Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/540

526 a renewed attempt to explore the N.W. passage through Lancaster Sound and Behring Strait.

 HODGSON. 

was born 24 Oct. 1766.

This officer entered the Navy (into which he was impressed from the merchant-service), in 1783, on board the sloop, Capts. R. Tripp and J. Sutton, from which ship, on her return from the West Indies, he was paid off. In Oct. 1793 he was again impressed, and placed on board the 74, Capts. Geo. Wilson and Thos. Boulden Thompson. Under the former of those officers we find him present, as Master’s Mate, at the capture, in Jan. 1795, of Le Duras, a French ship of 20 guns, having on board 400 troops; and also of Le Duquesne frigate of 44 guns. In Feb. 1797 he further served with Capt. Wilson at the reduction of Trinidad by the forces under Rear-Admiral Harvey and Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby; and in the following April be was likewise with him in the unsuccessful attack made by those commanders on Puerto Rico. Obtaining, 11 April, 1799, a Lieutenancy in the 36, Capts. Fred. Watkins, Henry Wm. Bayntun, and Robt. Mends, he assisted in that frigate at the capture, 2 and 3 March, 1800, of La Vengeance privateer of 16 guns and 174 men, and of an American ship with a cargo on board worth 30,000l. In the next Sept. he was present in her at the surrender of Curaçoa, where the character he had won for zeal, bravery, and ever-steady conduct, so gained him the confidence of his Captain, that the latter was induced to place him in command of the principal fortress commanding the town. He had previously been of the utmost service in a newly-erected battery in annoying the enemy, and had been a principal cause of their retreat. On 11 Aug. 1801, a few weeks after his junction of the 32, Capt. Robt. Plampin, Mr. Hodgson had the misfortune to be wrecked on the island of Heneaga. His last appointment Was, 15 May, 1804, to the Barryhead Signal station, in Ireland, the charge of which he retained until superseded, at his own request, 9 April, 1812. He accepted the rank of Retired Commander on the Senior List 8 May, 1843.

Commander Hodgson is married, and has issue.

 HOFFMAN. 

entered the Navy, 18 Oct. 1793, as Midshipman, on board the 32, Capt. John Markham, with whom, after co-operating in the reduction of the French West India islands, he removed, in 1794, to the  74, commanded subsequently by Capts. Joseph Bingham, Lewis, and Edw. Tyrrell Smith. In that ship he was present with Capt. Markham at the capture, 11 April, 1795, of the French frigate La Gentille of 42 guns, and also of several privateers. In 1798 he joined the 98, bearing the flag of Sir Hyde Parker, by whom, on 17 Oct. in the following year, .he was appointed to a Lieutenancy in the  frigate, Capt. Fras. Vesey. At the peace of Amiens Mr. Hoffman, after many years of servitude in the West Indies, returned to England. His next appointments were – 14 March, 1803, to the 74, Capt. Chas. John Moore Mansfield, from which ship, employed off the coast of France and in the Channel, he soon invalided – 28 Feb. 1805, to the 80, Capt. Chas. Tyler, under whom he fought and was wounded at Trafalgar – and, 8 March, 1806, to the 38, Capt. Geo. Argles, employed off Havre de Grace and the coast of France. He was promoted, 22 Feb. 1808, to the command of the sloop, in which vessel, and in the, he again served on the West India station until the ensuing Oct. Capt. Hoffman’s last appointment was, 19 Dec. 1810, to the , another sloop. In that vessel, at the commencement of May, 1812, he was unfortunately run on shore to the westward of Boulogne, where himself and 19 of his people were obliged to surrender as prisoners of war. The remainder of his officers and crew contrived to effect their escape. He accepted his present rank 12 Sept. 1840. In consideration of the wound he received at Trafalgar, Capt. Hoffman was at the time presented with a gratuity by the Patriotic Society.

 HOFFMEISTER. 

was born 31 March, 1813, at Portsmouth.

This officer entered the Navy, 7 Nov. 1827, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the 104, Capt. Hon. Geo. Elliot, bearing the flag at Portsmouth of Hon. Sir Robt. Stopford. In Feb. 1828 he became Midshipman of the 78, Capt. Norborne Thompson, on the Mediterranean station, where, until the close of 1833, he continued to serve, In the  26, Capt. Hon. Fred. Wm. Grey. He then joined the 42, Capt. Chas. Borough Strong, fitting for the West Indies; on which station he removed, in Nov. 1834, a few months after he had passed his examination, to a Mateship in the 18, Capt. Peter M‘Quhae. Joining, next, in Nov. 1835, the cutter, Lieut.-Commander Philip Bisson, he was Senior Mate of that vessel in April, 1836, when she was dismasted 50 leagues S.W. of Ushant, lost 17 of her men, and was reduced to so pitiable a condition, that nine days of the greatest privation and suffering elapsed before the surviving crew were enabled to get her into Jersey. Being appointed, soon after the catastrophe, to the 74, Capt. Sir Thos. Fellowes, Mr. Hoffmeistfer served off Lisbon until Aug. 1837, when his health obliged him to invalid. While next borne on the books, from Oct. 1837 until June, 1839, of the 74, bearing the flag of Hon. Geo. Elliot at the Cape of Good Hope, we find him lent in succession to various small vessels for service on the coast of Africa. During the 11 months immediately antecedent to his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 23 Nov. 1841, Mr. Hoffmeister presents himself to our notice as employed, on the Home and Mediterranean stations, in the 104, Capt. Thos. Forrest. He was then appointed to the troop-ship, Capt. John Kingcome, and ordered to China, where he arrived in time to witness the storming of Chin-Kiang-Foo, and to participate in the different operations on the Yang-tse-Kiang, terminating with the pacification of Nanking. He returned to England, an invalid, in Oct. 1842; and, on 5 June, 1843, was appointed to the gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, with whom he served for a period of 19 months. He has been employed, since 13 Nov. 1844, latterly as First-Lieutenant, in the 19, Capt. Jas. John Stopford, part of the force stationed in the Mediterranean. – Messrs. Stilwell.

 HOGGE. 

entered the Navy 9 April, 1823; passed his examination 5 May, 1829; and, while serving, as Mate, in the cutter, Lieut.-Commander Nicholas Robilliard, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 17 Aug. 1841. His succeeding appointments were – 31 Aug. 1841, to the 38, Capt. Hon. Geo. Grey, in the Mediterranean – 14 Oct. 1842, to the 104, Capt. Thos. Forrest, on the same station – 29 March, 1843, to the 120, also commanded by Capt. Forrest, with whom he returned to England – 11 Aug. 1843, to the Coast Guard – and, 19 April, 1805, to the  92, Capt. Edw. Collier, on the Home station. He has been on half-pay since Sept. 1846.

Lieut. Hogge is married, and has issue.

 HOGHTON. 

entered the Navy, 20 May, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., On board the 64,