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Thomas Hardy (naval officer)
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, 1st Baronet GCB
(5 April 1769 – 20 September 1839) was an officer of the Royal Navy
. He served as flag captain
to Admiral Lord Nelson
, and commanded HMS Victory
at the Battle of Trafalgar
. Nelson was shot as he paced the decks with Hardy, and as he lay dying, Nelson's famous remark of "Kiss me, Hardy" was directed at him (although these were not Nelson's last words, as is sometimes claimed). Hardy went on to reach the apex of the naval service, becoming First Naval Lord at the Admiralty
in November 1830 and reaching the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue
in January 1837.
House in the parish of Long Bredy
, three miles west of the family home in Portesham
, or in Winterborne St Martin, near Dorchester, Dorset
. He was the second son of Joseph and Nanny Hardy (née Masterman). He joined the navy with his entry aboard the brig
on 30 November 1781 as a captain's servant, but left her in April 1782 to attend Crewkerne grammar school, Somerset
. between the years of 1782 and 1785. Despite being at school during this time, his name was carried on the books of the 20-gun and the 74-gun . He spent several years in the merchant service before returning to the navy in 1790.
. Hardy served off Marseilles and Toulon and was commissioned second lieutenant of the 32-gun under Captain Charles Tyler
on 10 November 1793. Meleager at this time was part of a squadron commanded by Horatio Nelson.
Command of Meleager passed to Captain Sir George Cockburn
in June 1794. In August 1796 Cockburn took command of the 38-gun Minerve
and Hardy went with him. Under Cockburn, Hardy swiftly rose to the rank of first lieutenant
. Nelson, then a commodore, moved his pendant to the Minerve when involved in the evacuation of Elba
in December 1796. Nelson's own ship, Captain
, was considered too large and slow for this operation.
, Minerve and her consort, the 32-gun , engaged two Spanish frigates and forced the Santa Sabina to surrender. Lieutenants Hardy and Culverhouse were sent aboard the Santa Sabina with a prize crew, and the three ships continued on towards Gibraltar. Before the night was out, Nelson ran into the Spanish fleet and only managed to get away when Hardy drew the Spanish away from Minerve and fought until being dismasted and captured. Hardy and Culverhouse were almost immediately exchanged for the captain of the Santa Sabina, Don Jacobo Stuart, and were able to rejoin Minerve at Gibraltar on the 9 February 1797. Three days later, Minerve left Gibraltar to join the main fleet off the South East coast of Spain under Sir John Jervis
.
of the newly captured . In the early part of 1798, Hardy, still commander of Mutine, was serving in a squadron under Captain Thomas Troubridge
. In June of that year, the squadron met up with Rear-Admiral Nelson off Toulon. The two forces located Bonaparte
in Egypt and destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile
(1–2 August 1798). Afterwards, Nelson's flag captain, Edward Berry
was sent home with dispatches and Hardy was promoted to captain of Nelson's flagship, , in Troubridge's place on 2 October 1798.
In December 1798, HMS Vanguard carried King Ferdinand IV and the British ambassador Sir William Hamilton
and his wife Emma from Naples
to safety in Sicily
. Hardy did not altogether approve of Lady Hamilton. Once, she tried to intervene on behalf of a boat's crew. Hardy had the crew flogged twice, once for the original offence and again for petitioning the lady. On 8 June 1799, Nelson transferred his flag to the 80-gun , taking Hardy with him. In June 1799, the main fleet, led by Foudroyant, landed marines
at Naples to assist with the overthrow of the Parthenopean Republic.
HMS Foudroyant carried the exiled Piedmontese royal family
from Sardinia to the neutral Duchy of Tuscany in September 1799. Hardy handed over command of Foudroyant to Sir Edward Berry on 13 October 1799 and transferred to the 38-gun before returning to England.
.
On the night of 1 April 1801, Hardy was sent in in a boat to take soundings around the anchored Danish fleet. Hardy's ship drew too much water and so took no part in the Battle of Copenhagen the following day. Hardy's work proved to be of great value. The only two ships that went aground, and , were taken in by local pilots and did not follow Hardy's recommended route.
The main body of the fleet returned to England in June 1801. Nelson was succeeded in St George by Vice-Admiral Charles Pole. Hardy stayed on as flag captain until August when he transferred to the 50-gun HMS Isis
, then flying Commodore John Sutton's broad pennant.
, returned to Portsmouth
. Nelson was in Portsmouth, as he was due to take command of in May 1803, but on finding the ship not ready for him, transferred his flag to the Amphion and set sail for the Mediterranean
. Nelson and Hardy finally transferred to Victory off Toulon
on 31 July 1803. Hardy not only served as Nelson's flag captain, but also unofficially as his captain of the fleet.
Nelson's fleet continued to blockade Toulon until April 1805, when the French escaped and were pursued to the West Indies and back. After a brief stop at Spithead
between 20 August and 14 September 1805, they set sail for Cadiz
arriving on 29 September 1805.
As Victory approached the enemy line, Hardy urged Nelson to transfer to another ship to avoid the inevitable melee, but Nelson refused. Victory, leading the weather column, came under heavy fire. At one point, a splinter took the buckle from Hardy's shoe, to which Nelson remarked, "This is too warm work Hardy, to last for long". Nelson had earlier told Hardy to cut the line astern of Bucentaure
, but in order to protect her, Redoutable
closed up. Hardy warned Nelson that they would collide with one of the French ships, to which Nelson replied that it did not matter which. At that point, however, a gap opened and Hardy took Victory through it, passing so close to Bucentaure that they almost touched.
Towards the end of the battle, as Nelson lay below dying, the two had a number of conversations together. In their last conversation, Nelson reminded Hardy to anchor the fleet. Hardy passed this message to Vice-Admiral Collingwood
, who had assumed command, but the fleet did not anchor.
Victory was towed to Gibraltar, arriving on 28 October, where she underwent major repairs. On 4 November, Victory set sail for England, arriving at Portsmouth on 5 December 1805 and then on to Sheerness on the 22 December. There Nelson's body was transferred to the Sheerness Commissioner, Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet
's yacht Chatham to proceed to Greenwich. Hardy took the Victory up the River Medway
to Chatham Dockyard
for a refit. Hardy carried one of the banners at Nelson's funeral procession on 9 January 1806. Despite his sympathy for Lady Nelson
, Hardy faithfully delivered Nelson's personal effects to Lady Hamilton as Nelson had asked.
on 4 February 1806 and was appointed to the 74-gun , in which he served on the North American Station until 1809. While in Nova Scotia
, he married Anna Louisa Berkley, the daughter of his commander-in-chief, Sir George Cranfield-Berkeley
. When Admiral Berkley was sent to Lisbon, Hardy went with him as his flag captain in the 90-gun . Hardy was made a commodore in the Portuguese Navy in 1811.
In August 1812, Hardy was given command of the 74-gun and was sent back to North America at the outbreak of the War of 1812
. On July 11, 1814, Hardy in his flagship, assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Pilkington, led four other warships and several transports carrying 2,000 men of the 102nd Regiment of Foot and a company of Royal Artillery against Fort Sullivan (Maine), Eastport
. The American defending force of 70 regulars and 250 militiamen gave up without a fight. Hardy and Pilkington issued a proclamation making it clear Great Britain considered Eastport and the several nearby islands to be British territory. Townspeople were required to take an oath of allegiance to the crown or leave. Two thirds of the inhabitants took the oath, while 500 departed. For the few weeks he remained at the place, Hardy became a favourite of the locals, gaining great respect and popularity. However, Hardy's next venture, the August 9-11 bombardment of Stonington, Connecticut
was a defeat; Royal Navy cannonading set 20 buildings on fire while killing a horse and a goose, while reports indicate the sizeable American defending force killed 21 and wounded 50 British attackers. Hardy was awarded the KCB in January 1815 and returned home in June of that year.
Hardy commanded the royal yacht from July 1816 to 1818. He was given command of the 78-gun in August 1819 as a commodore
, and served as Commander-in-Chief on the South American Station until 1824, where he prevented the Spanish interfering in the newly emerging republics of Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.
on 27 May 1825. In December 1826, with his flag aboard the third rate , Hardy escorted 4,000 British troops to Lisbon, where they helped to quell a revolution by the eight-year-old queen's uncle. Hardy subsequently was given command of a squadron in the channel, moving his flag from the 38-gun Sybille
to the 28-gun before going ashore for the last time on 21 October 1827.
He became Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in November 1830 and Governor of Greenwich Hospital in April 1834. Hardy was promoted to vice admiral on 10 January 1837.
He died on 20 September 1839, aged 70. He was buried in the mausoleum of the hospital, later the Royal Naval College. He left three daughters but no sons, so the title of baronet became extinct on his death.
) within walking distance of his home at Portesham House in the village. Hardy Bay and the District of Port Hardy, on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and Hardy Island on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
, Canada are named after him.
1. Louisa Georgina Hardy born 7 December 1808, died 1875.
2. Emily Georgina Hardy born 30 December 1809, married in 1850 William Pollett Brown Chatteris, died 1887.
3. Mary Charlotte Hardy born 20 March 1813, married in 1833 Sir John Atholl Murray Macgregor Bt
whose descendants include Earl Cawdor
of Castlemartin, Earl of Mansfield and Baron Hindlip
, died 1896.
John McCabe
's biography of Laurel and Hardy
, Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy, contains a statement by Oliver Hardy
that he was a direct descendant of Sir Thomas Hardy; the relationship has not been otherwise documented.
His current closest living relative is James Smith (Hardy), who attended Trafalgar 200 and has campaigned to protect HMS Victory and the role of the Royal Navy.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(5 April 1769 – 20 September 1839) was an officer of the Royal Navy
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...
. He served as flag captain
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 Captain", with the "flag captain" as the ship's...
to Admiral Lord Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
, and commanded HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. Nelson was shot as he paced the decks with Hardy, and as he lay dying, Nelson's famous remark of "Kiss me, Hardy" was directed at him (although these were not Nelson's last words, as is sometimes claimed). Hardy went on to reach the apex of the naval service, becoming First Naval Lord at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in November 1830 and reaching the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
in January 1837.
Early life
Hardy was born on 5 April 1769, either at Kingston RussellKingston Russell
Kingston Russell is a large mansion house and manor near Long Bredy in Dorset, England, west of Dorchester. The present house dates from the late 17th century but in 1730 was clad in a white Georgian stone facade. The house was restored in 1913, and at the same time the gardens were laid out...
House in the parish of Long Bredy
Long Bredy
Long Bredy is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in a small valley seven miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 202 . The village has some notable history, being located near the strategic chalk hills it has some Iron Age and Roman history, including a stone circle,...
, three miles west of the family home in Portesham
Portesham
Portesham is a village in the English county of Dorset, situated close to the south coast, between the towns of Weymouth and Dorchester. The village has a population of 708...
, or in Winterborne St Martin, near Dorchester, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. He was the second son of Joseph and Nanny Hardy (née Masterman). He joined the navy with his entry aboard the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
on 30 November 1781 as a captain's servant, but left her in April 1782 to attend Crewkerne grammar school, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. between the years of 1782 and 1785. Despite being at school during this time, his name was carried on the books of the 20-gun and the 74-gun . He spent several years in the merchant service before returning to the navy in 1790.
Mediterranean and Nelson
Hardy joined the 38-gun on 5 February 1790 as a midshipman, and was from 1 March 1791 rated as master's mate. He later transferred to the 20-gun under Captain Anthony Hunt, and followed Hunt to the 24-gun in May 1793, where he was rated as an able seaman. He went out to the Mediterranean aboard her, and joined the fleet there under Lord HoodSamuel 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...
. Hardy served off Marseilles and Toulon and was commissioned second lieutenant of the 32-gun under Captain Charles Tyler
Charles Tyler
Admiral Sir Charles Tyler, GCB was a British admiral who gained fame during the Napoleonic Wars as one of the Nelsonic Band of Brothers and a naval officer of great reputation and success who fought at the battles of Copenhagen and Trafalgar.-Early life:Tyler was born in 1760, the son of Captain...
on 10 November 1793. Meleager at this time was part of a squadron commanded by Horatio Nelson.
Command of Meleager passed to Captain Sir George Cockburn
George Cockburn
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet GCB was a British naval commander of the late 18th through the mid-19th centuries. He held important commands during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 and eventually rose to become Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord.-Naval...
in June 1794. In August 1796 Cockburn took command of the 38-gun Minerve
French frigate Minerve (1794)
The Minerve was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy. She was captured twice by the British and recaptured once by the French. She therefore served under four names:*Minerve, 1794–1795*HMS Minerve, 1795–1803*Canonnière, 1803–1810...
and Hardy went with him. Under Cockburn, Hardy swiftly rose to the rank of first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
. Nelson, then a commodore, moved his pendant to the Minerve when involved in the evacuation of Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
in December 1796. Nelson's own ship, Captain
HMS Captain (1787)
HMS Captain was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 26 November 1787 at Limehouse. She served during the French revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars before being placed in harbour service in 1799...
, was considered too large and slow for this operation.
Santa Sabina
While en route to GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Minerve and her consort, the 32-gun , engaged two Spanish frigates and forced the Santa Sabina to surrender. Lieutenants Hardy and Culverhouse were sent aboard the Santa Sabina with a prize crew, and the three ships continued on towards Gibraltar. Before the night was out, Nelson ran into the Spanish fleet and only managed to get away when Hardy drew the Spanish away from Minerve and fought until being dismasted and captured. Hardy and Culverhouse were almost immediately exchanged for the captain of the Santa Sabina, Don Jacobo Stuart, and were able to rejoin Minerve at Gibraltar on the 9 February 1797. Three days later, Minerve left Gibraltar to join the main fleet off the South East coast of Spain under Sir John Jervis
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
.
"By God, I'll not lose Hardy"
With two enemy ships pursuing him, Cockburn ordered more sail. During this operation, a topman fell overboard. The ship hove to and a boat with Hardy in it was lowered to search for the missing mariner. As the enemy ships were closing fast, Cockburn thought it prudent to withdraw, but Nelson overruled him crying "By God, I'll not lose Hardy, back that mizzen topsail!" This confused the Spaniards who checked their own progress, allowing Hardy to return to his ship and make good his escape. The following day, Nelson returned to HMS Captain in time for the battle of Cape St. Vincent on 14 February 1797. Minerve stood away from the main action with the other frigates.Command and the Nile
Hardy remained with Minerve until May 1797 when, following a successful cutting out expedition of which he was in charge, he was promoted to master and commanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the newly captured . In the early part of 1798, Hardy, still commander of Mutine, was serving in a squadron under Captain Thomas Troubridge
Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet was a British naval commander and politician.Troubridge was educated at St Paul's School, London. He entered the Royal Navy in 1773 and, together with Nelson, served in the East Indies in the frigate Seahorse. In 1785 he returned to England in the Sultan as...
. In June of that year, the squadron met up with Rear-Admiral Nelson off Toulon. The two forces located Bonaparte
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
in Egypt and destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile
Battle of the Nile
The Battle of the Nile was a major naval battle fought between British and French fleets at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt from 1–3 August 1798...
(1–2 August 1798). Afterwards, Nelson's flag captain, Edward Berry
Edward Berry
Rear Admiral Sir Edward Berry, 1st Baronet, KCB was an officer in Britain's Royal Navy primarily known for his role as flag captain of Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson's ship HMS Vanguard at the Battle of the Nile, prior to his knighthood in 1798...
was sent home with dispatches and Hardy was promoted to captain of Nelson's flagship, , in Troubridge's place on 2 October 1798.
In December 1798, HMS Vanguard carried King Ferdinand IV and the British ambassador Sir William Hamilton
William Hamilton (diplomat)
Sir William Hamilton KB, PC, FRS was a Scottish diplomat, antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist. After a short period as a Member of Parliament, he served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800...
and his wife Emma from Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
to safety in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Hardy did not altogether approve of Lady Hamilton. Once, she tried to intervene on behalf of a boat's crew. Hardy had the crew flogged twice, once for the original offence and again for petitioning the lady. On 8 June 1799, Nelson transferred his flag to the 80-gun , taking Hardy with him. In June 1799, the main fleet, led by Foudroyant, landed marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
at Naples to assist with the overthrow of the Parthenopean Republic.
HMS Foudroyant carried the exiled Piedmontese royal family
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
from Sardinia to the neutral Duchy of Tuscany in September 1799. Hardy handed over command of Foudroyant to Sir Edward Berry on 13 October 1799 and transferred to the 38-gun before returning to England.
Baltic and Copenhagen
After a year ashore, Hardy went to Plymouth in December 1800 to take command of the 110-gun , which had just been refitted. In February 1801, he transferred to the 90-gun and became Nelson's flag captain once more. Nelson was appointed second in command of the Baltic fleet, which had been sent to force the Danes to withdraw from the League of Armed NeutralitySecond League of Armed Neutrality
The Second League of Armed Neutrality or the League of the North was an alliance of the north European naval powers Denmark–Norway, Prussia, Sweden and Russia. It occurred between 1800 and 1801 during the War of the Second Coalition and was initiated by Paul I of Russia...
.
On the night of 1 April 1801, Hardy was sent in in a boat to take soundings around the anchored Danish fleet. Hardy's ship drew too much water and so took no part in the Battle of Copenhagen the following day. Hardy's work proved to be of great value. The only two ships that went aground, and , were taken in by local pilots and did not follow Hardy's recommended route.
The main body of the fleet returned to England in June 1801. Nelson was succeeded in St George by Vice-Admiral Charles Pole. Hardy stayed on as flag captain until August when he transferred to the 50-gun HMS Isis
HMS Isis (1774)
HMS Isis was a 50-gun Portland-class fourth-rate of the Royal Navy. She saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
, then flying Commodore John Sutton's broad pennant.
Mediterranean and West Indies Campaign
In the latter half of 1802, Hardy was appointed to the 36-gun which after taking the new British ambassador to LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, returned to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. Nelson was in Portsmouth, as he was due to take command of in May 1803, but on finding the ship not ready for him, transferred his flag to the Amphion and set sail for the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Nelson and Hardy finally transferred to Victory off Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
on 31 July 1803. Hardy not only served as Nelson's flag captain, but also unofficially as his captain of the fleet.
Nelson's fleet continued to blockade Toulon until April 1805, when the French escaped and were pursued to the West Indies and back. After a brief stop at Spithead
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...
between 20 August and 14 September 1805, they set sail for Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
arriving on 29 September 1805.
Trafalgar
On the morning of 21 October 1805, Hardy was one of the witnesses to Nelson's will. Hardy tried to persuade Nelson to not wear the decorations on his uniform that might identify him.As Victory approached the enemy line, Hardy urged Nelson to transfer to another ship to avoid the inevitable melee, but Nelson refused. Victory, leading the weather column, came under heavy fire. At one point, a splinter took the buckle from Hardy's shoe, to which Nelson remarked, "This is too warm work Hardy, to last for long". Nelson had earlier told Hardy to cut the line astern of Bucentaure
French ship Bucentaure (1804)
Bucentaure was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Latouche Tréville, who died on board on 18 August 1804....
, but in order to protect her, Redoutable
French ship Redoutable (1791)
The Redoutable was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She is known for her duel with HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar and for killing Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson during the action.- Early career :...
closed up. Hardy warned Nelson that they would collide with one of the French ships, to which Nelson replied that it did not matter which. At that point, however, a gap opened and Hardy took Victory through it, passing so close to Bucentaure that they almost touched.
Towards the end of the battle, as Nelson lay below dying, the two had a number of conversations together. In their last conversation, Nelson reminded Hardy to anchor the fleet. Hardy passed this message to Vice-Admiral Collingwood
Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood
Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood was an admiral of the Royal Navy, notable as a partner with Lord Nelson in several of the British victories of the Napoleonic Wars, and frequently as Nelson's successor in commands.-Early years:Collingwood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne...
, who had assumed command, but the fleet did not anchor.
Victory was towed to Gibraltar, arriving on 28 October, where she underwent major repairs. On 4 November, Victory set sail for England, arriving at Portsmouth on 5 December 1805 and then on to Sheerness on the 22 December. There Nelson's body was transferred to the Sheerness Commissioner, Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet
Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet
Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet, KCB was a British Royal Navy officer. He was born at the family home of Fallodon, Northumberland on 10 October 1767, the third son of Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey and Elizabeth Grey , and younger brother of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey and General Sir Henry George Grey...
's yacht Chatham to proceed to Greenwich. Hardy took the Victory up the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
to Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
for a refit. Hardy carried one of the banners at Nelson's funeral procession on 9 January 1806. Despite his sympathy for Lady Nelson
Frances Nelson
Frances "Fanny" Nelson, Viscountess Nelson , is best known as the wife of Horatio Nelson, the British naval officer who won several victories over the French during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
, Hardy faithfully delivered Nelson's personal effects to Lady Hamilton as Nelson had asked.
Later commands
Hardy was created a baronetBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
on 4 February 1806 and was appointed to the 74-gun , in which he served on the North American Station until 1809. While in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, he married Anna Louisa Berkley, the daughter of his commander-in-chief, Sir George Cranfield-Berkeley
George Cranfield-Berkeley
Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkeley GCB , often known as George Berkeley, was a highly experienced, popular, yet controversial naval officer and politician in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain...
. When Admiral Berkley was sent to Lisbon, Hardy went with him as his flag captain in the 90-gun . Hardy was made a commodore in the Portuguese Navy in 1811.
In August 1812, Hardy was given command of the 74-gun and was sent back to North America at the outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. On July 11, 1814, Hardy in his flagship, assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Pilkington, led four other warships and several transports carrying 2,000 men of the 102nd Regiment of Foot and a company of Royal Artillery against Fort Sullivan (Maine), Eastport
Eastport, Maine
Eastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
. The American defending force of 70 regulars and 250 militiamen gave up without a fight. Hardy and Pilkington issued a proclamation making it clear Great Britain considered Eastport and the several nearby islands to be British territory. Townspeople were required to take an oath of allegiance to the crown or leave. Two thirds of the inhabitants took the oath, while 500 departed. For the few weeks he remained at the place, Hardy became a favourite of the locals, gaining great respect and popularity. However, Hardy's next venture, the August 9-11 bombardment of Stonington, Connecticut
Stonington, Connecticut
The Town of Stonington is located in New London County, Connecticut, in the state's southeastern corner. It includes the borough of Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Lords Point, Wequetequock, the eastern halves of the villages of Mystic and Old Mystic...
was a defeat; Royal Navy cannonading set 20 buildings on fire while killing a horse and a goose, while reports indicate the sizeable American defending force killed 21 and wounded 50 British attackers. Hardy was awarded the KCB in January 1815 and returned home in June of that year.
Hardy commanded the royal yacht from July 1816 to 1818. He was given command of the 78-gun in August 1819 as a commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
, and served as Commander-in-Chief on the South American Station until 1824, where he prevented the Spanish interfering in the newly emerging republics of Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.
Flag rank
Hardy was promoted to rear admiralRear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
on 27 May 1825. In December 1826, with his flag aboard the third rate , Hardy escorted 4,000 British troops to Lisbon, where they helped to quell a revolution by the eight-year-old queen's uncle. Hardy subsequently was given command of a squadron in the channel, moving his flag from the 38-gun Sybille
French frigate Sibylle (1792)
The Sibylle was an 38-gun Hébé class frigate of the French Navy. She was launched in 1791 at the dockyards in Toulon and placed in service in 1792...
to the 28-gun before going ashore for the last time on 21 October 1827.
He became Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in November 1830 and Governor of Greenwich Hospital in April 1834. Hardy was promoted to vice admiral on 10 January 1837.
He died on 20 September 1839, aged 70. He was buried in the mausoleum of the hospital, later the Royal Naval College. He left three daughters but no sons, so the title of baronet became extinct on his death.
Legacy
There is a monument to him (the Hardy MonumentHardy Monument
The Hardy Monument is a high monument erected by public subscription in 1844 in memory of Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, a commander at the Battle of Trafalgar ....
) within walking distance of his home at Portesham House in the village. Hardy Bay and the District of Port Hardy, on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and Hardy Island on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
The Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of Greater Vancouver...
, Canada are named after him.
Family
Hardy married on 17 November 1807 to Louisa Emily Anns Berkeley, daughter of Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkely and had three daughters:1. Louisa Georgina Hardy born 7 December 1808, died 1875.
2. Emily Georgina Hardy born 30 December 1809, married in 1850 William Pollett Brown Chatteris, died 1887.
3. Mary Charlotte Hardy born 20 March 1813, married in 1833 Sir John Atholl Murray Macgregor Bt
MacGregor Baronets
The Murray, later MacGregor of MacGregor Baronetcy, of Lanrick in the County of Perth, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom . It was created on 3 July 1795 for John Murray. He was a member of the Scottish MacGregor clan...
whose descendants include Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor...
of Castlemartin, Earl of Mansfield and Baron Hindlip
Baron Hindlip
Baron Hindlip, of Hindlip in the County of Worcester and of Alsop-en-le-Dale in the County of Derby, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1886 for the businessman and Conservative politician Sir Henry Allsopp, 1st Baronet. He was head of the brewing firm of Samuel...
, died 1896.
John McCabe
John McCabe (writer)
John McCabe , born John Charles McCabe III, was a Shakespearean scholar and author, whose first book was the authorized biography of Laurel and Hardy....
's biography of Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
, Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy, contains a statement by Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
that he was a direct descendant of Sir Thomas Hardy; the relationship has not been otherwise documented.
His current closest living relative is James Smith (Hardy), who attended Trafalgar 200 and has campaigned to protect HMS Victory and the role of the Royal Navy.
Further reading
- The Trafalgar Captains, Colin WhiteColin White (historian)Colin Saunders White , was director of the Royal Naval Museum, and was one of Britain's leading experts on Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar....
and the 1805 Club1805 ClubThe 1805 Club was founded in 1990 to accomplish three objectives:* To assist in the preservation of monuments and memorials relating to Vice- Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson and the seafaring people of the Georgian era....
, Chatham Publishing, London, 2005, ISBN 1-86176-247-X
- The Three Dorset Captains at Trafalgar, A.M. Broadley R.G. Bartelot, Published by J. Murray, 1906,
See also
- War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
- British blockade at New London