JOSEPH HANWELL, Esq
Vice-Admiral of the Blue.
This officer was born in London, Dec. 10, 1759; entered the naval service as a Midshipman on board the Ramillies, a third rate, stationed at Chatham, in Nov. 1773; and from that ship was removed to the Carcass sloop of war, in Jan. 1775. His first voyage was to the coast of Guinea; and on his return from thence he joined the Milford, of 28 guns, commanded by Captain John Burr, and fitting for the NorthAmerican station, where she was afterwards most actively employed.
In Dec. 1776, we find Mr. Hanwell entrusted with the charge of a prize taken by the Milford, and which he conducted in safety to Halifax. Returning from thence as a passenger in the George tender, for the purpose of joining his ship in Boston Bay, he had the misfortune to be cast away near the entrance of Piscatoway harbour. This event occurred on the night of the 26th of the above month, during a dreadful snow-storm. The George had previously experienced very tempestuous weather, and being now completely wrecked, her crew were obliged to surrender themselves as prisoners of war. The officers, after remaining a few weeks on their parole in the interior, were exchanged at Rhode Island; and the subject of this sketch was ordered by Commodore Sir Peter Parker, to be received on board the Unicorn frigate, in which he remained until an opportunity presented itself of returning to the Milford in July 1777.
Subsequent to her return from the coast of America the Milford appears to have been stationed in the Channel, and was present in the action between Keppel and d’Orvilliers, July 27, 1778[1]. From that period we find no particular mention of her until May 10, 1780, on which day, being on her way to Lisbon, she fell in with, and after an hour’s contest, captured the Due de Coigny, a 28-gun frigate belonging to the royal family of France, and fitted out by them as a private ship of war. She was remarkably well officered and manned, having left port with a complement of 250 men, 18
- ↑ See Note †, at p. 195. The Milford on that occasion repeated the signals of the rear division, and was commanded by Sir W. Burnaby, Bart.
