# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hagan, Robert

Layout 4
​HAGAN, Kt. (Captain, 1843. f-p., 27; h-p., 13.)
Sir Robert Hagan, born 3 Nov. 1794, at Magherafelt, co. Londonderry, is fifth son of the late John Hagan, Esq., of that place, a descendant of the princely house of O’Neill.
This officer entered the Navy, 22 Dec. 1807, as Third-cl. Vol., on board the Surveillante 38, Capt. Sir Geo. Ralph Collier, of which frigate he became Midshipman 2 Sept. 1809, and Master’s Mate 1 March, 1813. During the six years of his attachment to her, he made a voyage to Brazil, and was very actively employed, after conveying Sir Arthur Wellesley to Portugal, in the Bay of Biscay (where he assisted at the capture, 30 Oct. 1809, of the national corvette Le Milan of 18 guns), and also on the north coast of Spain. While on the latter station Mr. Hagan was present at the reduction, in 1811-12-13, of several of the enemy’s towns and forts, including those of Lequeytio, Bermeo, Galea, Algorta, Bagona, El Campillo las Quersas, Xebiles, Castro St. Ano, Guetaria, Santander, Santa Clara, and St. Sebastian. Removing, in Dec. 1813, to the Porcupine 22, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, he witnessed, in the early part of the following year, the celebrated entrance into the Adour of a British flotilla sent to co-operate with Lord Wellington’s army in its investment of Bayonne; as he further did, in the Gironde, the destruction of a French line-of-battle ship, three brigs of war, and several smaller vessels, together with all the enemy’s forts and batteries on the north side of that river. From Nov. 1815, Mr. Hagan (who during the last sixteen months had been officiating as Acting-Lieutenant of the Porcupine), until May, 1819, commanded the Princess Charlotte and Prince Regent Colonial vessels on the coast of Africa, where he was officially promoted by commission dated 25 Oct. 1816. In the last-mentioned brig he appears to have been wounded, and to have gained distinction by his conduct in capturing the Paz, a piratical vessel superior to him in force. While in subsequent command, from May, 1819, until his advancement to the next superior rank in his profession, 15 May, 1823, of the Thistle gun-brig, he contrived, without collateral assistance of any sort, to capture 40 sail of vessels, and rescue 4000 persons from bondage. Previously to his departure from the scene of his surprising exertions, the members of Council and foreign Judges at Sierra Leone addressed a letter of thanks to him, accompanied by a piece of plate as a mark of their esteem; and the mercantile community equally manifested the feelings with which he had impressed them by presenting him with a similar address and a sword valued at 100 guineas. With the exception of a period of two years in 1836-8, Capt. Hagan was afterwards, from 10 Oct. 1829, until elevated to his present rank, 11 Jan. 1843, employed as an Inspecting Commander in the Irish Coast Guard. He has since been on half-pay.
Sir Robt. Hagan, upon whoin the honour of knighthood was conferred in 1835, married, in 1819, the only daughter of Capt. Henry Levitt Hall, of Park Hall, Notts, by whom he has issue. Agents – Collier and Snee.