Sir Samuel Hood and the Battle of the Chesapeake

3. The Commodore

3 The Commodore Hood was not immediately offered a further command after the war. He could not live comfortably off his own means and could not therefore contemplate for long a life on half-pay. He asked for an appointment to one of the guard ships at Portsmouth and was appointed to the Thunderer (74). As a frigate captain he had gained two victories without excessive casualties on his own side, demonstrating seamanship and determination. He had earned the good opinions of Hawke, Saunders, Holmes, Rodney, and Keppel. He was, however, still short of those precious years of seniority that would be so vital later in his career. Promotion to flag rank was the goal of all post captains, though some achieved it only by being “yellowed”—that is, placed on the Retired List. There was to be only one promotion to flag rank in the period between the end of the Seven Years’ War in 1763 and the beginning of the American War in 1775. This took place in 1770 and promoted to their flags the post captains of 1745–46. As Hood’s seniority as a post captain dated only from 1756, it is obvious that, barring some special circumstance, he would have to wait a further ten years at least for his turn to come around. At this period Lord Chatham was prime minister and had chosen Hawke as First Lord of the Admiralty. At Portsmouth Edward Linzee was chosen mayor again in 1766 and put pressure on the Admiralty to find a place for Hood.1 Chatham suggested to Hawke that Hood, with the temporary rank of commodore, be made commissioner at Halifax. Hawke had no objection, and in April 1767 the appointment was agreed. With his naval patrons now all dead, the political contacts that Hood had with the Grenvilles and Lytteltons as well as the position of his father-in-law at Portsmouth were useful to his continuing employment. This appointment would turn out to be the most difficult he had yet faced. Relations between Britain and its American colonies were strained at this time over the principle of “No taxation without representation.” In Britain the dispute was seen from the opposite end of the spectrum, as a challenge by the colonists to the supremacy of Parliament and the constitution 23 The Commodore arising from the Glorious Revolution of 1688. In addition, the displeasure of the American merchant classes over the operation of the Navigation Act, which was costing them money, fermented an atmosphere of discontent. It is alleged that one of the later radicals, James Otis, took the path he did only because Governor Bernard did not appoint him to a lucrative position under the Crown.2 The possibility of actual hostilities between the colonists and Britain was still unthinkable for most people on both sides. There was an element in the colonies, however, that saw the future differently and wanted complete independence from Britain. Hood proceeded to Portsmouth on receipt of his orders and went on board the Romney on 9 April 1767. Among his retinue was his eldest son, Henry, aged fourteen.3 This was to be Henry’s one and only time at sea, At its conclusion he went ashore for good in 1770 and would later enter the army when his father purchased a commission as a cornet in the dragoons. Hood does not seem to have made any effort to persuade his son to remain in the service. A much younger recruit was his cousin, Alexander Hood,4 who was only nine-and-a-half years old as he took his first steps in the service . To look after these two youngsters Samuel took his wife Susannah with him. As a commodore he had a residence on shore, and his wife would be his hostess for the social occasions that such a post entailed. Also with Hood was John Linzee,5 on whose behalf Hood had intervened with the Admiralty in trying to get his commission as lieutenant confirmed. Linzee’s commission had been granted by Sir Piercy Brett during the war but not confirmed by a later board. Now that Brett was a Lord of the Admiralty , further application was likely to get a sympathetic reception, and in fact John’s confirmation took little more than a year. Also serving as a lieutenant on board was Robert Linzee,6 brother of John. The Romney made a good passage, and on 5 July land was sighted at Cape...