Captain Hamilton

“ On the 27th July, 1826, Captain Hamilton’s boats, under the orders of Lieutenant Thomas Gregory, captured a piratical bombard, and burnt a mistico, at the island of Tino, on which occasion five of the Greeks were killed and several wounded. In Sept. following, another vessel was destroyed and a bombard taken, at the island of Andros, by a party of marines, under the command of Lieutenant Parker. About the same period the Cambrian and Rose sloop captured two other pirates ”

“ The pilot-boat, or such other as might be sent with an officer to bring up the public dispatches, were not included in this regulation, which certainly, with the preceding, seemed calculated more for general than private advantage.
Captain Hamilton, the commander of the Sydney Cove, survived the arrival of the Hunter but a few days. He never recovered from the distresses and hardships which he suffered on the loss of his ship, and died exceedingly regretted by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. ”

“ When the Spaniards saw that the ship was actually under way with sail on her, and the boarding parties cutting down all afore ’em, a great number jumped overboard and some ran below, whilst the killed and wounded lay in all directions. About this time Captain Hamilton received such a tremendous crack on the head from the butt end of a musket, as brought a general illumination into his eyes and stretched him senseless on the deck. ”

“ Steadily as they roared onward the gap narrowed, until in the glare of the searchlight they could make out every detail of the powerful gray motor-boat plunging through the tossing black waves.
They saw Chandra Dass' dark face turn and look back at them, and the cutter captain raised his speaking-trumpet to his lips and shouted over the roar of motors and dash of waves.
"Stand by or we'll fire at you!"
"He won't obey," muttered Campbell between his teeth. "He knows we daren't fire with the girl in the boat." ”

“ As smart a sailor as one could ask for. But that about lets him out."
"Why! don't you like him?" asked Tyke quickly.
"No, I can't say I do," replied the captain slowly. "I've never warmed toward the man. There's something about him that repels me."
"Why don't you git rid of him then?"
"Well, you see it's like this," explained Captain Hamilton. "He saved Mr. Parmalee's life one time when the old man fell overboard, and naturally Parmalee felt very grateful to him. He promised him that he should always have a berth on one of his ships as long as he lived. ”

“ When you feel that way about a man, there's usually something to justify it sooner or later."
"Well, now, suppose I'm ready in a fortnight, how about you?" asked Captain Hamilton.
"Oh, we'll be ready by that time," replied Tyke confidently. "Of course we've got this moving to do, but we're pretty well packed up now, an' before a week is over we'll have everything shipshape in our new quarters."
"We'll race each other to see who'll be ready first," laughed Captain Hamilton. "In the meantime, if you're not too rushed, come over and take a squint at the Bertha Hamilton. ”

“ Wait till you see her! Well, she was aboard the schooner for dinner with me, and she said: 'Daddy, if there is a real pirate's treasure, please go after it. Then you can stay ashore and not go sailing away from me any more.' So, I've a double incentive for pursuing this thing," and the captain laughed.
"Yes, that's like the women-folk," observed Grimshaw. "They're always for a man's leaving the sea."
"That isn't what made you leave it, Tyke," Captain Hamilton said slyly. ”

“ I must needs say, however, that the zeal which casts away its stores and baggage, and leaves a gun behind, is ill considered.”
Captain Hamilton’s face clouds angrily; but, since he is thinking more on the English than on insults that perilous morning, he does not reply to the taunt. Young Aaron, feeling the better for his expressions of contempt, wheels off to the left toward the Hudson, leaving the other to bring on his battery with what breathless speed he may. ”

“ She was at anchor very close in shore, protected by a heavy half-moon and triangular battery. On the evening of the third day Captain Hamilton made his will, and after consulting with the officers he armed and manned the boats, and took with him the lieutenants, surgeon, a proportion of mids, and the lieutenant of marines, besides sailors and marines, making in the whole a hundred. He left the master and the remainder of the crew in charge of the ship, and ordered him when the boats shoved off to stand out by way of feint. ”

“ The conflict was severe and fatal to many of them; several jumped overboard. The struggle had continued about half an hour when her cables were [pg 109] cut and her topsails loosed. The remainder of the mutineers finding their numbers considerably decreased threw down their arms and surrendered, and at daylight the ship was in company with the Surprise.4 Captain Hamilton received a severe contusion on the head, and had it not been for his surgeon, who was a powerful son of the Emerald Isle, he must have been killed. ”

“ Captain Hamilton, soon after his marriage, was ordered to join the army in Afghanistan and for several months dared danger and death, and endured frightful hardships, in that dreadful war against a treacherous and savage people. ”

“ When these pirates were first discovered, they were in chase of an Ionian vessel, and there being reason to suspect (as was afterwards found to be the fact) , that they had shortly before plundered another vessel under the same flag, Captain Hamilton sent Lieutenant Marsham in one of the Cambrian’s boats, with a Greek interpreter, to desire that they would come down to his Majesty’s ships for examination; but the pirates having refused to comply with this desire. ”

“ An' my principle in a fight is to find out what the other feller wants and then not do it. He wants to provoke you. Don't let yourself be provoked or you'll play right into his hands."
"I might as well make him captain of the ship and be done with it," cried Captain Hamilton bitterly. "I've never let a man get away with anything like that yet."
"An' we won't let this feller git away with it for long," answered Tyke. "We'll give him a trimming he'll never forgit. But we'll choose our own time for it, an' that time ain't now. Wait till we've found the treasure an' got it safe on board. ”

“ She was refitted; a crew of four hundred men, including marines, were put on board, and, ready for a cruise, she lay at anchor near the entrance of the harbor and within musket shot of the principal fortifications, which mounted two hundred cannon.
These facts became known to Captain Hamilton, who commanded the British frigate Surprise, cruising on the coast, and that gallant officer conceived the daring design of boarding the Hermione with a portion of his crew, and cutting her out in spite of opposition, while she was lying under the guns of this heavy fortification. ”

“ He said he would run no further chances with them, and so, closely guarded, the two unscrupulous youth, together with their older companions, were transferred to the Spanish steamer.
"What are you going to do with your Uncle Ezra?" asked Captain Barton.
"Take him back home," answered Dick. "I guess he's had his lesson," and very glad Mr. Larabee was to be taken aboard the Albatross.
"And what are your plans, Captain Hamilton?" inquired Captain Barton, as the two vessels parted company the next day, the Golconda sailing back to Santiago, and the other yacht making toward New York. ”

“ No one on the cruiser would have permitted himself such familiarity with its captain but Hal Kur, but the big engineer well knew that his thirty-odd years of service in the Patrol made him a privileged character.
As the door slammed shut behind him, though, I forgot all else for the moment and concentrated all my attention on the ship's progress. It was my habit to act as pilot of my own cruiser, whenever possible, and for the time being I was quite alone in the round little pilot-house, or conning-tower, set on top of the cruiser's long, fishlike hull. ”

“ The official account of this “well-conducted, gallant, and successful attack,” will be found in the Nav. Chron. Vol. 24, p. 422 et seq. His promotion to the rank of commander took place on the 21st of the following month. He was appointed to the Ceylon troop-ship, Nov. 6, 1813; and posted May 31, 1816.
Captain Hamilton married in 1828, Caroline, only child of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Cook, of Chingford, co. Essex.
Agent.– Sir F. M. Ommanney. ”

“ Kenniston!" the captain exclaimed relievedly. "I was just coming for you. We've reached Vesta! I've ordered the pilot to slow down, for I want you to pilot us through the swarm—"
The captain's voice trailed off. His eyes bulged as for the first time he perceived that Murdock was covering the two men with a gun.
"We're not going in to Vesta, captain," rapped Murdock. "John Dark and his pirates are on the asteroid—alive!"
Captain Walls' plump face went waxy as he heard the name of the most dreaded corsair of the System.
"Dark—living?" he stuttered. "Good God, you must be joking!" ”

“ Campbell cried. "We may still be able to catch up to them."
"But Captain Wilson and the others are killed," protested the helmsman. "I've got to report——"
"You can report later," rasped the inspector. "Do as I say—I'll be responsible."
"Very well, sir," said the helmsman, and jumped back to the wheel.
In a minute the big cutter was roaring ahead over the heaving black waves, its searchlight clawing the darkness ahead. There was no sign now of the craft of Chandra Dass ahead. They raced abreast of the lights of Margate, started rounding the North Foreland, pounded by bigger seas. ”

“ Less than sixty ships were now left of the whole solar system fleet. Alan Martin saw the futility of continuing this sacrifice, and gave the order to retreat again. His sixty ships gathered together, the battered, scorched remnants of the proud armada of so short a time before.
“We’ve shot our bolt!” Captain Malcolm said decisively. “With those deadly dematerializing beams, that can do just what they want to do.”
“If we only could have beams like those to meet them with!” cried Alan Martin. “Stone, isn’t there any chance of duplicating those beams?”
Ferdinand Stone shook his head. ”

“ The Cambrian formed part of the squadron under Sir Edward Codrington at the battle of Navarin; but in consequence of her having previously been detached, she was prevented from taking any very great share in that extraordinary conflict: her loss consisted of only one man killed and another wounded [5] . The Emperor of Russia has since conferred upon Captain Hamilton the order of St. ”

“ Laurens, make out a captain's commission for Mr. Talbot. Hamilton, I wish you would write out a general order declaring the capture of the transport and her lading, and the sinking of the Juno and the wreck of the English frigate; it will hearten the men for our enterprise to-night. As for you, Mr. Seymour, I shall use what little influence I may be able to exert to get you a ship at once; meantime, as we contemplate attacking the enemy at last, I shall be glad to offer you a position as volunteer on my staff for a few days, if your duties will permit. ”

“ About the time of the breaking out of the War for Independence, Hamilton organized a company of the college students who adopted the name{157} “Hearts of Oak.” Later Hamilton was appointed the Captain of the first company of artillery raised in the Colony. He so thoroughly drilled and disciplined it, that the attention of General Greene was attracted. He sought the acquaintance of Hamilton, and spoke most enthusiastically to Washington about him, saying that he was a natural master of men, and a young man worthy the attention of the Commander-in-Chief. ”

“ In their formation of five columns they roared toward the oncoming enemy. Above the formation of columns flew the flagship, the Washington, from which Alan Martin peered tautly ahead, Captain Malcolm and Ferdinand Stone tense by his side.
The visibeams showed the fleet of Ay-Artz much closer. When a brief time, the twenty monster ships would be in sight to the unaided eye. ”

“ Wing warping is the only proper way."
"But that isn't automatic, and what is needed is an automatic balancer or equilibrizer," insisted the lieutenant.
"Well, we won't discuss it now," went on the captain. "Are you all ready, Mr. Hamilton?"
"All ready, yes, sir."
The captain and Lieutenant Larson took their places, one on either side of Dick. Some of the orderlies at the Academy had been detailed to assist in the start, holding back on the biplane until the engine had attained the necessary speed. ”

“ Her captain would not do that."
For fifteen minutes more, Mrs. Hamilton watched the steamer in silence and then she turned again to her husband, and said:
"She is not going up the sound, Edward; she is headed in here." Mr. Hamilton took the glasses and scanned the steamer.
"She does seem to be headed this way."
"It is the Mariella, Edward."
Mrs. Hamilton spoke in a low tone of deep conviction. Her husband looked at her anxiously.
"You are trying to make coincidences fit your wishes, Mary," he said. "Do not build up false hopes; the disappointment will be too much for your worn nerves." ”

“ He was a low-voiced man. I spoke a little louder, saying that: No--I had left the ship for good.
"A free man for a bit," was his comment.
"I suppose I may call myself that--since eleven o'clock," I said.
Hamilton had stopped eating at the sound of our voices. He laid down his knife and fork gently, got up, and muttering something about "this infernal heat cutting one's appetite," went out of the room. Almost immediately we heard him leave the house down the verandah steps.
On this Captain Giles remarked easily that the fellow had no doubt gone off to look after my old job. ”