by John Marshall

“ The Milford had 4 slain and 3 wounded.
On the 26th Oct. 1780, seven days after quitting the Milford, in which active frigate he had assisted at the capture of no less than seventy vessels belonging to the enemy, Mr. Hanwell was nominated by Vice-Admiral Darby, Commander-in-Chief of the Channel fleet, to act as Lieutenant of the Dublin 74; and the Board of Admiralty being pleased to confirm the appointment, by commission dated Feb. 8, 1781, he continued in that ship during the remainder of the war. The Dublin appears to have been present at the relief of Gibraltar in 1781 and 1782 ”

“ His first voyage was to the coast of Guinea; and on his return from thence he joined the Milford, of 28 guns, commanded by Captain John Burr, and fitting for the NorthAmerican station, where she was afterwards most actively employed.
In Dec. 1776, we find Mr. Hanwell entrusted with the charge of a prize taken by the Milford, and which he conducted in safety to Halifax. Returning from thence as a passenger in the George tender, for the purpose of joining his ship in Boston Bay, he had the misfortune to be cast away near the entrance of Piscatoway harbour. ”

“ From this period, with the exception of his having served for a short time in the Fortitude, of 74 guns, we have no mention of Lieutenant Hanwell until Sept. 1, 1788, when he was appointed to command the Actaeon, a 44-gun ship armed en flute, and employed in the conveyance of troops to and from the colonies. During the Spanish armament in 1790, he took charge of the homeward bound trade off the east end of Jamaica ”