WILLIAM HOTHAM, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1825.]
Son of the late Lieutenant-Colonel George Hotham, (eldest son of General George Hotham, and brother to Admiral Lord Hotham[1]) who served in the third regiment of guards, under H.R.H. the late Duke of York, in Flanders, and afterwards resided at Beverley, in Yorkshire.
This officer was born about the year 1793, and he first went to sea, at the age of ten years, in the Raisonnable 64, commanded by his uncle, the present Vice-Admiral Sir William Hotham, K.C.B., then stationed off the Texel. In 1804, he joined the Ruby 64, Captain (now Vice-Admiral Sir Charles) Rowley, which ship was attached to Sir John Orde’s squadron, off Cadiz, in the winter of that year. From Nov. 1805 until the spring of 1809, we find him serving under Captain Rowley, in the Eagle 74, on the Mediterranean station. He was consequently present at the capture of Capri, the siege of Gaeta, and the disarming of the coasts of Naples and Calabria, in the summer of 1806[2].
On her return from the Mediterranean, the Eagle was attached to the grand armament sent against Antwerp; and in Feb. 1810, she joined the squadron employed in the defence of Cadiz, then besieged by the French army under Marshal Victor, Duke of Belluno.
We have stated at p. 240 of Vol. I. Part I. that the defence of Fort Matagorda, situated opposite Puntales, was entrusted to a party of British troops, seamen, and marines, and that that important post was bravely maintained until it became a heap of rubbish. Mr. Hotham was one of the naval detachment so employed; and the following is an extract of a letter from the military commander, Captain Maclean, of H.M. 94th regiment, to Lieutenant-General Graham (now Lord Lynedoch), dated April 22d, 1810:–
- ↑ 580, and 581
- ↑ See Vol. I. p. 673, and p. 70 of this vol.
