Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/455

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441

HALFORD—HALKETT—HALL.

HALFORD. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 14; h-p., 32.)

Charles Halford entered the Navy, 13 Jan. 1801, as A.B., on board the Caesar 80, Capts. Jahleel Brenton and Hugh Downman, bearing the flag of Sir Jas. Saumarez, under whom, in July following, he fought as Midshipman in the actions off Algeciras and Cadiz. In Nov. 1802, after having been for a short time transferred to the Hercule 74, Capt. Solomon Ferris, lying at Portsmouth, he rejoined Capt. Brenton, as Master’s Mate, in La Minerve of 48 guns; and on 2 July, 1803, he had the misfortune to be on board that frigate when she took the ground under the batteries of Cherbourg, and was compelled, in spite of a desperate and sanguinary resistance, to strike her colours. He was accordingly detained a prisoner in France until May, 1811, at which period, having been deprived of his parole, he succeeded in effecting his escape from the citadel of Verdun, where he had been placed in close and rigorous confinement. He was promoted to the rank he now holds 21 March, 1812; and from 15 of the ensuing April until 2 Aug. 1815, was employed in the Valiant 74, bearing the flag of the late Sir Manley Dixon on the North Sea and American stations. He has since been on half-pay. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.



HALKETT, Bart. (Commander, 1837.)

Sir John Halkett, born in Jan. 1805, is eldest son of Admiral of the Blue Sir Peter Halkett, Bart., G.C.H. (who commanded the Circe frigate in the action off Camperdown, and died in Oct. 1839), by Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. Todd, Esq. One of his uncles, John Halkett, Esq., was late Governor of the Bahamas, and First Commissioner of West India Accounts; and a second. Sir Alex. Halkett, K.C.H., a Lieut.-General in the Army.

This officer passed his examination in 1825; was made Lieutenant, 20 Oct. 1827, into the Challenger frigate, Capt. Joseph Harrison; served next, from Nov. 1828 until Dec. 1829, in the Ariadne 28, commanded in the Atlantic by Capt. Fred. Marryat; and, on 15 Feb. 1836, was appointed to the Melville 74, as Flag-Lieutenant to his father, on the West India station. He has not been employed since his promotion to the rank of Commander, which took place 4 Aug. 1837.

Sir John Halkett, a Deputy-Lieutenant for co. Fife, married, in April, 1831, Amelia Hood, daughter of Colonel Conway, by whom he has issue. Agents – Collier and Snee.



HALKETT. (Lieutenant, 1842.)

Peter Alexander Halkett passed his examination 6 Sept. 1840, and was employed as Mate on board the Hyacinth and Modeste sloops, Capts. Wm. Warren, Geo. Goldsmith, and Rundle Burges Watson. Joining, under the latter officer, in the hostilities on the coast of China, he assisted, on 10 March, 1842, in towing four fire-rafts clear of the shipping off Ningpo during an attack made by the Chinese; and on 18 of the following May he served on shore at the capture of Chapoo.[1] He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 23 Dec. 1842, and next appointed – 27 Aug. 1844, to the Eclair steam-sloop, Capt. Walter Grimston Bucknall Estcourt, fitting at Portsmouth – 19 Dec. 1844, to the Actaeon 26, Capt. Geo. Mansel, lying at Devonport – 20 Jan. 1845, to the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings – and, 1 July, 1845, to the Crocodile 26, bearing the flag of Sir Hugh Pigot at Cork. He has been serving, since 22 Nov. in the latter year, in the Stromboli steam-sloop, Capt. Thos. Fisher.



HALL. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 21; h-p., 22.)

Charles Hall entered the Navy (into which he was impressed, being at the time Mate of a fine West Indiaman), 8 Aug. 1804, as A.B., on board the Champion 24, Capt. Robt. Howe Bromley, stationed in the Downs. Becoming Master’s Mate, in June, 1805, of the Orion 74, Capts. Edw. Codrington and Sir Arch. Dickson, he fought in the ensuing action off Trafalgar, and in 1807 accompanied the expedition against Copenhagen. In Dec. 1808, and Dec. 1811, he was successively appointed Acting-Master and Acting-Lieutenant of ,the Prometheus sloop, Capts. Thos. Forrest and Hercules Robinson, in command of whose cutter he succeeded in totally destroying, off Pillau, in the Baltic, a French privateer, La Messalina, of 6 guns and 38 men, although protected by the fire of a body of troops on the beach, 2 Aug. 1810. After serving for some time on the Jamaica station, where disease swept off all his messmates, Mr. Hall was superseded from the Prometheus, and, in Aug. 1812, appointed Midshipman of the Warspite 50, Capt. Hon. Henry Blackwood, employed in Basque Roads. In April, 1814, he removed, as a Supernumerary, to the Hannibal 74, Capt. Sir Michael Seymour, with whom he again sailed for the West Indies. On his arrival on that station he was once more, on 19 July, invested with the rank of Acting-Lieutenant, and. appointed to the Venerable 74, flag-ship of Sir Philip Durham; but, the vacancy not proving a legitimate one, he remained unconfirmed till the general promotion, 7 Feb. 1815. He officiated, during the seven following months, as First of the Columbine sloop, Capt. Rich. Henry Muddle, also on the West India station; and was subsequently appointed – 1 Jan. 1824, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary Lieutenant of the Ramillies 74, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch – 27 July, 1826, as Senior, to the Jasper 10, Capt. Henry Martin Blackwood, on the Mediterranean station, whence he invalided in Nov. 1826 – 10 July, 1835, and 1 Aug. 1836, to the Ordinary at Sheerness and Plymouth, in which service he continued, with his name part of the time on the books of the Téméraire 104, and San Josef 110, Capts. Thos. Fortescue Kennedy and Rich. Thomas, for upwards of three years – and, 20 Sept. 1838, to the command of the Rolla 10, on the coasts of Spain and Africa, where (with the exception of a few months, from 23 Nov. 1840 until 15 June, 1841, passed in acting-command of the Persian 16) he continued to serve, in the same vessel, until paid off 18 Aug. 1842. Commander Hall, who had been promoted to his present rank 23 Nov. 1841, has been employed, since 31 March, 1846, as Second Captain of the Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir John Louis, Admiral-Superintendent at Devonport.

A son of this gentleman, Chas. O. B. Hall, is a Mate in the Navy. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.




HALL. (Ret. Capt., 1846. f-p., 21; h-p., 40.)

Edward Hall (a) entered the Navy, in Nov. 1786, as a Boy, on board the Cygnet sloop, Capt. Nicholls, with whom, and with Capt. Manley Dixon of the Orestes, and Lieut. Jas. Hill of the Pilote, he served, on the Channel and Irish stations, until Jan. 1789. Re-embarking in Aug. 1793 on board the Juno 32, Capt. Sam. Hood, he proceeded to the Mediterranean, and in Jan. 1794 was present in that ship when she effected a memorable escape from the inner harbour of Toulon, into which she had entered in ignorance of the previous evacuation of the place by the British. In Jan. 1795, after having assisted at the siege of Bastia as Midshipman of the Illustrious 74, Capt. Thos. Lennox Frederick, he became attached to the Berwick 74, Capt. Adam Littlejohn, under whom, who fell in the action, he was captured by the French fleet, notwithstanding a brave defence, 7 March following. Being soon afterwards, however, restored to liberty, he rejoined Capt. Frederick on board the Blenheim 74, and had thus an opportunity of witnessing the evacuation of Corsica, and of sharing, 14 Feb. 1797, in the action off Cape St. Vincent. He removed, immediately subsequent to the latter event, to the Victory 100, and Ville de Paris 110, successive flag-ships of Earl St. Vincent; before he had been long under whom he was appointed, 1 May, 1797, Acting-Lieutenant of the Namur 98, Capt. Jas. Hawkins Whitshed, stationed off the

  1. Vide Gaz. 1842, pp. 2388, 3694.