Hyde Parker, Jr.

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Admiral Sir Hyde Parker (1739–1807) after the painting by Romney

Sir Hyde Parker, Jr. (1739-1807), second son of Sir Hyde Parker, Sr. (1714-1782), entered the Royal Navy at an early age, and became lieutenant in 1758, having passed most of his early service in his fathers' ships. Five years later he became a post-captain, and from 1766 onwards for many years he served in the West Indies and in North American waters, particularly distinguishing himself in breaking the defences of the North River at New York in 1776. His services on this occasion earned him a knighthood in 1779. In 1778 he was engaged in the Savannah expedition, and in the following year his ship was wrecked on the hostile Cuban coast. His men, however, entrenched themselves, and were in the end brought off safely. Parker was with his father at the Dogger Bank, and with Richard Howe in the two actions in the Straits of Gibraltar. In 1793, having just become Rear Admiral, he served under Samuel Hood at Toulon and in Corsica, and two years later, now a Vice Admiral, be took part, under The Lord Hotham, in the indecisive fleet actions on 1795-03-13 and the 1795-07-13. From 1796 to 1800 he was in command at Jamaica and ably conducted the operations in the West Indies. In 1801 he was appointed to command the fleet destined to break up the northern armed neutrality, with Horatio Nelson as his second-in-command. Copenhagen, the first objective of the expedition, fell in the Battle of Copenhagen on 1801-04-02 to the fierce attack of Nelson's squadron, Parker with the heavier ships taking little part. Subsequently Parker hesitated to advance up the Baltic Sea after his victory, a decision which was severely criticised. Soon afterwards he was recalled and Nelson succeeded him. He died in 1807.