gers, from San Domingo bound to Porto Rico; and, two days subsequently, drove on shore and destroyed, after a smart action, in which a brother-midshipman and two of his crew were wounded, a French national vessel of five guns, four swivels, and 96 men. He was made a lieutenant on the 8th Sept. 1808; and promoted to his present rank, Dec. 1st, 1812.
ABRAHAM MILLS HAWKINS, Esq.
[Commander.]
Second son of Richard Hawkins, of Kingsbridge, co. Devon, Esq. among whose ancestors may be particularly noticed those distinguished sea-officers, Sir John Hawkins, who was knighted for the conspicuous part he bore, as rear-admiral, at the memorable defeat of the Spanish Armada; and Sir Richard Hawkins, his son, also much spoken of in our early naval annals. The augmentations to the family arms, granted by Queen Elizabeth, in consideration of Sir John’s services, are borne by the subject of the following sketch, whose mother, Mary Creed, was likewise of an old and highly respectable family long settled in the above county.
Mr. Abraham Mills Hawkins was born at Kingsbridge; and entered the navy in 1798, as midshipman on board the Barfleur, second-rate. Captain James Richard Dacres. On the promotion of that officer, in Feb. 1799, he was removed to the Prince 98, bearing the flag of Sir Roger Curtis, off Cadiz: and on the latter being appointed to the chief command at the Cape of Good Hope, he accompanied him thither in the Lancaster 64. After serving for nearly four years on that station, he proceeded to the East Indies, and there continued about the same length of time, as petty-officer and acting-lieutenant in various ships, one of which, the Sheerness 44, Captain Lord George Stuart, was wrecked near Trincomalee, in the beginning of 1805[1]. His first commission bears date June 11th, 1807; at which period he was appoint-
