First-Lieutenant, until Sept. 1812. While in the former ship he assisted at the capture, on 3 Feb. 1809, of L’Iris French national ship, pierced for 32 guns, but mounting only 24, after a short running-fight in which the latter sustained a loss of 2 men killed and 8 wounded, and the Aimable (besides being materially damaged in her masts, spars, sails, and rigging) of 2 wounded; and in the course of the following July we find him earning the thanks of his Captain for his indefatigable exertions at the reduction of the batteries of Cuxhaven and Bremerlehe, and the expulsion of the enemy from Gessendorf. On 2 Aug. 1812, being then in the Horatio, he took command of four boats belonging to that ship, and, in a manner indescribably gallant, succeeded, at the end of a most sanguinary combat, in which the assailants suffered a loss of 9 men killed and 16 wounded, and their opponents of 10 killed and 13 wounded, in capturing a Danish schooner and cutter, mounting 10 guns between them, lying at anchor in a position of extraordinary strength near a village on an arm of the sea, 35 miles inland, on the coast of Norway.[1] He unfortunately, however, received a severe wound in the right hand while advancing to the attack, and another in the left arm when in the act of boarding; in consideration whereof he was awarded a pension of 150l., and presented with a gratuity from the Patriotic Society. The valour of his exploit was also acknowledged by a Commander’s commission dated on 12 of the following Dec. Capt. Hawkins’ subsequent appointments were – 18 March, 1814, to the Conflict sloop, in which vessel he served on the Home station until Sept. 1815 – 30 Aug. 1819, to a five-years’ Inspectorship in the Water Guard – and 13 July, 1830, to the Raleigh 18, fitting for the Mediterranean, whence he returned and was paid off 31 May, 1834. He was advanced to his present rank 6 Feb. 1835, but has not since been afloat.
Capt. Hawkins married, in 1819, Mary Wise, only daughter of Christopher Savery, Esq., of South Efford, co. Devon, and by that lady has issue two sons, of whom the eldest is an officer in the Army.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1812, p. 1710.