Towards the latter end of the same year Captain Hamond, who had previously received the honor of knighthood, was appointed Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Nova Scotia, and Commodore and Resident Commissioner at Halifax, where he remained until the conclusion of the war; when he embarked as a passenger on board the Caton of 64 guns, from which ship he removed on her arrival at Antigua, to repair the damages she had sustained in a heavy gale of wind near the banks of Newfoundland, into the Amazon privateer, in which vessel he returned to England about June, 1783.
On the 10th December following, Captain Hamond was created a Baronet of Great Britain, as a reward for his very distinguished services. From this period we find no mention of him until the commencement of 1785, when he hoisted a broad pendant on board the Irresistible of 74 guns, as Commodore and Commander-in-Chief in the river Medway and at the Nore. He subsequently sat as a member of the board appointed to investigate and report on the expediency and efficacy of certain plans which had been proposed for the better security of the dock-yards at Portsmouth and Plymouth.
During the Spanish armament, and the altercation that afterwards took place between Great Britain and Russia, Sir Andrew commanded the Vanguard 74; and on that ship being
from the men of war, with a detachment of seamen; and by the 9th April, the army, consisting of 7,550 men, had constructed and opened batteries against the town. On that day the squadron passed Sullivan’s Island, amidst a heavy fire; and soon after a brigade of seamen and marines were landed, and took possession of a post at Mount Pleasant, without opposition, the enemy flying into Charlestown on their approach. Thinking it practicable to carry the fort on Sullivan’s Island by storm, the Vice-Admiral determined to make the attempt; and in the night of the 4th May, 200 seamen and marines were landed. This detachment succeeded in passing the fort before daylight, unobserved by the enemy, and took possession of a redoubt on the east end of the island. The ships being drawn up to support the attack, and every arrangement having been made for the assault, a summons was sent into the fort, the garrison of which almost immediately surrendered as prisoners of war.
This success was followed by the surrender of Charlestown itself, about the i 1th of the same month, when the Providence and Boston, American frigates, Ranger of 20 guns, l’Aventure, a French ship of 26 guns, a polacre of 16, four armed gallies, and several other small vessels, fell into the hands of the British, whose whole loss during the siege did not exceed 23 killed and 28 wounded.
