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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Higgon, Henry Miller

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1748832A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Higgon, Henry MillerWilliam Richard O'Byrne

HIGGON. (Lieut., 1828. f-p., 28; h-p., 8.)

Henry Miller Higgon was born 22 Jan. 1796. This officer entered the Navy, 17 Aug. 1811, as Midshipman, on board the Abercromby 74, Capt. Wm. Chas. Fahie, stationed in the Channel; and was next, between Feb. 1814 and Sept. 1821, employed, chiefly in the West Indies, on board the Halcyon sloop, Capt. John Houlton Marshall, Ulysses 44, Capt. Thos. Browne, Larne 20, Capt. Abraham Lowe, and Sapphire 26, Capt. Henry Hart. He then joined the Bann 20, Capt. Chas. Phillips, and sailed for the western coast of Africa, where that vessel cruized with success against the slave-trade, and lost, when at Ascension in 1823, the greater part of her crew from the effects of the climate. In Oct. 1823 Mr. Higgon, who had passed his examination in Jan. 1818, and had for the last six months acted as First-Lieutenant, was superseded from the Bann; nor was he promoted until 6 April, 1828, by which period he had further served for four years and a half as (Admiralty) Midshipman, almost continuously on the African coast, in the Jasper 10, Capt. Alex. Dundas Young Arbuthnott, Blanche 46, Capt. Wm. Bowen Mends, Blonde 42, Capt. Lord Byron, and Sybille 48, Commodore Sir Fras. Augustus Collier. He returned to England in May, 1828, after having been fmrther attached for a few weeks to the North Star 28, Capt. Septimus Arabin; and, with the exception of a period of two years in 1840-2, has been employed in the Coast Guard since 7 Oct. 1833.

Lieut. Higgon, during his servitude afloat, was eight times attacked with yellow fever and once with cholera. His testimonials for character and conduct are of a very high order.