A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hodgson, George Henry
HODGSON. (Lieut., 1842. f-p., 14; h-p., 1.)
George Henry Hodgson entered the Navy, 14 June, 1832, as Midshipman, on board the Revenge 78, Capt. Donald Hugh Mackay, employed off Lisbon. In the summer of 1834 he proceeded to South America in the North Star 28, Capt. Octavius Vernon Harcourt. On his return to England, towards the close of 1836, he joined the Dido 18, Capt. Lewis Davies, in which sloop, and in the Pembroke 74, Capt. Fairfax Moresby, we find him, until Feb. 1840, employed on the Mediterranean station – the last 16 months in the capacity of Mate. In Oct. 1840 he was appointed to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings; and in June, 1842, he sailed for China, on board the Cornwallis 72, bearing the flag of Sir Wm. Parker. Joining subsequently in the hostilities in progress against the Celestial empire, Mr. Hodgson participated in the attack on the enemy’s entrenched camp on the heights of Segoan (where he displayed very spirited conduct and was slightly wounded in a personal encounter with a Chinese), and was present at the capture of Chapoo, Woosung, Shanghae, and Chin-Kiang-Foo, as also at the pacification of Nanking.[1] At Chin-Kiang-Foo, having landed, he distinguished himself by the manner in which with three other officers, he rushed into the Imperial Canal for the purpose of ascertaining its fordability.[2] Being rewarded for his services with a commission bearing date 23 Dec. 1842,[3] and appointed to the Wanderer 16, Capt. Geo. Henry Seymour, he served in the boats of that sloop in company with those of H.M.S. Harlequin, and Hon.E.I.Co.’s steamer Diana, in an attack upon some pirates at Murdoo, on the Pedir coast 12 Feb. 1843. On 27 Nov. 1844, five months after he had returned to England, he obtained a re-appointment to the Excellent. Since 4 March 1845 he has been employed on board the Terror discovery-ship, Capt. Fras. Rawdon Moira Crozier, in a renewed attempt to explore the N.W. passage through Lancaster Sound and Behring Strait.