who had been superseded in the chief command on the American station by Earl Howe.
In 1777, Lord Sandwich, then at the head of the Admiralty, gave Mr. Fraser his first commission, with the flattering compliment – that it was for his services in America. The appointment was to the Hector, of 74 guns, Captain Sir John Hamilton[1]. In the month of June, 1778, our officer was ordered to take charge of la Licorne French frigate, detained by the Hector, and carried her into Portsmouth harbour. On the 27th of July following, he was present in the action between Keppel and d’Orvilliers[2].
The Hector continued with the Channel fleet until 1779, when she was ordered to the West Indies with Sir George B. Rodney. In the summer of 1780, she formed part of a squadron, consisting of four line-of-battle ships, one of 50guns, and a frigate, sent under the Hon. Captain Cornwallis to escort the homeward bound trade through the Gulf of Florida. After performing that service, Captain Cornwallis cruised off the island of Cuba, and on the 12th June fell in with a fleet of French merchantmen under the protection of eleven sail of the line, and several frigates. In this rencounter the British Commander displayed great nautical skill, drawing up and manoeuvring his little squadron with so much judgment, that the French Admiral did not think it adviseable to hazard a close action. Some random shot only passed between them, by which a few men were killed and wounded. Soon after this affair Mr. Fraser exchanged into the Conqueror, 74, as first Lieutenant, being desirous to return to England to join his friend Commodore Johnstone, who had recently been appointed to the command of a squadron destined for the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope. On her passage home the Conqueror lost her main-mast in a hurricane, and was in other respects so much damaged that it became necessary to keep 100 men constantly employed during the remainder of the voyage, baling the water out at the hatchways. By extraordinary exertions, however, she arrived at Spithead, and her Commander (the late Admiral Dickson) ever afterwards de-
- ↑ Father of the present Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hamilton, and Rear. Admiral Sir Edward Hamilton.
- ↑ See Note †, at p. 195.
