At the commencement of hostilities against the French republic in 1793, Mr. Hamilton joined Earl Howe’s flagship, the Queen Charlotte; and from her was appointed a Lieutenant of the Dido frigate, commanded by his brother. In the course of the same year, the Dido being on a cruise off Norway, fell in with, and drove on shore, a French brig privateer, of 13 guns and 45 men. Sir Charles, confiding in that arduous spirit of enterprise which his brother had on every occasion manifested, sent him in a boat with only 8 men to take possession of her, which he succeeded in doing after a trivial opposition from her crew, who had been obliged to land before they could carry their intention of burning her into effect. He then landed, and after some resistance, compelled 13 of the Frenchmen to surrender, whom he brought off in triumph to the frigate.
The Dido being afterwards attached to the fleet under Lord Hood, in the Mediterranean, Lieutenant Hamilton was employed on shore at the reduction of Bastia, in Corsica, and afterwards commanded a party of British and Corsicans at the siege of Girilotte, a strong post near Calvi, against which he erected batteries within point-blank shot, and kept up an incessant fire until the enemy surrendered.
After performing this service, Mr. Hamilton was received by the Commander-in-Chief on board his flag-ship, the Victory, of which he soon became first Lieutenant. His advancement to the rank of Commander did not, however, take place so soon as he had reason to expect, Lord Hood being obliged to return to England for the re-establishment of his health. On the contrary, when that nobleman was unexpectedly ordered to strike his flag, in May 1705, Mr. Hamilton had the mortification to find himself reduced to be junior Lieutenant of the Victory; and thus all his hopes of promotion for a time vanished[1].
Immediately after this event, the Victory was again ordered to the Mediterranean, where she arrived in time to take an
- ↑ For the information of our non-professional readers, it is necessary to observe that a Commander-in-Chief may appoint the junior commissioned officer, or any other, to be the first Lieutenant of the ship in which his flag is hoisted; but in private ships Lieutenants must take rank according to the seniority of their commissions.
