A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hunter, Hugh
HUNTER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 8; h-p., 31.)
Hugh Hunter entered the Navy, 25 March, 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Achates 10, Capt. Hugh Cameron; on accompanying whom into the Hazard 18, he assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture, in Jan. and April, 1809, of the French 40-gun frigate Topaze, the Saintes Islands, and the D’Haupoult ship of the line. He also, on 17 Oct. in the same year, served in the boats of the Hazard and Pelorus, under Lieut. Jas. Robertson, when they succeeded, after having incurred a loss of 6 men killed and 9 wounded, in gallantly blowing up a privateer, of 1 gun and 2 swivels, lying within 10 yards of 2 field-pieces and a long line of musketry on the beach, defended too by a heavy fire of grape from a battery, and moored to the shore with a chain from the mast-head and from each quarter; and on 18 of the following Dec. we find him contributing in the boats of a squadron under the personal command of Capt. Cameron, who was killed, to the destruction, in L’Ance la Barque, of the 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine, laden with stores, and protected by numerous batteries. After witnessing the fall of Guadeloupe, Mr. Hunter successively joined the Pompée, Neptune, and Statira, flagships of Hon. Alex. Cochrane; and in Dec. 1810, the Castor 32, Capt. Chas. Dilkes. On 23 June, 1813, being still in the latter ship, he served in her boats, under the directions of Lieuts. Bassett, Loveless, and Edwyn Fras. Stanhope, at the boarding and bringing out from under the protection of a strong fort, on the coast of Catalonia, of La Fortune French privateer of 2 guns, 2 swivels, and 48 men; a service in the performance of which the British had 4 men killed and 9 wounded. In May 1814, Mr. Hunter proceeded to North America in the Pylades sloop, Capt. John Chas. Gawen Roberts, and on arriving on that station joined the Tonnant 80, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, from which, on 9 of the ensuing Nov., he was transferred, as Acting-Lieutenant, to the Rota 38, Capts. Philip Somerville and John Pasco. The boats of the latter ship he commanded at the taking of St. Mary’s, on the coast of Georgia. He went on half-pay in Aug. 1815, having been officially promoted on 24 of the previous Feb.; and has since been unemployed. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.