View source for William Hotham (Royal Navy officer, born 1772)

{{Short description|British Royal Navy officer (1772–1848)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name         = William Hotham
|birth_date   = {{birth-date|12 February 1772}}
|death_date   = {{death-date and age|31 May 1848|12 February 1772}}
|image        = File:George Hayter (1792-1871) (copy after) - Sir William Hotham (1772–1848) - BHC2785 - Royal Museums Greenwich.jpg
|caption      = portrait of Hotham, circa 1840
|birth_place  = 
|death_place  = [[Windsor, Berkshire]]
|nickname     = 
|allegiance   = [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]]
|serviceyears = 1779 &ndash; 1848
|rank         = [[Admiral (United Kingdom)|Admiral of the Red]]
|branch       = [[Royal Navy]]
|commands     = {{ubl|{{HMS|Eclair|1795|6}}|{{HMS|Cyclops|1779|6}}|{{HMS|Adamant|1780|6}}|{{HMS|Raisonnable|1768|6}}|{{HMS|Royal Sovereign|1804|6}}}}
|unit         = 
|battles      = 
{{tree list}}
* [[French Revolutionary Wars]]
** [[Naval Battle of Hyères Islands]]
** [[Battle of Camperdown]]
** Destruction of the [[French frigate Preneuse (1794)|''Preneuse'']]
{{tree list/end}}
|awards       = {{ubl|[[Naval Gold Medal]]|[[Order of the Bath|Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]}}
|relations    = {{ubl|[[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|Lord Hotham]] (uncle)|[[Henry Hotham]] (first cousin)}}
}}

'''Sir William Hotham''' [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath|GCB]] (12 February 1772 – 31 May 1848) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]] who saw service during the [[French Revolutionary Wars|French Revolutionary]] and [[Napoleonic Wars]].

Born into a military family Hotham joined the navy as a captain's servant and able seaman, rising through the ranks with service in the [[Caribbean]] and [[Colony of Newfoundland|Newfoundland]]. A lieutenant by the outbreak of war with revolutionary France in 1793, Hotham served initially in the Mediterranean, and had been promoted to his first command by 1794. He saw action with his uncle [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|Lord Hotham's]] fleet at the [[Naval Battle of Hyères Islands|Battle of Hyères Islands]] in 1795, after which he returned home, taking command of the 50-gun {{HMS|Adamant|1780|6}} shortly before the [[Spithead and Nore mutinies|mutiny at the Nore]]. His ship and Admiral [[Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan|Adam Duncan's]] flagship were the only two deckers to remain loyal, and the only two ships left to enforce the blockade of the Dutch coast. Despite their severe disadvantage in numbers, Hotham and Admiral Duncan were able to trick the Dutch to stay in port through use of false signals. After this, Hotham continued to serve with Duncan in the North Sea, and took part in his victory at the [[Battle of Camperdown]] in October 1797.

After further service in the [[English Channel]] Hotham went out to the [[Cape of Good Hope]], taking part in the blockade of the French possessions in the [[Indian Ocean]], and in 1799 helping to destroy the French frigate [[French frigate Preneuse (1794)|''Preneuse'']].  Taking command of {{HMS|Raisonnable|1768|6}} shortly after the end of the temporary [[Peace of Amiens]], Hotham served in the Channel until ill health forced him to resign his command and go ashore. Though he briefly commanded a unit of [[Sea Fencibles]], and later the yacht {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|1804|6}}, no seagoing command could be found for him. He spent the rest of the wars ashore, being promoted through the ranks, and being appointed first a Knight Commander and then a Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Bath]]. William Hotham died in 1848 at the age of 76.

==Family and early life==
Hotham was born into a military family on 12 February 1772, with strong connections to the nobility.<ref name="Tracy195">{{Cite book|last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=195}}</ref><ref name="DNB413">{{Cite book| chapter=Hotham, Sir William (1772–1848) | title=Dictionary of National Biography|year=1891|page=413}}</ref> He was the second son of General [[George Hotham]], and his wife Diana, the youngest daughter of [[baronet]] [[Sir Warton Pennyman-Warton, 5th Baronet|Sir Warton Pennyman-Warton]].<ref name="Tracy195"/><ref name="DNB413"/> His uncle was Admiral [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|Lord Hotham]], while his first cousin, [[Henry Hotham]], became a vice-admiral.<ref name="Tracy195"/> He was educated at [[Westminster School]], with his name being entered on the books of the yacht [[HMY William & Mary (1694)|HMY ''William & Mary'']] on 21 December 1779.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196">{{Cite book|last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=196}}</ref> He later attended the [[Royal Naval Academy]], and by January 1786 was aboard the 50-gun {{HMS|Grampus|1782|6}} as a captain's servant and ordinary seaman.<ref name="Tracy196"/> ''Grampus''{{'}}s commander, Captain [[Edward Thompson (Royal Navy officer)|Edward Thompson]], was commodore in charge on the African coasts, and Hotham went out to the [[Guinea]] coast with him.<ref name="DNB413"/> Hotham was back in [[Portsmouth]] by the middle of the year, where he transferred to the 64-gun {{HMS|Ardent|1782|6}} on 17 June 1786, joining her as an able seaman.<ref name="Tracy196"/> His service on ''Ardent'' was short-lived, on 20 September he joined the 32-gun {{HMS|Solebay|1785|6}} as a [[midshipman]], serving under Captain [[John Holloway (Royal Navy officer)|John Holloway]], and went out to the [[Leeward Islands]].<ref name="Tracy196"/>

He was re-rated at his former rank of able seaman on 30 September 1788 during his service in the Caribbean, but on 11 September 1789 the following year, he was back as a midshipman, serving aboard the yacht [[HMY Royal Caroline (1749)|''Royal Charlotte'']], under [[Hyde Parker (admiral)|Sir Hyde Parker]].<ref name="Tracy196"/> Hotham's next ship was the 38-gun {{HMS|Hebe|1782|6}}, which he joined 20 January 1790, serving under Captain [[Alexander Hood (Royal Navy officer)|Alexander Hood]] in the [[English Channel]].<ref name="Tracy196"/> He transferred again on 2 June 1790, back under his old captain John Holloway, now commanding the 90-gun {{HMS|Princess Royal|1773|6}} as [[flag captain]] to Hotham's uncle, Rear-Admiral William Hotham.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/> The younger Hotham received his commission as a lieutenant on 27 October 1790 while serving with his uncle, and remained in ''Princess Royal'' until 26 January 1791, when he joined the 20-gun {{HMS|Alligator|1787|6}} under Captain [[Sir Isaac Coffin, 1st Baronet|Isaac Coffin]].<ref name="Tracy196"/> Coffin and Hotham went out to [[City of Halifax|Halifax]], where Hotham served until his return on 20 October. After a short period spent ashore, he was appointed on 18 February 1792 to serve aboard the 32-gun {{HMS|Winchelsea|1764|6}} under Captain Richard Fisher.<ref name="Tracy196"/> The ''Winchelsea'' returned Hotham to Halifax, followed by service in the Leeward Islands.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/>

==French Revolutionary Wars and first commands==
The outbreak of war with revolutionary France in early 1793 brought opportunities for Hotham to distinguish himself. On 29 May that year he joined the 90-gun {{HMS|Duke|1777|6}} and served under Commodore John Murray.<ref name="Tracy196"/> Transferring to Captain Augustus Montgomery's 36-gun {{HMS|Inconstant|1783|6}} on 11 October, Hotham went out to the Mediterranean to join [[Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood|Lord Hood's]] fleet.<ref name="Tracy196"/> On 13 January the following year Hotham became lieutenant aboard Hood's flagship, the 100-gun {{HMS|Victory}}, and took part in the [[Siege of Toulon|evacuation of the French port of Toulon]].<ref name="DNB413"/> The following year Hotham took part in the siege of [[Bastia]], serving onshore with the forces led by [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]].<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="GM204">{{Cite book| title=[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]|page=204}}</ref> On 12 August he was appointed to his first command, the sloop {{HMS|Eclair|1795|6}}.<ref name="DNB413"/> Two months later, on 7 October, he was advanced to [[post-captain]], and given command of the 28-gun {{HMS|Cyclops|1779|6}}.<ref name="Tracy196"/><ref name="Winfield205">{{Cite book|last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail: 1794&ndash;1817 |page=205}}</ref> Hotham continued to serve in the Mediterranean, taking part in the [[Naval Battle of Hyères Islands]] with his uncle's fleet on 13 July 1795.<ref name="FB80">{{Cite book|last=Fremont-Barnes |title=The Royal Navy: 1793-1815|page=80}}</ref> He was sent back to Britain with despatches in early 1796, whereupon ''Cyclops'' was paid off on 8 March 1796.<ref name="DNB413"/>

===Crisis at the Nore===
Hotham spent nearly a year ashore, until he was appointed to command the 50-gun {{HMS|Adamant|1780|6}} on 11 January 1797.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Winfield108">{{Cite book|last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail: 1794&ndash;1817 |page=108}}</ref> He was based at the [[Nore]], operating in the [[North Sea]] and blockading the Dutch fleet at the [[Texel]] with Admiral [[Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan|Adam Duncan's]] fleet.<ref name="DNB413"/> In May 1797 [[Spithead and Nore mutinies|mutiny broke out]] among the ships at the Nore, following on from one at [[Spithead]] earlier in the year. Of the two decker ships of the fleet, only the crews of Duncan's flagship {{HMS|Venerable|1784|6}}, and Hotham's crew aboard the ''Adamant'' remained loyal.<ref name="GM204"/> With only two ships available to blockade the Dutch, Duncan and Hotham took their ships out to sea, remaining in sight of the Dutch coast and for several weeks implied by false signals and manoeuvres, that the rest of the fleet was just over the horizon.<ref name="Tracy195"/> Convinced by the impersonation that the blockade was still in force, the Dutch remained in port.<ref name="Tracy195"/> A Russian squadron based at [[Harwich]] later reinforced Duncan and Hotham and then ships abandoning the mutiny individually too joined them.<ref name="Tracy195"/>

===Camperdown and the Cape of Good Hope===
[[Image:Thomas-Whitcombe-Battle-of-Camperdown.jpg|thumb|right|''The Battle of Camperdown, 11 October 1797'' by [[Thomas Whitcombe]]]]
Hotham remained with Duncan's fleet and on 11 October 1797 was engaged at the [[Battle of Camperdown]].<ref name="TEM">{{Cite book| last=Tait|title=Tait's Edinburgh Magazine|page=498}}</ref><ref name="FB81">{{Cite book|last=Fremont-Barnes |title=The Royal Navy: 1793-1815|page=81}}</ref> He subsequently received the [[Naval Gold Medal]] for his part in the battle.<ref name="GM204"/>  ''Adamant'' was then attached to [[Sir Richard Strachan, 6th Baronet|Sir Richard Strachan's]] squadron patrolling off [[Le Havre]], after which she and Hotham were sent to the [[Cape of Good Hope]], where he remained for the next three years.<ref name="DNB413"/> On 11 December 1799 Hotham was sailing off [[Port Louis]], [[Mauritius]], in company with Captain John Osborn's 74-gun {{HMS|Tremendous|1784|6}} when they encountered the 44-gun French frigate [[French frigate Preneuse (1794)|''Preneuse'']], under the command of [[Jean-Marthe-Adrien l'Hermite]].<ref name="WJ2:350">{{Cite book|last=James|title=Naval History of Great Britain|volume=2|page=350}}</ref> They chased her, forcing her to run ashore three miles from Port Louis, under the cover of French shore batteries. Hotham took ''Adamant'' in close, and tried to work up to the grounded frigate, coming under heavy fire from the batteries and the ''Preneuse'' as he did so.<ref name="WJ2:350"/> After a period of exchanging fire, the ''Adamant'' forced the French frigate to strike, and that evening three boats carrying men from ''Adamant'' and ''Tremendous'' approached with orders to destroy the French vessel.<ref name="WJ2:350"/> Despite coming under heavy fire from the batteries, they boarded the ship, captured the remaining French crew, including Captain l'Hermite, and removed as much of their captives' private property, they set fire to the ''Preneuse'' and returned to their ships without the loss of a single man at the [[Battle of Port Louis]].<ref name="WJ2:350"/>

[[File:FranceNormandieCoutancesMuséeQuesnelMoriniereTableauAugusteMayerLeCombatDeLaPreneuse.jpg|thumb|left|Destruction of ''Preneuse'', by [[Auguste Étienne François Mayer|Auguste Mayer]]]]

Hotham remained off South Africa and in the Indian Ocean until being recalled to Britain as an escort for a convoy in September 1801, returning on 14 December 1801.<ref name="Tracy196"/> The [[Peace of Amiens]] left him without a ship, but the resumption of hostilities in 1803 led to his return to active service at sea.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/>

==Napoleonic Wars==
Hotham was given command of the 64-gun {{HMS|Raisonnable|1768|6}} on 14 March 1803 and assigned to serve in the North Sea and the English Channel.<ref name="Tracy196"/><ref name="Winfield88">{{Cite book|last=Winfield |title=British Warships of the Age of Sail: 1794&ndash;1817 |page=88}}</ref> He was employed in the blockade of the [[Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom|invasion flotilla]] at [[Boulogne]], but his health declined while on this service, and he resigned the command on 8 September 1803.<ref name="Tracy196"/> He came ashore, and on 12 June 1804 married Anne Jeynes, sister-in-law of Admiral [[Edward Thornbrough|Sir Edward Thornbrough]].<ref name="Tracy196"/><ref name="TEM"/> On 25 May 1808 he returned to semi-active service commanding the Sea Fencibles at [[Liverpool]]. He held this position until 28 February 1810.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/> On 31 August 1812 he became commander of the yacht {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|1804|6}}, received a promotion to rear-admiral on 4 December 1813, and relinquished command of her on 2 April 1814.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/> He was offered the command of one or two dockyards, but declined them in the hope of being offered a command afloat. Nothing could be found for him however.<ref name="DNB413"/><ref name="Tracy196"/> He became a gentleman-in-waiting at court, later writing a manuscript book entitled ''Characters, Principally Professional'', and was one of the first appointments as [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] on the restructuring of the order on 2 January 1815.<ref name="Tracy197">{{Cite book|last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=197}}</ref><ref name="DNB414">{{Cite book| chapter=Hotham, Sir William (1772–1848) | title=Dictionary of National Biography|year=1891|page=414}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=16972|page=19|date=4 January 1815}}</ref> He was advanced to vice-admiral on 19 July 1821, and to full admiral on 10 January 1837. He became a [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] on 4 July 1840.<ref name="Tracy197"/> Sir William Hotham died at [[Windsor, Berkshire|New Windsor]], [[Berkshire]] on 31 May 1848 at the age of 76.<ref name="Tracy197"/><ref name="DNB414"/> He was buried on 7 June in the family vault at [[Binfield]], [[Berkshire]].<ref name="GM204"/>

==Family and issue==
Hotham had four sons and one daughter with his first wife Anne Jeynes. Two sons followed him into the navy, another entered the Church.<ref name="GM204"/> Jayne died on 21 August 1827, and in 1835 Hotham married Jane Seymour.<ref name="Tracy197"/>

==Namesakes==
The Royal Navy has named two ships after Hotham. The first was a [[Colony-class frigate|Colony-class]] frigate constructed in 1943 initially named HMS ''Hotham'',<ref>The [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h8/hotham-ii.htm ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' ''Hotham'' II] article does not provide a namesake, but [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h8/hotham-i.htm its ''Hotham'' I article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040331095957/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h8/hotham-i.htm |date=31 March 2004 }} for a [[destroyer escort]] transferred to the United Kingdom identifies "Hotham" as a British name.</ref> but her name was changed to {{HMS|Bahamas|K503}} prior to completion. The second was the [[Captain-class frigate|Captain-class]] frigate {{HMS|Hotham|K583}}, which served from 1944 to 1956.<ref>[http://www.captainclassfrigates.co.uk/ships/K583.html Captain Class Frigate Association: HMS Hotham K583 (DE 574)]</ref>

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

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{Cite book|last=Fremont-Barnes|first=Gregory|title=The Royal Navy: 1793-1815|location=Oxford|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84603-138-0}}
*{{Cite book|title=[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]|publisher=John Bowyer Nichols & Son|year=1848|location=London|volume=184}}
*{{Cite book| 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 = Richard Bentley| volume=2}}
*{{Cite DNB|first=J. K. |last=Laughton|authorlink=J. K. Laughton|wstitle=Hotham, William (1772-1848)|volume=27}}
*{{Cite book| last=Tait|first=William|authorlink=William Tait (publisher)|title=[[Tait's Edinburgh Magazine]]|publisher=W. Tait|year=1848|location=Edinburgh|volume=15}}
*{{Cite book|first=Nicholas|last=Tracy|title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy: 200 Naval Heroes|year=2006|publisher=Chatham Publishing|location=London|isbn=1-86176-244-5}}
*{{Cite book|first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships of the Age of Sail 1793&ndash;1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2007|isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}}
{{Refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hotham, William}}
[[Category:1772 births]]
[[Category:1848 deaths]]
[[Category:Royal Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:People educated at Westminster School, London]]