HOOD, SIR SAMUEL (1762-1814), British vice-admiral, cousin of Lord Hood and of Lord Bridport, entered the Navy in 1776. His first engagement was the battle off Ushant in 1778, and he was present in the West Indies, under the command of his cousin Sir Samuel Hood, at all the actions which culminated in Rodney's victory of April 12, 1782. After the peace, he spent some time in France, and on his return was given the command of a sloop, from which he proceeded in succession to various frigates. Early in 1793 the "Juno" went to the Mediterranean, and Hood distinguished himself by an audacious feat of seaman ship in extricating his vessel from the harbour of Toulon, which he had entered in ignorance of Lord Hood's withdrawal. Soon afterwards he was put in command of a frigate squadron for the protection of Levantine commerce, and in 1797 was given the "Zealous" (74 guns), being present at Nelson's unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz. He conducted the negotiations which relieved the squadron from the consequences of its failure. At the battle of the Nile the "Zealous" put her first opponent out of action in twelve minutes, and Hood immediately engaged other ships, the "Guerrier" being left powerless. When Nelson left Egypt Hood commanded the blockading force off Alexandria and Rosetta. Later he rejoined Nelson on the coast of the two Sicilies.
In the "Venerable" Hood was present at the action of Algeciras, and the battle in the Straits of Gibraltar (I 8o 1) when his ship suffered heavily. A year later Captain Hood was employed in Trinidad as a commissioner, and, upon the death of the flag officer commanding the Leeward station, succeeded him as Commodore. Island after island fell to him, and soon, outside Martinique, the French had scarcely a foothold in the West Indies. In command next of the squadron blockading Rochefort, Hood had a sharp action on Sept. 25, 1805, with a small French squadron which was trying to escape. On this occasion he lost an arm. Promoted rear admiral, Hood brought the operations against Madeira to a suc cessful conclusion (1807) and a year later took part, in the "Centaur," in the war between Russia and Sweden. Present in the roads of Corunna at the re-embarkation of the army of Sir John Moore, Hood thence returned to the Mediterranean, where for two years he commanded a division of the British fleet. In 1811 he became vice-admiral. He died at Madras, Dec. 24, 1814.
See Naval Chronicle, xvii. I (the material was furnished by Hood himself ; it does not go beyond 1806) .
HooD, ALEXANDER (1758-1798), brother of Admiral Six' Samuel Hood, entered the Navy in 1767, and accompanied Captain Cook in his second voyage round the world. Under Howe and Rodney he distinguished himself in the West Indies, and at the victory of April 12, 1782, was in command of one of Rodney's frigates. Under Sir Samuel Hood he then proceeded to the Mona passage, where he captured the French corvette "Ceres." It was not until 1797 that he went afloat again. His first experience was bitter; his ship, the "Mars," was unenviably prominent in the mutiny at Spithead. On April 21, 1798, occurred the famous duel of the "Mars" with the "Hercule," fought in the dusk near the Bec du Raz, in which, though successful, Hood lost his life.
See Naval Chronicle, vi. 175 ; Ralfe, Naval Biographies, iv. James, Naval History, and Chevalier, Hist. de la marine francaise sous la premiere republique.