that occasion, Sir Samuel Hood received a severe wound in his right arm, which was afterwards taken out of the socket by his able surgeon, Mr. Richard Daly, to whom he presented a valuable pocket chronometer as a token of the high sense he entertained of his very great skill and attention[1].
Sir Samuel Hood’s despatches respecting this important capture were conveyed to the fleet off Brest by the subject of this memoir, who although only fifth Lieutenant of the Centaur, was shortly afterwards directed to perform the duty of first.
In the early part of 1807, Sir Samuel Hood again commanded a squadron employed in cruising between Madeira and the Canary islands. We next find his broad pendant flying in the armament sent against Copenhagen; and on his return from the Baltic, after the surrender of the Danish navy, and his promotion to a flag, he was sent to take possession of Madeira, in conjunction with Major-General (now Lord) Beresford, a measure rendered necessary in consequence of the occupation of Portugal by the French: – this latter service was performed, without opposition, Dec. 26, 1807. The following is an extract of Sir Samuel’s official letter to the Admiralty, dated on the 29th of that month:–
“I have to express my entire satisfaction of the captains, officers, and men of his Majesty’s ships on this service; and I send my first Lieutenant, George Henderson, with this despatch. He is a very excellent officer, and I must refer their Lordships to him for any further information; I beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships’ notice.”
Lieutenant Henderson arrived at the Admiralty Jan. 22, 1808; on which day a commission was signed promoting him to the rank of Commander.
From this period we lose sight of Captain Henderson till the summer of 1809, when he was placed under the orders of Captain Nicholas Tomlinson, who had been selected to command the fire-vessels attached to the Walcheren expedition. The wind-up of his services in the Scheldt is thus officially described by the late Vice-Admiral Otway:–
- ↑ Richard Daly, M.D. is now a practitioner in the Old Kent Road, and the author takes this opportunity of publicly acknowledging how much he likewise is indebted to his abilities and care, particularly during a long and serious illness with which he was afflicted in the year 1826.
