A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pigot, Hugh
PIGOT, K.C.B., K.C.H. (Vice-Admiral of the Blue, 1847. f-p., 35; h-p., 24.)
Sir Hugh Pigot is a near relative of Lieut.-General Sir Robt. Pigot, Bart. (who commanded the left wing of the British army at the battle of Bunker’s Hill, in North America, and was presented by George III. with the Colonelcy of the 38th regt., as a reward for his distinguished conduct on that occasion).
This officer entered the Navy, 1 May, 1788, on board the Salisbury 50, Capt. Erasmus Gower, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Elliot at Newfoundland, where he removed, in the course of the same year, to the Merlin sloop, Capt. Edw. Pakenham. After having served for three years at Home with Capt. Andrew Snape Douglas, as Midshipman, in the Southampton 32, and Goliath and Alcide guard-ships, he sailed in 1792 for the Mediterranean in the Romney 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Sam. Cranston Goodall, whom he accompanied, in May, 1793, into the Princess Royal 98. In 1794, subsequently to the evacuation of Toulon, he was nominated Acting-Lieutenant of the Berwick 74, Capt. Andrew Sutherland; but it was not until he had again, for a short period, performed the duties of Midshipman in the Princess Royal and in the Britannia 100, the flag-ship of Admiral Wm. Hotham, that he was officially promoted, 12 Nov. in the same year, into La Flêche sloop, Capts. Hon. Henry Hotham, Shuldham Peard, and Edwards. His next appointments were to the Gladiator, Capt. John Pakenham, Surprise 32, Capts. Ralph Willett Miller and Edw. Hamilton, Monarch 74, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Onslow, and Aeolus, Capt. John Wm. Spranger. In those ships he served on the Mediterranean, Newfoundland, North Sea, Baltic, and Jamaica stations. Attaining the rank of Commander 29 April, 1802, he was employed in that capacity off Seaford, in the Speedy sloop, from 24 Aug. 1803 until made Post 8 May, 1804. His succeeding appointments were – 27 March, 1805, for three months, to the Dauntless, lying at Shereness – 7 Feb. and 28 June, 1806, to the Alligator 28 and Circe 32, both in the West Indies – towards the close of 1808, to the Captain 74 and Latona 38, on the same station – 1 Nov. 1810, to the Orpheus 36, in which ship he was for four years stationed in the West Indies and at Halifax – and, at the end of 1814, to the Diomede 50 and Nymphe 38, also on the coast of North America, whence he returned to England and was paid off in Aug. 1815. On 5 April, 1807, Capt. Pigot, then in the Circe, made prize of L’Austerlitz French privateer of 18 guns and 125 men. On 2 March, 1808, he took possession, in the same ship, of the island of Marie-Galante;[1] and on 31 Oct. following he captured in her, near Martinique, the Palineur national brig of 16 guns and 79 men, 7 of whom were killed and 8 wounded, with a loss to the Circe, occasioned by a battery on the Diamond Rock, of 2 men killed and wounded.[2]
On 10 Feb. 1809, at the commencement of which year, being in the Latona, he commanded the blockading squadron off Guadeloupe, we find him assisting at the capture of La Junon French frigate of 46 guns and 323 men, whose fire wounded 6 of the Latona’s crew. The exertions and activity he displayed in erecting jury-masts, &c., and putting the prize in a sea-worthy state, procured him the warm official thanks of the senior officer present, Capt. Geo. Scott, of the Horatio 38.[3] On 17 April following Capt. Pigot witnessed (and was much praised for his spirited exertions during the chase which preceded) the surrender of the D’Haupoult 74;[4] and on 18 June in the same year he captured La Félicité, pierced for 42 guns, but having only 14 of her main-deckers mounted, with a complement of 174 men, and a cargo of sugar, coffee, &c.[5] In the Orpheus, besides effecting the destruction, 28 April and 11 May, 1813, of the Wampoe letter-of-marque of 8 guns, and the Holkar privateer of 20 guns, he captured, 20 April, 1814, the U.S. ship Frolic, of 20 32-pounder carronsides, 2 long 18’s, 539 tons, and 171 men.[6] On 3 Nov. 1825 Capt. Pigot was appointed Superintendent of the Coast Blockade and Captain of the Ramillies 74, in which ship, and the Talavera of similar force (he was transferred to her 15 Sept. 1829), he continued, on the Downs station, until placed in command, 9 March, 1831, of the Barham 50, fitting for the Mediterranean, where he continued the usual period of three years. He was nominated a C.B. 26 Sept. 1831, and a K.C.H., accompanied with the honour of Knighthood, in 1834; created a Rear-Admiral 10 Jan. 1837, and a Vice-Admiral 6 Aug. 1847; and raised, 10 July in the latter year, to the dignity of a K.C.B. From 16 May, 1844, until 1 July, 1847, Sir Hugh Pigot commanded-in-Chief on the Cork station.