A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hughes, Robert
HUGHES. (Retired Commander, 1842. f-p., 17; h-p., 33.)
Robert Hughes entered the Navy, 1 Dec. 1797, as A.B,, on board L’Aigle 38, Capt, Chas. Tyler, and on 18 July, 1798, was wrecked, near Tunis, on which occasion he suffered many severe hardships. In the ensuing Sept. he became Midshipman of the Marlborough 74, Capt, Thos. Sotheby; but that ship being also lost, off Belleisle, 4 Nov. 1800, he next, in Jan. 1801, joined the Trent 36, commanded at first by Sir Edw. Hamilton, and afterwards by Capt, Chas, Brisbane, whom he successively followed, as Master’s Mate, into the Goliath 74, and Arethusa 38; assisting, in the Goliath, at the capture, 28 June, 1803, of La Mignonne French national corvette of 16 guns and 80 men. In June, 1805, he removed to the Astrea 32, Capt. Jas. Carthew, at the Nore; and on 25 Aug. in the same year, he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Combatant sloop, Capt. Alex. Robt, Kerr, in the Downs. In about a month afterwards, however, he went back to the Arethusa, still commanded by Capt. Brisbane; in which ship we find him present at the capture, 23 Aug. 1806, near the Havana, after a spirited action, in which the Arethusa had 2 men killed and 32 wounded, of the Pomona Spanish frigate, of 38 guns and 347 men, laden with specie and merchandize, and defended by a castle, mounting 11 36-pounders, and a flotilla of 10 gun-boats, all of which were destroyed. After further sharing in the memorable capture of Curaçoa, Mr. Hughes was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, by commission dated 23 Feb. 1807. With the exception of a brief command, in June and July, 1812, of the Merope 10, he next, from Aug. 1808 until May, 1813, served with the same Captain and the present Sir Edw. Codrington on board the Blake 74. He took, during that period, a warm part in the hostilities of 1809 in the Scheldt, served at the siege of Cadiz, and, among other operations on the coast of Spain, united in the defence of Tarragona. On the night of 26 Sept. 1812, some time after the latter place had fallen into the hands of the French, we find Mr. Hughes, who was then First of the Blake, assuming command of her boats, and sweeping the mole of all the vessels and boats which had there sought protection, notwithstanding an angry discharge of shot and shells from the town. In the execution of this service, which was conducted simultaneously with a land-operation under the Baron d’Eroles, he greatly acquired the approbation of his Captain, Codrington.[1] His last appointment was, 20 Sept. 1813, to the Rippon 74, Capt. Sir Christopher Cole, on the Channel station, where he assisted in capturing, 21 Oct., the French frigate Le Weser, of 44 guns, and, in Feb. 1814, a Spanish treasure-ship of immense value. He went on half-pay in Aug. of the latter year; and accepted his present rank 4 Feb. 1842.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1812, p. 2295.