Royal Naval Biography/Hargood, William
SIR WILLIAM HARGOOD,
Vice-Admiral of the Red; and Knight Commander of the most honorable Military Order of the Bath.
During the Spanish armament, in 1790, this officer commanded the Swallow sloop, stationed in the Channel. On the 22d Nov. in the same year, he was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain; and some time after appointed to the Hyaena, of 34 guns and 158 men, on the Jamaica station; in which ship he was captured, May 27, 1793, by the French frigate la Concorde, of 44 guns and 340 men.
In 1794, Captain Hargood commanded the Iris frigate, stationed in the North Sea. On the 14th Feb. in the following year, he sailed for the coast of Africa; and on his return from thence, was appointed to the Leopard, of 50 guns, stationed first on the coast of Portugal, and afterwards in the North Sea. He subsequently removed into the Nassau, of 64 guns, and after a short interval joined the Intrepid, of the same force, in which ship he proceeded to the East Indies, where he continued until after the termination of hostilities.
Towards the end of the year 1803, our officer obtained the command of the Belleisle, an 80-gun ship, forming part of the Mediterranean fleet under Lord Nelson, whom he accompanied to and from the West Indies, in pursuit of the combined squadrons of France and Spain[1].
In the ever memorable battle of Trafalgar, the Belleisle was opposed to two of the enemy’s ships, and lost all her masts about an hour after its commencement; notwithstanding this misfortune, Captain Hargood, by the dexterous use of his sweeps, brought her broadsides to bear on his antagonists, so as to keep an effective fire upon them during the remainder of the engagement. The loss sustained by the Belleisle on this glorious occasion, amounted to 33 killed and 93 wounded.
On the 14th Sept. 1806, the subject of this sketch being off Cape Henry, in company with the Bellona and Melampus, discovered a line-of-battle ship to leeward, under jury-masts, standing in for the Chesapeake, to which he immediately gave chase. On perceiving the British squadron, she bore up and ran on shore. Captain Hargood immediately sent boats, and took possession of her. She proved to be l’Impetueux, of 74 guns and 670 men, one of the squadron that had been cruizing under Rear-Admiral Villaumez, from whom she had separated during a heavy gale of wind, wherein she had lost all her masts, bowsprit, and rudder. The same day two suspicious vessels appearing in the offing, Captain Hargood gave directions for the prize to be set on fire, which was carried into effect, after removing her crew, by Captain Poyntz, of the Melampus.
At the general promotion, April 28, 1808, Captain Hargood was nominated to one of the vacant Colonelcies of Royal Marines; and about the same period he obtained the command of the Northumberland, of 74 guns. From that time until his advancement to the rank of Rear-Admiral, which took place July 31, 1810, our officer commanded a squadron stationed in the Adriatic.
Towards the latter end of 1810, Rear-Admiral Hargood hoisted his flag on board the Gladiator, at Portsmouth, and superintended the harbour duty at that place till the year 1813, when he was appointed to the command at Guernsey, Jersey, &c. He was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral, June 4, 1814; and, on the 2d Jan. following, created a K.C.B.
Sir William Hargood married, in May 1811, Maria, daughter of the late Thomas Somers Cocks, Esq., banker at Charing-cross, (and brother of the late Lord Somers,) by Anne, daughter of Alexander Thistlethwayte, of Southwick-place, Hants, Esq.