A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hicks, Edward Buller
HICKS. (Lieutenant, 1812. f-p., 11; h-p., 29.)
Edward Buller Hicks was born, 15 Sept. 1792, in Devonshire, and died 9 Feb. 1845, at Newport, Isle of Wight. He was youngest son of the late Admiral Thos. Hicks; brother of the late Commander Thos. Bickerton Ashton Hicks, R.N.; and godson of Vice-Admiral Sir Edw. Buller, Bart. Paternally he was descended of an old Gloucestershire family; and through his mother he claimed kindred with Lord Chancellor Hyde. Among his ancestors was the distinguished Capt. Jasper Hicks, who, in conjunction with the equally gallant Capt. Jumper, in the barges of their respective ships, attacked and took the Mole of Gibraltar.
This officer entered the Navy, 28 Feb. 1805, as Midshipman, on board the Foudroyant 80, commanded by his brother-in-law, Capt. Edw. Kendall, with whom, until the following Oct., he served in the Channel under the flag of Sir Thos. Graves. In June, 1806, he re-embarked on board the Malta 84, Capt. Edw. Buller, in which ship, after witnessing the capture, on 27 of the next Sept., of the French 44-gun frigate Le Président, he proceeded to the Mediterranean; where, in the summer of 1807, he removed to the Queen 98, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Geo. Martin. Between Oct. 1808 and Aug. 1812 we find him successively employed at home, off Cadiz (during the siege of which place he aided in the boats at the defence of Fort Matagorda), again in the Mediterranean, and at Newfoundland, on board the Salvador del Mondo and San Josef, flag-ships of Admirals Wm. Young and Sir John Thos. Duckworth, Hibernia 110, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, and Antelope 50, bearing also the flag of Sir J. T. Duckworth. He then became Acting-Lieutenant of the Electra sloop, Capt. Wm. Gregory, in which vessel (being confirmed to her by commission dated 2 Dec. 1812) he continued to serve on the Newfoundland station until April, 1814, contributing during that period to the capture, after a short running fight, of the American privateer Growler, of 5 guns and 60 men. His last appointments were, in July and Sept. 1815, to the Tigre and Spencer 74’s, Capts. John Halliday and Wm. Robt. Broughton, both lying at Plymouth. The latter ship was paid off 31 Aug. 1818.
Lieut. Hicks married, 1 June, 1820, Sarah, only daughter of the late Thos. Atkinson, Esq., of Berry House, co. Hants.