under whom, in the latter frigate, he shared in Cornwallis’ celebrated retreat of 16 and 17 June, 1795. The Pallas having on one occasion captured a merchant-brig, Mr. Hockings wad sent with her as Prize-Master to Elba. While on his way thither, and when in the Piombino Passage, he was attacked by two large row-boats containing about 50 or 60 men, whom, however, he beat off after a conflict of an hour, although he had but 5 hands on board, and only 2 rusty 4-pounder guns. This achievement was considered so gallant that on reaching Porto Ferrajo, where lay the Blanche frigate, Capt. Hon. Henry Hotham, he was highly complimented by that officer, and recommended by him to Earl St. Vincent, the Commander-in-Chief, by whom he was received on board his flag-ship the Ville de Paris 110, and at once appointed, 29 April, 1797, First-Lieutenant of the Hamadryad 36, Capt. Thos. Elphinstone – an act which the Admiralty confirmed by a commission dated on 10 of the following June. Being wrecked on 25 Dec. in the same year during a violent gale in the Bay of Algiers, Mr. Hockings, who on the occurrence of the catastrophe was so seriously bruised that he still feels the efi’eots, became First of the Aurora 28, Capts. Henry Digby, Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, and Micajah Malbon. With those officers he served uninterruptedly on the Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Newfoundland stations until March, 1803; participating intermediately in the capture of many privateers, also in several cutting-out affairs (in one of which he was slightly wounded), in the destruction, too, of the French 20-gun ship Egalité, and in the land-operations at the reduction of Minorca. On 12 June, 1803, he was appointed Senior of the Phaeton 38, Capts. Geo. Cockburn and John Wood, and ordered to North America in escort of Mr. Merry, the British Minister Plenipotentiary. He then proceeded to the East Indies, and, while on a subsequent cruize in the China Seas, he shared in an action with the French frigate Sémillante, and in the capture of a ship of immense value on her annual passage from Manilla to Lima. In Jan. 1807 Mr. Bookings’ health compelled him to invalid, and he in consequence returned home, where, in May and Aug. 1808, he successively became Signal-Lieutenant to Lord Gambier in the Ville de Paris 110, and Caledonia 120. As a reward for his subsequent conduct in command of a fire-ship during the celebrated attack made by the gallant Cochrane on the enemy’s shipping in Basque Roads, he was presented with a second promotal commission dated 11 April, 1809 – previously to which period, as has been seen, he had been for nearly ten years First-Lieutenant of a frigate. Although not included in the list of the wounded on the last-mentioned occasion, Capt. Hockings was severely hurt by the explosion of his vessel. Not wishing to remain idle on shore, he obtained permission soon after his promotion to rejoin the Caledonia, then the flag-ship of his friend Sir Harry Neale, with whom he served as a volunteer until the close of 1810. From 25 May, 1811, until driven home by the effects of the yellow fever in Oct. 1812, we find him in command of the Dominica 14, in the Channel and West Indies, and on 11 Sept. in the latter year effecting the capture of the Providence American privateer schooner, of 4 guns (pierced for 12) and 60 men. Capt. Hockings’ next and last appointment was, 26 Dec. 1820, to the Medina 20, in which sloop he appears to have afforded protection to the European consuls and merchants at Smyrna during the fearful outrages which were there perpetrated by the populace in June, 1821. He was advanced to Post-rank on 19 of the following month; and on 1 Oct. 1846, awarded, at his own request, the half-pay of Retirement.
Capt. Hockings married, 13 March, 1821, Magdalena, eldest daughter of the late Gerard Montagu, Esq., formerly of Burlingham, co. Norfolk, grandniece of Admiral John Montagu, and a relative of the Duke of Manchester. By that lady he has issue two daughters. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
HOCKLEY. (Lieutenant, 1837.)
John Baker Hockley passed his examination in 1831; obtained his commission 21 July, 1837; and on 29 of the same month was appointed Additional-Lieutenant of the Princess Charlotte 104, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Robt. Stopford on the Mediterranean station, where he removed, 1 Dec. following, to the Barham 50, Capt. Armar Lowry Corry. With one or two slight interruptions he has been employed in the Coast Guard since 19 Nov. 1838.
HODDER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 10; h-p., 30.)
Michael Hodder – born at Fountainstown, co. Cork, the seat of his father – is brother of Lieut. Peter Hodder, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 14 March, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Daedalus 32, Capt. Fred. Warren, whom he accompanied with convoy to the West Indies. He then proceeded to Bermuda in the Laura, Lieut.-Commander Robt. Yates, and on his arrival at that place he took a passage home in the Prince George 98, Capt. Geo. Losack. From Sept. in the same year until Dec. 1813 he was employed, in the capacity of Midshipman, chiefly on the Home and Baltic stations, in the Alexandria 32, Capts. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, John Quilham, and Robt. Cathcart. During that period, besides being at the blockade of many ports on the coast of Holland, he served in a boat at the cutting out of a Dutch guard-vessel from the river Elbe, was present at the capture of two armed vessels and of a convoy of 27 sail in a calm at sea, came frequently into contact with the enemy’s gun-boats, and was concerned in the cutting out on different occasions of at least 150 vessels, many of them well armed. In most cases Mr. Hodder had the personal command of a boat. On the return of the Alexandria from Greenland, where she had arrived just in time to prevent the British whalers from falling into the hands of the American Commodore Rodgers, he. rejoined Capt. Cochrane on borad the Orontes 36, and went with him in protection of a large convoy to the West Indies. On the Orontes being recommissioned by the same Captain in the spring of 1815, Mr. Hodder, whose promotion to the rank of Lieutenant took place on 18 Feb. in that year, was again appointed to her. Continuing on her books until paid off in March, 1817, he was first employed in forwarding troops to Flanders, next in bringing the wounded and prisoners over after the battle of Waterloo, then in carrying out an Austrian commissioner to St. Helena for the security of Buonaparte, and finally in the suppression of the slave-trade at Madagascar. Since the date last named the Lieutenant has not held any official occupation.
HODDER. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 8; h-p., 35.)
Peter Hodder is son of Geo. Hodder, Esq., of Fountainstown, co. Cork, an extensive landed proprietor; and brother of Lieuts. Michael and Robt. Hodder, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 18 Aug. 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Amethyst 36, in which ship, and in the Warrior 74, both commanded by Capt. John Wm. Spranger, he served on the North Sea, Irish, Channel, and Mediterranean stations, until April, 1811. He held, during the four last years, the rating of Midshipman, and in Oct. 1809 he was consequently present in that capacity at the surrender of the islands of Zante, Cephalonia, &c. On leaving the Warrior he joined the Colossus 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, stationed off the coast of France, where, on 27 Dec. 1811, he was taken prisoner in an attack on a flotilla near the Ile d’Aix. His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant took place 21, March, 1812, since which period – with the exception of an attachment of a few months in 1815 to the Levant 20, commanded on Home service by Capts. Jonathan Christian and John Theed – he has been on half-pay.
