Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...

Sir Henry Hart (1 May 1781 – 22 December 1856) was a British naval officer and diplomat of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. After a brief stint in the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

he joined the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

in 1796 on

Sir Edward Pellew Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB (19 April 1757 – 23 January 1833) was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. His younger brother Is ...

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

HMS ''Indefatigable'', participating in the

action of 13 January 1797 The action of 13 January 1797 (known by the French as the Naufrage du ''Droits de l'Homme''; "shipwreck r sinkingof the ''Droits de l'Homme''") was a minor naval battle fought between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the c ...

before following Pellew to the

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...

HMS ''Impetueux'' where he experienced a

mutiny Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among member ...

before taking part in a number of

cutting out Naval boarding action is an offensive tactic used in naval warfare to come up against (or alongside) an enemy marine vessel and attack by inserting combatants aboard that vessel. The goal of boarding is to invade and overrun the enemy perso ...

expeditions and the

Ferrol Expedition The Ferrol Expedition (or Battle of Brión) took place on 25 and 26 August 1800, and was an unsuccessful British attempt to capture Ferrol from Spain. Ferrol was a major Spanish naval base with a shipyard for shipbuilding and dry dock for rep ...

. At the

Peace of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it se ...

Hart transferred to the ship of the line HMS ''Foudroyant'' in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

where he was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

and joined Sir John Gore's frigate HMS ''Medusa'', in which he participated in the

action of 5 October 1804 The Battle of Cape Santa Maria was a naval engagement that took place off the southern Portuguese coast, in which a British squadron under the command of Commodore Graham Moore attacked and defeated a Spanish squadron commanded by Brigadier D ...

before sailing to

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in 1805. There he was reunited with Pellew who made him his flag lieutenant and appointed him to a succession of

acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...

commands, including to that of the frigate HMS ''Caroline'' in which he played an important role in the Raid on Griessie in 1807. In 1811 health issues forced Hart to return to England where he served in the

English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...

before being promoted to

post-captain Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of Captain (Royal Navy), captain in the Royal Navy. The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from: * Officers in command of a naval vessel, who were (and still are) ...

later in the year. In 1814 he became the

flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First ...

of Gore's

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

HMS ''Revenge'' in which he helped oversee France's surrender of

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

. Hart's next command was the frigate HMS ''Sapphire'' which he sailed to the

Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean , coor ...

to protect British interests in the warfare resulting from the

Spanish American wars of independence The Spanish American wars of independence (25 September 1808 – 29 September 1833; es, Guerras de independencia hispanoamericanas) were numerous wars in Spanish America with the aim of political independence from Spanish rule during the early ...

. In 1820 he was again forced to relinquish his command due to ill health and he would not gain his next command for ten years until Gore again requested for him to become his flag captain on the

East Indies and China Station The Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and China was a formation of the Royal Navy from 1831 to 1865. Its naval area of responsibility was the Indian Ocean and the coasts of China and its navigable rivers. The Commander-in-Chief was appointed in 1 ...

. There he was given temporary command of the frigate HMS ''Imogene'' to go on a diplomatic mission to

Zanzibar Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands ...

where he secured the loyalty of the imaum and received a ship of the line as a gift for

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

. In 1835 he returned to England and was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

for his diplomatic and military services. He became a commissioner of

Greenwich Hospital, London Greenwich Hospital was a permanent home for retired sailors of the Royal Navy, which operated from 1692 to 1869. Its buildings, in Greenwich, London, were later used by the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and the University of Greenwich, and ar ...

before being promoted as a retired

rear-admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...

in 1846. He died at

Queen's House Queen's House is a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1635 near Greenwich Palace, a few miles down-river from the City of London and now in the London Borough of Greenwich. It presently forms a central focus of what is now the Old Ro ...

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

, on 22 December 1856 at the age of seventy-six.

Early life

Henry Hart was born on 1 May 1781 at Wilmington in

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

as the eighth son of Richard Hart of

Uckfield Uckfield () is a town in the Wealden District of East Sussex in South East England. The town is on the River Uck, one of the tributaries of the River Ouse, on the southern edge of the Weald. Etymology 'Uckfield', first recorded in writing as ...

and his wife Sarah.O'Byrne, ''Naval Biographical Dictionary'', p. 471Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 55 On his mother's side he was related by marriage to Sir Thomas Miller and on his father's side to Sir Percival Hart Dyke, the Hart family being descended from Sir Percival Hart of

Lullingstone Castle Lullingstone Castle is a historic manor house, set in an estate in the village of Lullingstone and the civil parish of Eynsford in the English county of Kent. It has been inhabited by members of the Hart Dyke family for twenty generations inclu ...

.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 413 As a child Hart joined the

as a volunteer.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 117

Naval career

Early career

Hart left the East India Company for the

in March 1796, becoming a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

on the

HMS ''Indefatigable'' under Captain

in the

. As such he participated in the

where ''Indefatigable'' and the frigate HMS ''Amazon'' drove the French

''Droits de l'Homme'' ashore, destroying her, in which action nineteen men of ''Indefatigable'' were injured. Having become a follower of Pellew, Hart joined him in his new command, the ship of the line HMS ''Impetueux'', in March 1799. He was rated as an

able seaman An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination ...

upon joining ''Impetueux'' but was restored to his rank as a midshipman on 15 March.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 118 On 31 May the crew of ''Impetueux'' (who already had a reputation for insubordination) mutinied unsuccessfully against Pellew in

Bantry Bay Bantry Bay ( ga, Cuan Baoi / Inbhear na mBárc / Bádh Bheanntraighe) is a bay located in County Cork, Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 mi ...

.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Horblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 83 Hart was midshipman of the watch at the time the mutiny started and identified a number of the mutineers at the

court martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

in June. While spending most of his time in ''Impetueux'' on the

blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...

Belle Île Belle-Île, Belle-Île-en-Mer, or Belle Isle ( br, Ar Gerveur, ; br, label=Old Breton, Guedel) is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the ''département'' of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is from the Quiberon pe ...

, Hart distinguished himself on several occasions. On 29 July he took part in the successful

of the French

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

''Cerbere'' in

Port Louis Port Louis (french: Port-Louis; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Polwi or , ) is the capital city of Mauritius. It is mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's ec ...

and then on 29 August he participated in the similar cutting out of the French brig ''La Guépe'', which was "desperately defended", in

Vigo Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Penins ...

Bay.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 119 He also served in the

in August; while ''Impetueux'' bombarded fortifications he was given command of a small flat-bottomed boat and brought troops ashore on the beaches of the landings. Hart left ''Impetueux'' when the

began in 1802, joining instead the ship of the line HMS ''Foudroyant'' which was the

of Admiral

Lord Keith Baron Keith was a title that was created three times in British history, with all three creations in favour of the same person, Admiral the Honourable Sir George Keith Elphinstone. He was the fifth son of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinsto ...

in the

Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between t ...

. He completed his necessary time of service as a midshipman on ''Foudroyant'' and was made an

on 2 April 1802 in the frigate HMS ''Medusa'' under Captain John Gore, still in the Mediterranean.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 478 His new rank was confirmed on 12 June. He spent the rest of the Peace sailing on ''Medusa'' visiting all the French and Spanish ports in the Sea and acting as an escort to important personages such as Ferdinand IV and

Sir William Drummond Sir William James Charles Maria Drummond of Logiealmond FRS FRSE DCL (bapt. 26 September 1769''Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950'' – 29 March 1828) was a Scottish diplomat and Member of Parliament, poet and philosopher. His book ...

. Hart rose to become the

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

of ''Medusa''. As such on one occasion after the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

had begun, ''Medusa'' discovered two French

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

felucca A felucca ( ar, فلوكة, falawaka, possibly originally from Greek , ) is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in the eastern Mediterranean—including around Malta and Tunisia—in Egypt and Sudan (particularly along the Nile and in protect ...

s chasing the British cutter ''British Fair'' off

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

.Ralfe, ''Naval Biography of Great Britain'', p. 470 Upon the attack of ''Medusa'' the feluccas split up and attempted to flee but as ''Medusa'' passed the first of them closely Hart was ordered to board her and he did so successfully while ''Medusa'' destroyed the other ship with her guns. The action was witnessed by Gibraltar's garrison and the crew were cheered by it as they returned. Hart continued in ''Medusa'' after this and as such participated in the

where ''Medusa'' and three other frigates captured three Spanish frigates and destroyed a fourth in the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 479 The following November ''Medusa'' captured the Spanish frigate ''Matilda'' which had on board a cargo of quicksilver worth £200,000. Hart was given command of ''Matilda'' and sailed her into

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

where she and her cargo could be further evaluated. Re-joining ''Medusa'' soon after, he sailed on 15 April 1805 to India with the new

Governor-General of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1 ...

Lord Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as the Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United S ...

on board, and arrived there in July.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 481 His old captain Edward Pellew, described as his "sincere and valuable friend", was now a rear-admiral and

Commander-in-Chief, East Indies The East Indies Station was a formation and command of the British Royal Navy. Created in 1744 by the Admiralty, it was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies. Even in official documents, the term ''East Indies Station'' was ...

and with Hart in

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

he took him from ''Medusa'' to serve as his flag lieutenant on board the ship of the line HMS ''Culloden''. Hart continued to serve as such until August 1806 when, still a lieutenant, Pellew began to appoint him to a series of acting commands on the station.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 120

Acting commands

Hart's first acting command came when he was given command of the frigate HMS ''Terpsichore'' as one of a series of lieutenants serving as her acting-captain after the death of her commanding officer in July.Winfield, ''British Warships 1714–1792'', p. 1003 After having moved on from ''Terpsichore'', Hart's next command came in 1807 when he was transferred to the acting-command of the frigate HMS ''Duncan'' before again being replaced in a rotation of acting-captains.Winfield, ''British Warships 1793-1817'', p. 416 Towards the end of 1807 Hart was again placed in an acting command role, this time of the frigate HMS ''Caroline''. ''Caroline'' was serving with Pellew's squadron off

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

and in August, before Hart's arrival, she had reconnoitred the Dutch-controlled port of Griessie and discovered Dutch ships of the line at anchor there.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 414 On 11 December Hart sailed ''Caroline'' with the rest of the squadron back to Griessie to attack it and destroy the Dutch force present. Hart was given command of the landings and of all seamen ashore during the attack, and he was successful in coordinating both of these aspects of the attack; the dockyard and storehouses were destroyed and the

scuttled Scuttling is the deliberate sinking of a ship. Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vessel from becoming a navigation hazard; as an act of self-destruction to prevent the ship from being ...

remains of the Dutch naval presence left in the

East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around t ...

burned.Allen, ''Battles of the British Navy'', pp. 214–245 This came to be known as the Raid on Griessie. ''Caroline'' was used by Pellew as his flagship for some of the operation after ''Culloden'' grounded herself and her crew became intoxicated on a store of

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

. When ''Culloden'' grounded ''Caroline'' was directly astern of her and it was thought that ''Caroline'' would either hit ''Culloden'' or have to run herself ashore to escape that, but through the quick use of a spare anchor the crisis was averted just before ''Caroline'' hit the flagship's

stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...

.Allen, ''Battles of the British Navy'', p. 215 Hart was praised for his good seamanship is avoiding the incident. Around the same time as the Raid, Hart cut out a Dutch 14-gun

sloop-of-war In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' enc ...

from Java's coast in broad daylight and soon afterwards participated in an action against a number of

batteries Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

and gun boats in the mouth of

Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...

. Hart was superseded in command of ''Caroline'' by Captain Charles Gordon at the beginning of 1809 and was transferred to the acting-command of yet another frigate, HMS ''Fox''.Winfield, ''British Warships 1793-1817'', p. 353Winfield, ''British Warships 1714-1792'', p. 1009 On 23 March Hart sent ''Fox''s boats in to a

creek A creek in North America and elsewhere, such as Australia, is a stream that is usually smaller than a river. In the British Isles it is a small tidal inlet. Creek may also refer to: People * Creek people, also known as Muscogee, Native Americans ...

where they captured the French 8-gun privateer ''La Carravanne'' which had been attempting to make the journey to

Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...

. Hart served in acting-command of ''Fox'' until 1811 when his health deteriorated to such an extent that he was forced to leave the East Indies and Pellew's command completely.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 199 Having served as an acting-captain for four years Hart expected that he had by this time been promoted fully to

but found upon his return to England that the

First Lord of the Admiralty The First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible for the di ...

Lord Mulgrave Marquess of Normanby is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in 1694 in the Peerage of England in favour of John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Bucki ...

, had only signed off on his promotion to

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

, dated 12 October 1807, for which he was "bitterly disappointed".Syrett and DiNardo, ''Commissioned Sea Officers'', p. 204Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 121 This meant that despite extensive experience in command of frigates Hart was not of the correct rank to truly command one, and as such in November 1810 his next command was the sloop-of-war HMS ''Thracian'', which he was given only after Mulgrave was replaced as First Lord by

Charles Philip Yorke Charles Philip Yorke (12 March 1764 – 13 March 1834) was a British politician. He notably served as Home Secretary from 1803 to 1804. Political career He sat as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridgeshire from 1790 to 1810. He was commis ...

.Winfield, ''British Warships 1793-1817'', p. 690 In ''Thracian'' Hart served off the coast of

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Feb ...

for almost a year before being promoted to post-captain on 1 August 1811.

Post-captain

While now a post-captain Hart did not receive immediate employment, possibly due to his ill health; again he relied on the favour of one of his old commanders, this time of the newly promoted Rear-Admiral Sir John Gore.Phillips
''Cyrus'' (20) (1813)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 20 July 2021. Gore had been given a flagship, the ship of the line HMS ''Revenge'', in the Mediterranean Fleet and chose Hart as his

. In order to facilitate this transfer Hart was given acting-command, on 10 December 1813, of the

post ship Post ship was a designation used in the Royal Navy during the second half of the 18th century and the Napoleonic Wars to describe a ship of the sixth rate (see rating system of the Royal Navy) that was smaller than a frigate (in practice, carry ...

HMS ''Cyrus'' which was

fitting out Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...

Plymouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roy ...

to also join the Mediterranean Fleet. He joined the fleet in early 1814 and subsequently took command of ''Revenge'' on the Cadiz blockade and in the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 483 As such he took part in the blockade of

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

from 22 March which ended when Italy was surrendered by France, at which point the squadron Hart was a part of sailed for

to oversee the handover of that island from the French to Britain on 8 June. This process was completed on 28 June and two days later the squadron went to

Minorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capita ...

from where Hart and ''Revenge'' sailed for

Spithead Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds except those from the southeast. It receives its name from the Spit, a sandbank stretching south from the Hampshire ...

on 16 August, Gore having resigned his command upon the end of hostilities.Marshall, ''Royal Naval Biography'', p. 484 Hart

paid off Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to placing a warship in ...

''Revenge'' at

Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...

in the same month and again found himself unemployed.Winfield, '' British Warships 1793-1817'', p. 118 After four years on land he was given command of the frigate HMS ''Sapphire'' on 27 August 1818. Soon after his assumption of command Hart took ''Sapphire'' to the

Leeward Islands Station The Leeward Islands Station originally known as the Commander-in-Chief at Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands was a formation or command of the Kingdom of Great Britain and then the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed at English Harbour, Antigua, L ...

.Winfield, ''British Warships 1793-1817'', p. 602 Hart and ''Sapphire'' sailed for

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

to watch over British interests in Porto Bello to secure them against the

igniting in the continent. Here he observed

Gregor MacGregor General Gregor MacGregor (24 December 1786 – 4 December 1845) was a Scottish soldier, adventurer, and confidence trickster who attempted from 1821 to 1837 to draw British and French investors and settlers to "Poyais", a fictional Central Am ...

's attack and capture of the port in April 1819. While stationed in the Leeward Islands Hart accomplished a number of minor feats, including successfully crossing the

Isthmus of Panama The Isthmus of Panama ( es, Istmo de Panamá), also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien (), is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country ...

in only two days and acting as judge in a landmark case in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

which saw two slave traders prosecuted for violating the

Slave Trade Act 1807 The Slave Trade Act 1807, officially An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom prohibiting the slave trade in the British Empire. Although it did not abolish the practice of slavery, it ...

. Soon after these events Hart was sent in ''Sapphire'' on a diplomatic mission to Cartagena where he assisted the Governor-General of South America who had escaped there from Mexico due to the

Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...

. This was his last major service in the Americas before his health began to severely decline; this forced him to relinquish his command and return home to England, which he did by travelling as a passenger on the frigate HMS ''Tartar'', arriving on 28 August 1820. He would spend the next ten years ashore unemployed. HMS Melville and Graham Island

In 1831 the

was created and the now Vice-Admiral Sir John Gore was appointed as its first commander-in-chief. For his flag-captain he again chose Hart who took command of Gore's flagship, the ship of the line HMS ''Melville'', on 30 September.Phillips
''Melville'' (74) (1817)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 22 July 2021. In 1833 the vice-admiral gave Hart temporary command of the frigate HMS ''Imogene'' to sail to

to speak with the Imaum of

Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is s ...

Said bin Sultan Sayyid Saïd bin Sultan al-Busaidi ( ar, سعيد بن سلطان, , sw, Saïd bin Sultani) (5 June 1791 – 19 October 1856), was Sultan of Muscat and Oman, the fifth ruler of the Busaid dynasty from 1804 to 4 June 1856. His rule commenced fol ...

, about the United States' monopoly on trade with that country and the possibility of British trade links being created. Arriving in early 1834, his negotiations were successful and upon his departure from Zanzibar he was given the ex-

East Indiaman East Indiaman was a general name for any sailing ship operating under charter or licence to any of the East India trading companies of the major European trading powers of the 17th through the 19th centuries. The term is used to refer to vesse ...

''Liverpool'', which had been converted into a ship of the line, as a gift for

.Phillips
''Imaum'' (74) (1826)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 22 July 2021.MacKirdy, 'The Fear of American Intervention', p. 134 As well as this Hart was personally gifted an

arabian horse The Arabian or Arab horse ( ar, الحصان العربي , DIN 31635, DMG ''ḥiṣān ʿarabī'') is a horse breed, breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is ...

which was put on board ''Liverpool''. He escorted the ship to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

from where she was sailed home to become HMS ''Imaum''. After returning from Zanzibar he wrote a report on his negotiations that reassured the British establishment, with the imaum's political allegiance to Britain still strong and his relationship with America purely commercial.MacKirdy, 'The Fear of American Intervention', pp. 134–135 Hart returned to England in ''Melville'' in July 1835, transporting the previous

Governor of Bombay Until the 18th century, Bombay consisted of seven islands separated by shallow sea. These seven islands were part of a larger archipelago in the Arabian sea, off the western coast of India. The date of city's founding is unclear—historians tr ...

Lord Clare, when Gore's tenure as commander-in-chief ended. He paid ''Melville'' off on 22 July and in reward for his services was subsequently made a

Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name ...

on 25 January 1836 and a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...

on 23 February, giving him the title of Sir Henry Hart.Burke, ''A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary'', p. 1150 ''Melville'' was Hart's last active command in the Royal Navy; he received a Captain's Good-Service Pension on 12 April 1842 to further honour his service.

Flag rank and retirement

In 1845 Hart was appointed a commissioner of

; a year later on 1 October 1846 he was promoted as a retired

. Hart was not kept on the active list of the navy because of an

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral * Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings *Admiralty, Tr ...

regulation that required post-captains who held civil posts to either accept retirement when promoted, instead of staying on the active list, or lose their civil post.'SUPPLY–NAVAL APPOINTMENTS', col. 347 Hart was against being placed on the retired list, a position "foreign to his feelings", but felt that that was the only option available to him. Sir George Pechell brought up Hart's case in parliament in 1850, noting that other officers such as Sir Watkin Owen Pell, who Hart had served alongside as a commissioner, had not been forced to retire as Hart had; despite this precedent Hart was not reinstated on the active list and as such was never promoted higher than rear-admiral.Admiralty, ''The Navy List'', p. 243'SUPPLY–NAVAL APPOINTMENTS', cols. 347–349

Other work

In the early 1840s Hart accompanied his friend Lord Prudhoe on a diplomatic mission to the United States and Canada, arriving in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

in July 1841 before making the journey to Halifax.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 122 Hart returned from the mission in October so that he could attend the wedding of Admiral (now Lord Exmouth) Pellew's granddaughter Harriet in London. Hart continued his active life into professional retirement; he patented a mode of curing smoking chimneys in 1848, using a wheel placed in a chimney and operated by a weather vane to remove smoke, for which the

Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...

awarded him their Isis Medal in 1850.Hopkins, Denison, Stein Turrell, Surriensis, and Lloyd, 'DISTRIBUTION OF MEDALS AND PREMIUMS', p.365Hart, ''Specification of Rear Admiral Sir Henry Hart'', pp. 2–3 He also served on the committee of

The Marine Society The Marine Society is a British charity, the world's first established for seafarers. In 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War against France, Austria, and Saxony (and subsequently the Mughal Empire, Spain, Russia and Sweden) Britain urg ...

and was a senior member of the

United Service Club The United Service Club was a London gentlemen's club founded in 1815 for the use of senior officers in the British Army and Royal Navy – those above the rank of Major or Commander – and the club was accordingly known to its members as "The ...

.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 123 Possibly influenced by his judicial work on the behalf of slaves in Jamaica, Hart supported a number of charitable endeavours in later life including the Merchant Seamans' Orphan Asylum. He also supported, in tandem with his wife, a number of organisations set up to assist destitute women through either funding or emigration.

Death

Hart died at

, on 22 December 1856 at the age of seventy-six.Noel-Smith and Campbell, ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates'', p. 125 He is remembered on a memorial, dedicated to the senior officers of the Greenwich Hospital, in the Old Burial Ground of the Naval Hospital.

Family

While on station in the East Indies Hart married Maria, the daughter of Andrew Williams of

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

, in

Fort St. George Fort St. George (or historically, White Town) is a fortress in the coastal city of Chennai, India. Founded in 1639, it was the first English (later British) fortress in India. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further ...

on 4 October 1808. As such he became a relation of Sir Edward Page-Turner who was married to the bride's sister. The couple had no children and upon Hart's death he bequeathed his estate to his wife and nephew, also named Henry Hart.

Notes and citations

Notes

Citations

References

* Admiralty (1846). ''The Navy List, corrected to the 20th December, 1846.'' London: John Murray. * Allen, Joseph (1852). ''Battles of the British Navy.'' London: Henry G. Bohn. * Burke, John B. (1850). ''A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire.'' London: Henry Colburn. * Hart, Sir Henry (1854). ''Specification of Rear Admiral Sir Henry Hart: Apparatus for Ventilating Chimnies.'' London: Queen's Printing Office. * * * * * Noel-Smith, Heather and Lorna M. Campbell (2016). ''Hornblower's Historical Shipmates: The Young Gentlemen of Pellew's Indefatigable.'' Woodbridge, England: Boydell Press. * * * * Syrett, David and R.L. DiNardo (1994). ''The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815.'' Aldershot: Scholar Press. . * *

External links

Ships of the Old Navy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Henry Royal Navy rear admirals Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars 1781 births 1856 deaths