Courageux 74, and Gibraltar 84; and while in the latter ship he was for nearly two years constantly employed as a volunteer in her boats in operations against the enemy’s coasting trade, and was in frequent action with their batteries and gun-vessels. In March, 1812, he joined the Stirling Castle 74, Capt. Jahleel Brenton, lying at Chatham, but before he had been many weeks in that ship he was appointed Master’s Mate of the Tenedos 38, Capt. Hyde Parker, and ordered to North America. While on the latter station he assisted at the capture of some of the finest privateers belonging to the United States, and in particular of L’Invincible Napoléon of 16 guns, which he cut out, when in command of the frigate’s boats, from under the heights of Gloucester, near Cape Anne, in Boston Bay, in April, 1813, although exposed to a most galling fire from the enemy’s fieldpieces and musketry. As a reward for his conduct in this afifair Mr. Hicks was ultimately, on 27 May, 1814, appointed Acting-Lieutenant of the Victorious 74, Capt. John Talbot, with whom he made a voyage to Davis Strait, and remained until the following Aug. He was officially promoted 21 Feb. 1815, but has not been since afloat.
He married 10 May, 1826.
HICKS. (Lieutenant, 1815. f-p., 20; h-p., 22.)
William Hicks entered the Navy, 10 May, 1805, as Midshipman, on board the Theseus 74, Capt. Fras. Temple, on the Jamaica station. While next attached, between the following Sept. and Oct. 1809, to the Powerful 74, Capts. Plampin, Buck, Pellew, and Johnston, he went through much active service in the East Indies, where he assisted in the boats at the destruction of a Malay pirate, and co-operated (as alluded to in our memoir of Lieut. John Hicks) in the capture and destruction of La Henriette and La Bellone, the shipping in Batavia Roads, and the dockyard, &c., at Griessee. He was also present, as Master’s Mate, at the bombardment of Flushing. After that event he joined the Milford 74, commanded at first, as a private ship, by Capt. Hen. Wm. Bayntun, and next employed under the flag of Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats, with whom he for some time participated in the defence of Cadiz, and then proceeded to the Mediterranean. From Aug. 1811 until July, 1812, Mr. Hicks further served on the latter station with his former Captain, Buck, on board the Franchise frigate. In the spring of 1813 he joined the Wolfe 24, hearing the broad pendant of Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo on Lake Ontario, where, in May of the same year, he took part in an attack made by that officer and Sir Geo. Prevost upon the Americans at Sacket’s Harbour. He subsequently commanded a division of gun-boats at the defeat of the American army at La Cole; and officiated as Acting-Lieutenant in command of the Finch schooner in an attack on the squadron at Plattshurg. He returned to England in Aug. 1815, having been confirmed in the rank he now holds on 15 of the previous March; and since 12 July, 1837, has been employed in command of a station in the Coast Guard.
HIGGINS. (Lieutenant, 1814. f-p., 7; h-p., 33.)
Thomas Higgins entered the Navy, 16 May, 1807, as Sec.-cl. Vol., on board the Caesar 80, Capt. Chas. Kichardson, successive flag-ship of Rear-Admirals Sir Rich. John Strachan, Hon. Robt. Stopford, and Wm. Albany Otway. In the course of 1809, previously to which he had made a voyage to the Mediterranean, we find him assisting in the destruction of three heavy French frigates under the batteries of Sable d’Olonne, also of the shipping in Basque Roads, and in the expedition to Flushing. In April, 1810, he removed with Capt. Richardson to the Semiramis frigate, and was for upwards of two years employed in that ship on the Lisbon and Channel stations. During the rest of the war he served, on the coast of North America, in the Ardent 64, Capt. Bell, and St. Domingo 74, bearing the flag of Sir John Borlase Warren. He obtained his commission 3 June, 1814; but has not been since afloat.
HIGGINSON. (Lieutenant, 1839.)
Francis Higginson entered the Navy, 15 Nov. 1813; and on 25 Feb. 1814, while serving, as we are informed, on board the Eurotas, of 46 guns and 320 men, Capt. John Phillimore, was present in an engagement of two hours and 10 minutes, which rendered captive to that ship, after she had incurred a loss of 20 men killed and 40 wounded, the French frigate La Clorinde, mounting 44 guns and 12 brass swivels, with a complement of 360 picked men, of whom 120 were killed and wounded. He subsequently (when in the Severn 40, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Aylmer) shared in the bombardment of Algiers, 27 Aug. 1816; and on 1 Jan. 1839, having passed his examination in 1828, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He obtained an appointment in the Coast Guard 27 Feb. following; but has been on halt-pay since the autumn of 1845. Lieut. Higginson, who is Senior of 1839, has been presented with a medal by the Royal Humane Society. Agents – Messrs. Chard.
HIGGINSON. (Retired Commander, 1835. f-p., 23; h-p., 40.)
George Montagu Higginson entered the Royal Naval Academy in 1784; and embarked, in 1787, as Midshipman, on board the Adventure 44, Capts. Parry and John Nicholson Inglefield. After two years of servitude on the coast of Africa in that vessel, he was next, until the commencement of the French revolutionary war, employed, on the Home and West India stations, in the Chichester store-ship, Lieut.-Commander Chas. Papps Price, Triton 20, Capt. Geo. Murray, and Hector 74, Capt. Geo. Montagu. Under the latter officer he witnessed the unsuccessful attack of 1793 upon Martinique. He then became Master’s Mate of the Alert 16, Capt. Chas. Smith, and in May, 1794, while on his passage out to America, he had the misfortune to be captured by the French 36-gun frigate Unité, after an action of an hour and 40 minutes, in which the British vessel sustained a loss of 3 men killed and 15 wounded. On his arrival at Rochefort Mr. Higginson, by a decree of the National Convention, was sentenced to death, together with the rest of his companions. They were thereupon all committed to a bare hulk, and for the space of three weeks were forced to subsist upon an allowance of one pound of black bread and a pint of sour wine each a-day, with the addition of some horse-bean broth, and of 14 ounces, per man, of meat in 10 days. Their sentence being at the expiration of that time commuted, they were marched to Cognac, without any alteration, however, being made in their rations. Medical aid, too, was totally denied to them, and in the course, in consequence, of 13 months, a full third of their number fell helpless victims to the ravages of sickness. Mr. Higginson himself was so inveterately attacked by fever that the upshot was a liver complaint, whose effects, continuing to be felt for many years, frequently incapacitated him from service. In July, 1795 having at length effected his escape, he joined the Prince 98, bearing the flag at Spithead of Admiral Harvey; from which ship he was soon, on 1 Sept. in the same year, promoted to a Lieutenancy in the Topaze 36, Capt. Stephen G. Church. When afterwards on the coast of North America, Mr. Higginson, about the close of 1797, was compelled, owing to injury received in the execution of his duty, to go to sick-quarters at Norfolk, in Virginia, where he suffered a relapse of his liver complaint. He ultimately found himself under the necessity, at a personal expense of 30l., of returning to England. During a few months in 1798, and again of a few in 1799, we find him employed at the Nore and in the Mediterranean on board the Hecla bomb and Defiance 74, Capts. Jas. Oughton and Thos. Revell Shivers, appointments which his health obliged him
