A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hillier, George
HILLIER. (Commander, 1824. f-p., 18; h-p., 42.)
George Hillier is brother of Commander C. W. Hillier, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1787, as a Volunteer, on board the Alfred 74, Capts. West, Harvey, and Bazely, employed on the Home station, where, on 1 June, 1794, he was present, as Midshipman, in Lord Howe’s action. Removing in the following Aug. to the Réunion 36, commanded in the North Sea by Capt. Jas. Alms, he took part in that ship, when in company with several others, in an obstinate fight, which terminated in the capture, 22 Aug. 1795, of one of three Dutch vessels – the Alliance 36. He continued to serve on the German Ocean in the Ardent 64, Capts. Rich. Rundell Burgess (under whom, who was killed, he shared in the glories of Camperdown) and Thos. Bertie, until Jan. 1798, on 16 of which month he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to the Alliance, armée en flûte, Capts. Davis, John Baker Hay, and David Wilmot. After participating with much credit in the defence of St. Jean d’Acre he became, 7 June, 1799, First Lieutenant of the Tigre 80, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith.[1] On the 8th, 13th, and 21st of March, 1801, Mr. Hillier was attached to the army under General Abercromby, and on those occasions he conducted himself to the entire satisfaction of Sir Sidney, who was in command of the seamen on shore. At the close of the Egyptian campaign he was presented with the Turkish gold medal. In March, 1803, having quitted the Tigre in the previous Sept., he rejoined Sir W. S. Smith, again as Senior, on board the Antelope 50, stationed in the North Sea, where, on 16 May, 1804, he was present in a gallant attack made by a British squadron upon a division of the enemy’s flotilla passing along shore from Flushing to Ostend. Although at the time he was in an ill state of health, he afforded Sir Sidney, on the quarter-deck, all the assistance and support in his power.[2] He continued in the Antelope until June, 1805, and was lastly employed, as a Volunteer, with the fire-ships under Capt. Nicholas Tomlinson in the expedition of 1809 to the Scheldt. His promotion to the rank of Commander did not take place until 21 Jan. 1824.