Alexander Hood (captain)
Encyclopedia
Captain Alexander Hood was an officer of the Royal Navy
, one of several members of the Hood family to serve at sea.
in his second voyage of exploration from 1772 to 1775.
During the American Revolutionary War
, under Admirals Richard Howe
and George Rodney
he distinguished himself in the West Indies, and in July of 1781 was promoted to captain. Shortly thereafter, he was given command of the 98-gun second rate ship of the line
, HMS Barfleur
. It was not uncommon for an extremely junior captain to find himself commanding a large ship-of-the-line if that ship were the flagship of an experienced admiral
, who would be able to keep a close eye on the new captain. In this case, the Barfleur was the flagship of his cousin, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood
. On 5 September they took the Barfleur into battle at the Battle of the Chesapeake
, where the ship served as flagship of the Van of Sir Thomas Graves'
fleet. At the Battle of the Saintes
on 12 April 1782, Hood was in command of one of Rodney's frigates. Later, again under his brother's command, he proceeded to the Mona passage, where he captured the French corvette
Ceres. Hood became close friends with the commander of his prize, the Baron de Peroy, and during the peace of 1783–1792 paid a long visit to France as his former prisoner's guest. Also married Elizabeth Periam on 11 July 1792.
In the early part of the French Revolutionary Wars
, ill health kept him at home, and it was not until 1797 that he went afloat again. His first experience was bitter; his ship, the 74-gun third-rate
Mars
, was unenviably prominent in the Spithead mutiny.
On 2 April 1798 Mars fought with the French ship Hercule
in the dusk near the Pointe du Raz
on the coast of Brittany
. Hercule attempted to escape through the Passage du Raz but the tide was running in the wrong direction and she was forced to anchor, giving Hood the chance to attack at close quarters. The two ships were of equal force, both seventy-four
s, but Hercule was newly commissioned; after more than an hour and a half of bloody fighting at close quarters she struck her flag, having lost over three hundred men. On Mars 31 men were killed and 60 wounded. Among the dead was Captain Hood, mortally wounded in the thigh. He is said to have died just as the sword of the French captain L'Hériter was being put in his hand. L'Hériter later died of his wounds.
Hood has a house named after him at The Royal Hospital School, Suffolk
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, one of several members of the Hood family to serve at sea.
Career
He entered the Royal Navy in 1767, and accompanied Captain James CookJames Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
in his second voyage of exploration from 1772 to 1775.
During the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, under Admirals Richard Howe
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
and George Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
he distinguished himself in the West Indies, and in July of 1781 was promoted to captain. Shortly thereafter, he was given command of the 98-gun second rate ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
, HMS Barfleur
HMS Barfleur (1768)
HMS Barfleur was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Thomas Slade on the lines of the 100-gun ship Royal William, and launched at Chatham Dockyard on 30 July 1768, at a cost of £49,222. In about 1780, she had another eight guns added to her quarterdeck, making...
. It was not uncommon for an extremely junior captain to find himself commanding a large ship-of-the-line if that ship were the flagship of an experienced admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
, who would be able to keep a close eye on the new captain. In this case, the Barfleur was the flagship of his cousin, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
. On 5 September they took the Barfleur into battle at the Battle of the Chesapeake
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...
, where the ship served as flagship of the Van of Sir Thomas Graves'
Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
|-|-...
fleet. At the Battle of the Saintes
Battle of the Saintes
The Battle of the Saintes took place over 4 days, 9 April 1782 – 12 April 1782, during the American War of Independence, and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse forcing the French and Spanish to abandon a planned...
on 12 April 1782, Hood was in command of one of Rodney's frigates. Later, again under his brother's command, he proceeded to the Mona passage, where he captured the French corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
Ceres. Hood became close friends with the commander of his prize, the Baron de Peroy, and during the peace of 1783–1792 paid a long visit to France as his former prisoner's guest. Also married Elizabeth Periam on 11 July 1792.
In the early part of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, ill health kept him at home, and it was not until 1797 that he went afloat again. His first experience was bitter; his ship, the 74-gun third-rate
Third-rate
In the British Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks . Years of experience proved that the third rate ships embodied the best compromise between sailing ability , firepower, and cost...
Mars
HMS Mars (1794)
HMS Mars was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 25 October 1794 at Deptford Dockyard.-Career:In the early part of the French Revolutionary Wars she was assigned to the Channel Fleet. In 1797 under Captain Alexander Hood she was prominent in the Spithead mutiny...
, was unenviably prominent in the Spithead mutiny.
On 2 April 1798 Mars fought with the French ship Hercule
French ship Hercule (1798)
The Hercule was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.During her maiden journey, on 21 April 1798, and just 24 hours out of port, she was captured by the British ship HMS Mars after a violent fight, off Île de Sein near Brest...
in the dusk near the Pointe du Raz
Pointe du Raz
The Pointe du Raz is a promontory that extends into the Atlantic from western Brittany, in France. The local Breton name is Beg ar Raz. It is the western point of the commune of Plogoff, Finistère....
on the coast of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. Hercule attempted to escape through the Passage du Raz but the tide was running in the wrong direction and she was forced to anchor, giving Hood the chance to attack at close quarters. The two ships were of equal force, both seventy-four
Seventy-four (ship)
The "seventy-four" was a type of two-decked sailing ship of the line nominally carrying 74 guns. Originally developed by the French Navy in the mid-18th century, the design proved to be a good balance between firepower and sailing qualities, and was adopted by the British Royal Navy , as well as...
s, but Hercule was newly commissioned; after more than an hour and a half of bloody fighting at close quarters she struck her flag, having lost over three hundred men. On Mars 31 men were killed and 60 wounded. Among the dead was Captain Hood, mortally wounded in the thigh. He is said to have died just as the sword of the French captain L'Hériter was being put in his hand. L'Hériter later died of his wounds.
Hood has a house named after him at The Royal Hospital School, Suffolk
See also
- His brother, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood (1762–1814).
- His cousin once removed, Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount HoodSamuel Hood, 1st Viscount HoodSamuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars...
(1724–1816) - His cousin once removed, Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount BridportAlexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport|-...
(1726–1814). - His grandson Admiral Lord Hood (1824–1901)