A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Proctor, Edward Halhed Beauchamp
PROCTOR. (Commander, 1846. f-p., 14; h-p., 4.)
Edward Halhed Beauchamp Proctor is son of Geo. Edw. Beauchamp Proctor, Esq. (brother of Rear-Admiral Sir Wm. Beauchamp Proctor, Bart.), by Ellen Louisa, daughter of Robt. Halhed, Esq. This officer entered the Navy, 8 Nov. 1829, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Winchester 52, Capts. Chas. John Austen, Henry Griffith Colpoys, Lord Wm. Paget, and Hon. Wm. Wellesley, in which ship, bearing the flag of Sir Edw. Griffith Colpoys in North America and the West Indies, he continued employed as Midshipman until June, 1833. From the following Sept. until April, 1836, he served in the Favorite 18, Capt. Geo. Rodney Mundy, on the Mediterranean station, whither, in the spring of the following year, he returned as Mate (he had passed his examination 1 June, 1836) in the Princess Charlotte 104, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Robt. Stopford. In Nov. 1839, after having been for six months unemployed, he joined the Britannia 120, hearing the flag of Sir Edw. Codrington at Portsmouth; and in Feb. 1840 he there removed to the Excellent gunnery-ship, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings. On 27 June, 1841, at which period he had been again for several months serving in the Mediterranean in the Howe 120, Capts. Sir Watkin Owen Pell and Robt. Smart, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. His succeeding appointments were – 16 Aug. 1841, to the Cyclops steam-frigate, Capt. Horatio Thos. Austin, also in the Mediterranean, whence he returned in May, 1843 – for a short time in the after part of that year, again to the Cyclops, commanded as before, and to the Stromboli steamer, Capt. Hon. Edw. Plunkett, both in the Channel – and, 14 Feb. and 26 Nov. 1845, to the command, on the Home and South American stations, of the Dwarf and Harpy steamers. For his services in the river Parana, particularly on 11 May, 1846, he was advanced, 11 Nov. following, to the rank of Commander. The Harpy on the occasion was exposed for more than an hour, within a distance of about 60 yards, to a galling fire from the forts of San Lorenzo, in the possession of General Rosas, and was greatly cut up; and he himself, the only person hurt, wounded by a round shot in the fleshy part of the right arm.[1]
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1846, pp. 3201, 3211.