space of eight years, principally as Midshipman and Master’s Mate, on the Home, South American, North Sea, West India, and North American stations. Towards the close of 1807 he escorted the Royal Family of Portugal to the Brazils; and on 14 Dec. 1814 he served with the boats of a squadron at the capture, on Lake Borgne, of five American gun-boats under Commodore Jones, which did not surrender until the British, after a desperate struggle, had sustained a loss of 17 men killed and 77 wounded. On the occasion Mr. Hunter, while in the act of boarding one of the enemy’s vessels, received a musket-ball through his left hand, a grape-shot wound in his right cheek, and one over the left eye.[1] In consideration of his gallantry and sufferings he was appointed to act as Lieutenant and Commander of one of the prizes, the Harlequin, which, with the remainder, was paid off at Bermuda in the following June. He has not since been employed. His commission bears date 27 Feb. 1815. Lieut. Hunter never obtained any gratuity for his wounds. Since the peace he has had a command in the Merchant Service. He married 14 Dec. 1832; and has issue four children.
HUNTER. (Lieut., 1811. f-p., 23; h-p., 31.)
Robert Hunter, born 2 Dec. 1779, is a relative of the late Admiral W. Hunter.
This officer entered the Navy, in 1793, as a Boy, on board the {sc|Santa Margarita}} 36, Capt. Elias Harvey, and in 1794 assisted at the reduction of the French West India Islands. Being discharged from the service in 1795, at which period he was employed in the Mediterranean in the Saturn 74, Capt. Jas. Douglas, he re-entered it, in April, 1802, as A.B. on board the Venus 32, Capts. Thos. Graves and Henry Matson. After an attachment of twelve months to the Nimrod sloop, Capts. Orde and Bennett, he removed, in Sept. 1805, to the Unicorn 32, Capts. Lucius Ferdinand Hardyman and Alex. Robt. Kerr, in which frigate he continued for four years, and was employed on shore during that period in the operations against Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, besides witnessing Lord Cochrane’s destruction of the French shipping in Basque Roads. On rejoining Capt. Hardyman, on board the Armide 38, he was frequently sent in the boats to cooperate with the patriots on the coast of Spain,where in effecting on one occasion the capture of several chasse-marées, he received a severe splinter-wound in the breast, and by extreme exertion brought on a violent hemorrhage, with which he has ever since been periodically affected. He was next transferred, for short periods, to the St. Domingo and Milford 74’s, flag-ships in the Downs and off Cadiz of Sir Rich. Strachan and Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats; and from Dec. 1810 until confirmed, 26 Sept. 1811, we find him discharging the duties of Acting-Lieutenant on board the Thunder bomb, Capt. Watkin Owen Pell, and the Milford and Hibernia, bearing each the flag of Sir R. G. Keats. He continued in the latter ship under Sir Wm. Sidney Smith until Oct. 1812; after which he served, from Feb. 1813 to Feb. 1814, on board the Resistance 36, Capt. Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, and from July, 1830, until April, 1839, in the Coast Blockade and Coast Guard – the latter of which services he left from ill health. He has since been unemployed.
Being at Paris when Buonaparte arrived there from Elba in 1815, Lieut. Hunter brought to England the despatches communicating that event. He was then repeatedly charged by Mr. Hamilton, one of the Under Secretaries of State, with the conveyance of despatches to and from France; which service he continued to perform in a private vessel, at a period when no other British ship would venture, until the said vessel was at last detained at Havre, whence she was only liberated after the battle of Waterloo. For the loss he thus incurred, Lieut. Hunter declined receiving any compensation from the Admiralty other than his mere expenses, in order that he might thereby establish a claim (which has never been met) to future consideration. He married, in 1810, Miss Caroline Burton, and by that lady has issue four children. Agents – Messrs. Chard.
HUNTER. (Lieut., 1815. f-p., 20; h-p., 24.)
Valentine Peter Hunter was born 21 Aug. 1794.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1803, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Raisonnable 64, Capts. Wm. Hotham, Robt. Barton, Josias Rowley, and John Hatley; in which ship, under Capt. Rowley, he participated in Sir Robt. Calder’s action, was present at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope, of Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video, served at the blockade of the Isles of France and Bourbon, and assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture of the town of St. Paul’s. Returning home in July, 1810, he was next, in March, 1811, received on board the Laurel 38, Capt. Sam. Campbell Rowley. In the following May he rejoined Capt. Josias Rowley in the America 74, and, continuing to serve with him until Oct. 1814, was most actively employed during that period on the Mediterranean station, where, besides enacting a part in numerous cutting-out affairs, and other detached services against the enemy’s towns and batteries, he witnessed the unsuccessful attack upon Leghorn, and co-operated in the reduction of Genoa. Proceeding in the autumn of 1814 to New Orleans in the Vengeur 74, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, he served on shore with the army, and was wounded in the legs in the battle which proved so disastrous to the British. He was also present at the capture of Fort Bowyer, Mobille, on which occasion he took the American Colonel, Lawrence, a prisoner to Sir Alex. Cochrane, and had the honour, we believe, of firing the last shot of the war. In April, 1815, he received a commission dated on 7 of the previous Feb.; and he was afterwards, with the exception of an interval of three months in the autumn of 1832, employed, from 27 Dec. 1830 until 31 May, 1839, in the Coast Blockade (as Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Talavera 74, Capts. Hugh Pigot and David Colby) and Coast Guard. He has since been unemployed.
Lieut. Hunter married Miss M. Gibbs, by whom he has issue a son and four daughters.
HUNTLEY, Kt. (Commander, 18-38. f-p., 23; h-p., 15.)
Sir Henry Vere Huntley is third son of the late Rev. Rich. Huntley, A.M., of Boxwell Court, Gloucestershire, by Anne, daughter and sole heiress of the Venerable Jas. Webster, LL.B., Archdeacon of Gloucester; and brother of Major Wm. Warburton Huntley, who fought at Waterloo, was afterwards Captain of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, and died in 1844, while serving in India with the 9th Lancers.
This officer entered the Navy, 10 March, 1809, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Thalia 36, Capt. Jas. Giles Vashon, of which ship, stationed in the West Indies, he became Midshipman 17 Sept. following. From Aug. 1812 until the receipt of his first commission, 10 Oct. 1818, he served, part of the time as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Victorious 74, Capt. Sir John Talbot, Albion and Northumberland 74’s, flagships of Sir Geo. Cockburn (under whom, after serving on the coast of North America, he escorted Napoleon Buonaparte to St. Helena), Havannah 36, Capt. Gawen Wm. Hamilton, Spey 20, Capt. John Lake, and Queen Charlotte 100, flag-ship at Portsmouth of Sir Geo. Campbell. He then joined the Forth frigate, Capt. Sir John Louis, at Halifax, and was afterwards appointed – 10 Nov. 1820, to the Redpole 10, Capt. Pat. Duff Henry Hay – 28 March, 1826, as Senior, to the Parthian 10, Capts. Henry Byam Martin and Hon. Geo. Fred. Hotham, on the Mediterranean station, where he actively cooperated in the suppression of piracy, and was eventually wrecked, off the coast of Egypt, 15 May, 1828 – in 1829-30, to the Childers 18, and Ganges 80, Capts. Wm. Morier and John Hayes – 24 May,
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1815, p. 448.
