View source for Henry Hope (Royal Navy officer)

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Sir Henry Hope
|image=Captain Henry Hope, by Henry Raeburn.jpg
|caption=Captain Henry Hope ([[Henry Raeburn]], ca. 1815)
|birth_date= 10 May 1787<ref>''Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531–1812''</ref>
|death_date=  {{dda|23 September 1863|10 May 1787|df=y}}
|birth_place= [[Wellington, Somerset]], England<ref name="1851census">''1851 England Census''</ref>
|death_place=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom]]
|branch= [[Image:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|23px]] [[Royal Navy]]
|serviceyears=
|rank=[[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]]
|unit=
|commands={{HMS|Espoir|1804|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Glatton|1795|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Leonidas|1807|6}} <br/>{{HMS|Topaze|1793|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Salsette|1805|6}}<br/>{{HMS| Endymion|1797|6}}
|battles=[[Napoleonic Wars]]<br/>[[War of 1812]]
|awards=[[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Bath]] (1815)<br/>[[Order of the Bath|Knight Commander of the Bath]] (1860)
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
'''Sir Henry Hope''' [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] (10 May 1787 – 23 September 1863) was an English officer of the [[Royal Navy]] whose distinguished service in the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and the [[War of 1812]] earned him acclaim. As captain of [[HMS Endymion (1797)|HMS ''Endymion'']], he was involved in the [[Capture of USS President|action on 14 January 1815]] which ended in the capture of the American warship [[USS President (1800)|USS ''President'']].

==Early years==
Hope was the eldest son of Charles Hope, the grandson of [[Charles Hope-Vere]], and the nephew of the army officer [[Henry Hope (lieutenant governor of Quebec)|Henry Hope]] who became lieutenant-governor of the [[Province of Quebec (1763–1791)|Province of Quebec]]. On 2 April 1798, he joined the yacht {{HMS|Princess Augusta|1771|2}} on the [[River Thames]] as a 3rd Class volunteer. In May 1800, he transferred as a [[midshipman]] to the [[Seventy-four (ship)|74-gun]] [[third rate]] [[ship of the line]] {{HMS|Kent|1798|2}}, which was under the command of his cousin, Captain [[William Johnstone Hope]].<ref name=OBryne>{{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |chapter=Hope, Henry |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=[[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]]}}</ref>

''Kent'' took Lieutenant-General [[Ralph Abercromby|Sir Ralph Abercrombie]] to Egypt where he commanded the British campaign to dislodge the [[French Invasion of Egypt (1798)|French invasion of Egypt]]. She then served in blockade of [[Alexandria]]. Hope transferred to {{HMS|Swiftsure|1787|2}}, another 74-gun third rate.<ref name=OBryne/>

Whilst ''Swiftsure'' was at sea, her captain, [[Benjamin Hallowell Carew|Benjamin Hallowell]], learnt that a French squadron under Admiral [[Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume|Ganteaume]] had put to sea. Hallowell decided to return to reinforce [[Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet|Sir John Warren's]] squadron, but on 24 June 1801 ''Swiftsure'' encountered Ganteaume's force, which quickly overtook the damaged, slow, and undermanned ''Swiftsure''. The French force consisted of four ships of the line and a frigate. The ''[[French ship Indivisible (1799)|Indivisible]]'' and ''[[French ship Cassard (1795)|Dix-Août]]'' succeeded in shooting away ''Swiftsure''{{'}}s yards and masts, forcing her to surrender. Two men were killed, two were mortally wounded, and another six were wounded aboard ''Swiftsure'', whilst the French lost 33 killed and wounded. Hope was taken prisoner.<ref name=OBryne/> (The French Navy took ''Swiftsure'' into service under her existing name.<ref>[http://pagesperso-orange.fr/marine-imperiale/chronologie/1801/06_24.htm Capture du ''Swiftsure'']</ref>)

Hope was freed in September and joined the frigate {{HMS|Leda|1800|6}}, which was under the command of Captain [[George Johnstone Hope]]. He continued to serve on ''Leda'' in the Mediterranean and the Home station under Captains John (or James) Hardy and [[Robert Honyman (Royal Navy officer)|Robert Honyman (or Honeyman)]].<ref name=OBryne/>{{#tag:ref|O'Byrne gives the names of the two captains as Thomas Masterman Hardy and Robert Honyman.<ref name=OBryne/> The name John or James Hardy is from Winfield.<ref>Winfield (2008), p.152.</ref>|group=Note}}

In June 1803 Hope left ''Leda'' and transferred to the 74-gun third rates {{HMS|Defence|1763|2}} and later the {{HMS|Atlas|1782|2}} under captains George Johnstone Hope and William Johnstone Hope.<ref name=OBryne/>

==Commissioned officer==
Henry Hope was appointed [[lieutenant]] on 3 May 1804. He then joined Captain [[George Burlton]] in the 50-gun [[fourth rate]] {{HMS|Adamant|11780|2}},<ref name=OBryne/> which had just spent a year undergoing refitting. Hope then sailed with Captain Ross Donnelly on the 32-gun frigate {{HMS|Narcissus|1801|2}}. He was with ''Narcissus'' when the British re-occupied the [[Cape of Good Hope]] on 16 January 1806.<ref name=OBryne/>

Hope was promoted to [[commander (Royal Navy)|commander]] on 22 January 1806 and was appointed to command the {{sclass|Cruizer|brig-sloop}} {{HMS|Espoir|1804|6}}. He served on her until January 1808. Hope then served under Captain Thomas Seccombe aboard the 56-gun {{HMS|Glatton|1795|6}}.

In January 1808 ''Glatton'' and the [[brig-sloop]] {{HMS|Delight|1806|2}} had received information that the French had captured four Sicilian gunboats and taken them into [[Scilla, Calabria|Scylla]], near [[Reggio Calabria|Reggio]], [[Calabria]].<ref name=Hepper>Hepper (1994), p.122.</ref> On 31 January 1808, as ''Delight'' approached the port, a strong current pushed her towards the shore and she grounded. Seccombe went on board ''Delight'' to supervise the recovery effort.  As they were trying to free ''Delight'', her boats and those of ''Glatton'' came under intense fire from the shore.<ref name=Hepper/> They were unsuccessful in freeing ''Delight'', and ''Delight''{{'}}s captain, Commander Phillip Crosby Handfield, late of {{HMS|Egyptienne|1801|2}}, and many of his crew were killed.<ref name=Hepper/> Although the crew took to the boats, not all were able to escape and a number of the men on her, including Seccombe, became [[prisoners of war]].<ref>Grocott (1997), p.251.</ref>  ''Glatton'' came under the command of Commander Henry Hope (acting) until March 1808.<ref name="Winfield 2008">Winfield (2008)</ref>

On 22 May 1808 Hope was made [[post captain]]. He took command of the 36-gun fifth rate frigate {{HMS|Leonidas|1807|6}} on 17 November.<ref name=OBryne/>

Next, Hope took command of the 32-gun [[sailing frigate|frigate]] {{HMS|Topaze|1793|6}} on 4 May 1809.<ref name=OBryne/> In October 1809, a squadron under Rear-Admiral [[George Martin (Royal Navy officer)|George Martin]], of [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood|Cuthbert Collingwood's]] fleet, chased an enemy convoy off the south of France. They succeeded in driving two of the three escorting ships of the line, {{ship|French ship|Robuste|1806|2}} and {{ship|French ship|Lion|1804|2}}, ashore near [[Frontignan]], where their crews burnt them after dismantling them and stripping them of all usable material. The crews of the third ship of the line, {{ship|French ship|Borée|1805|2}}, and the frigate ''Pauline'' escaped into [[Sète]].<ref name=James5>James (1837), Vol. 5, pp.143-4.</ref>

The transports that had been part of the convoy, including the armed storeship ''Lamproie'', of 18 guns, two bombards (''Victoire'' and ''Grondeur''), and the [[xebec]] ''Normande'', sailed into the Bay of [[Roses, Girona|Rosas]] where they hoped that the castle of Rosas, Fort Trinidad and several shore batteries would protect them.<ref name=James5/> On 30 October ''Topaze'', and other ships sent in their boats. By the following morning the British had accounted for all eleven vessels in the bay, burning those they did not bring out. Some of the British boats took heavy casualties; ''Topaze'' lost four men killed and eight men wounded.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16319|date=29 November 1809|pages=1602–1604}}</ref>

On 21 June 1810, the boats of {{HMS|Alceste|1806|2}} and ''Topaze'' captured two vessels in the bay of Martino in Corsica.<ref group=Note>This may be San-Martino-di-Lota, near Bastia.</ref> A landing party captured a battery of three guns that protected the entrance to the bay. They were able to capture and render the guns unserviceable, and kill or wound a number of the garrison. The British lost one man killed and two wounded in the action.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue =16395|date=11 August 1810|page=1205}}</ref> On 24 August ''Topaze'' captured the ''Centinelle''.<ref>''The United service magazine'', Vol. 171, p.125.</ref> ''Topaze'' was also involved in the [[Battle of Fuengirola]] in October 1810.

In 1811 Captain Hope took command of {{HMS|Salsette|1805|6}}, a [[Perseverance-class frigate|''Perseverance''-class]] [[fifth-rate]] frigate of a nominal 36 guns. On 29 June 1811 she captured the [[slave ship]] ''Expedition'' off Mauritius.<ref>[http://www.houghton.idv.hk/chapter18.htm History 1793-1844 from the newspapers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721093016/http://www.houghton.idv.hk/chapter18.htm |date=21 July 2011 }}</ref> On 21 April 1812, ''Salsette'' captured the French privateer ''Comète'' in the Mediterranean. She carried two 18-pounder guns and had a crew of 45 men.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16624|page=1397|date=18 July 1812}}</ref> Then on 14 October 1812 ''Salsette'' captured the three-masted lugger ''Mercure'' off the [[Isle of Wight]].<ref name="Winfield 2008"/><ref group=Note>Ouseley reports that she was the former ''Marie Louise'' of Cherbourg.</ref> This vessel carried 16 guns and had a crew of 70,<ref>Norman (1887), p.449.</ref> and ''Salsette'' took her into Portsmouth.<ref>Ouseley (1823), Vol. 3, p.542.</ref>

==War of 1812==
Captain Hope took command of {{HMS| Endymion|1797|6}} on 13 May 1813. ''Endymion'' was a 40-gun fifth rate frigate that was being fitted out at Plymouth to counter the American 44-gun frigates, which had made an impact during the early engagements during the [[War of 1812]]. Hope then sailed ''Endymion'' to the Halifax station.

On 7 March 1814, ''Endymion'', {{HMS|Belvidera|1809|2}} and {{HMS|Rattler|1795|2}} captured the American [[privateer]] ''Mars'', which was armed with 15 guns and had a crew of 70 men.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17147|date=22 June 1816|page=1192}}</ref> In August 1814, together with [[French frigate Armide (1804)|''Armide'']], ''Endymion'' captured the American privateer ''Herald'', of 17 guns and 100 men. In late 1814, ''Endymion'' joined the blockading-squadron off [[New York (state)|New York]].

On 11 October 1814 ''Endymion's'' boats attempted to capture the notorious American privateer ''[[Prince de Neufchatel]]'', but were unsuccessful. Becalmed on the south side of [[Nantucket]], the ''Prince de Neufchatel'' appeared vulnerable.  Captain Henry Hope thereupon sent 111 men in five boats to cut out the privateer, which was defended by 40 Americans. After 20 minutes of savage fighting British casualties amounted to 28 killed, 37 wounded, and 28 taken prisoner. The Americans reported losing 7 men killed and 24 wounded.<ref>Ellis (2009), pp. 99-100.</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/navalchronicleco35londiala#page/34/mode/1up/search/halifax Naval Chronicle]</ref>

==Capture of USS ''President''==
{{main|Capture of USS President}}
On 14 January 1815, {{USS|President|1800|6}}, under the command of [[Commodore (USN)|Commodore]] [[Stephen Decatur]], left [[New York (state)|New York]] for the [[Indian Ocean]]. She then fell in with the British blockading squadron, consisting of the [[razee]] {{HMS|Majestic|1785|2}} (56 guns, Captain [[John Hayes (Royal Navy officer)|John Hayes]]), and the frigates ''Endymion'' (Captain Henry Hope), [[French frigate Astrée (1809)|''Pomone'']] (38 guns, Captain [[John Richard Lumley]]), and {{HMS|Tenedos|1812|2}} (38 guns, Captain [[Hyde Parker (Sea Lord)|Hyde Parker]]). Immediately, the British squadron gave chase with ''Majestic'' leading. At noon, ''Endymion'', being the much better sailer, overhauled her squadron and left them behind.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}} At 2&nbsp;pm she gained on the ''President'' and shortly afterwards both ships exchanged [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]s, with ''President'' still trying to escape. ''Endymion'' was able to rake ''President'' three times and did considerable damage to her; by contrast, ''President'' primarily directed her fire at ''Endymion's'' [[rigging]] in order to slow her down.

At 7.58pm, ''President'' struck, hoisting a light in her rigging to signify her surrender. ''Endymion'' hove to and commenced repairs to her rigging. Captain Hope was unable to take immediate possession of his prize as he had no boats available that would "swim". Seeing ''Endymion'' hove to, Decatur attempted to escape, making sail at 8.30pm and running downwind. ''Endymion'' completed her hasty repairs and got under way at 9.05pm. In the meantime both ''Pomone'' and ''Tenedos'' were closing on ''President'' and by 9.05pm, ''Pomone'' had caught up, firing two broadsides at ''President'', after which Decatur once again indicated his surrender.<ref>[[Andrew Lambert|Lambert, Andrew]] (2012) The Challenge - Britain Against America in the War of 1812, (Faber and Faber) {{ISBN|978-0-571-27319-5}}{{Page needed|date=August 2012}}</ref>

According to British accounts, ''President'' had lost 35 men killed and 70 wounded, including Decatur. American sources give their losses as 24 killed and 55 wounded. ''Endymion'' had 11 killed and 14 wounded.<ref>James (1824), vol.6, p. 367.</ref>

Following the arrival of ''Endymion'' and the ''President'' in Bermuda, Captain Henry Hope was presented with a silver plate in honour of his success. Soon after Hope presented his officers with silver crooks that were probably made from that plate. The design of a crook was a play on the name [[Endymion (mythology)|''Endymion'']], which had been named after a shepherd of Classical legend. These silver crooks have been named as the Midshipman's Badge, however they were given to the Endymion's 24 officers rather than the [[midshipman]].<ref>{{cite web|title= Endymion Crook (Midshipman's Badge), 1815 (American 'War of 1812')|url=http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/coins/collection/watson/page125.html|publisher= Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridgey|accessdate=19 December 2011}}</ref> On 15 January 1815 Hope was made a Companion of the [[Order of the Bath]] for his role in the capture of ''President''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17061|page=1877|date=16 January 1815}}</ref>  ''Endymion'' and ''President'' arrived at [[Spithead]] on 28 March 1815. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issue to any still surviving crew from ''Endymion'' of the [[Naval General Service Medal (1847)|Naval General Service Medal]] with clasp "Endymion wh. President".

==Personal life==
On 21 July 1828 Hope married Jane Sophia Sawyer, the youngest daughter of Admiral [[Herbert Sawyer|Sir Herbert Sawyer]]. She died in 1829.<ref name=OBryne/>

==Later career==
Henry Hope was named to be an Extra Naval Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty, on 5 September 1831, and he was named to be a Naval Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty on 9 November 1846. He was appointed [[Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)|rear-admiral]] on 9 November 1846, [[Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)|vice-admiral]] on 2 April 1853, and [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|admiral]] on 20 January 1858.<ref>{{cite web|title=RN Executive Officers|url=http://www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Nbd/exec/H/Index.html|accessdate=19 December 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501092147/http://www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Nbd/exec/H/Index.html|archivedate=1 May 2012}}</ref>

== References ==
;Footnotes
{{reflist|group=Note}}
;Citations
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

;See Also
* {{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |chapter=Hope, Henry |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=[[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]]}}

;Sources
*Ellis, James H. (2009) ''A Ruinous and Unhappy War: New England and the War of 1812''. (New York: Algora Publishing).
*Gardiner, Robert (2006) ''Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars''. (Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press). {{ISBN|978-1-59114-283-6}}
*Grocott, Terence (1997) ''Shipwrecks of the revolutionary & Napoleonic eras''. (London: Chatham). {{ISBN|1-86176-030-2}}
*Hepper, David J. (1994) ''British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859''. (Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot). {{ISBN|0-948864-30-3}}
*Norman, Charles Boswell (1887) ''The Corsairs of France''. (London:S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington)
*Ouseley, William (1823) ''Travels in various countries of the East, more particularly Persia''. (London:Rodwell and Martin).
*{{citation|last = James| first = William| authorlink = William James (naval historian)| year = 1837| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, from the Declaration of War by France in 1793, to the Accession of George IV.| publisher = R. Bentley}}
*{{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793&ndash;1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2008|isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hope, Henry}}
[[Category:1787 births]]
[[Category:1863 deaths]]
[[Category:Royal Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the War of 1812]]
[[Category:Hope family|Henry]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]