Mr. Midshipman Hornblower Study Guide

HMS Justinian

• Captain Keene– Commander of the Justinian . A "sick man, of melancholy disposition" who transfers Hornblower to the Indefatigable out of kindness and a belief in his abilities. ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Clay– First lieutenant on board. Described as neither alert nor masterful, and therefore lets Simpson rule the midshipman's berth with tyranny. ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Masters– An elderly lieutenant on watch when Hornblower first boards the Justinian . ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Bowles– The Master ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. John Simpson– Another midshipman, who, by long years of service, is the senior warrant officer. He is good-looking and in his mid-thirties, and takes out his frustration at a thwarted naval career on his fellow midshipmen. When Hornblower first meets him he has failed his lieutenant's exam and his status as acting-lieutenant was revoked. ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Hether– Two other midshipmen on the ship, who serve as Simpson's reluctant seconds in the duel. ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Mackenzie– Another midshipman on the ship. ( The Even Chance )
• Preston and Danvers– Two Masters' Mates that Hornblower asks to be his seconds in the duel with Simpson. ( The Even Chance )
• Dr. Heppelwhite– The ship's surgeon. A bulky drunk, who eventually blabs Captain Keene's secret about the unloaded dueling pistols. ( The Even Chance )

HMS Indefatigable

Officers

• Captain Sir Edward Pellew– Commander of the Indefatigable . A fair, but impatient man, beloved by his crew for his daring pursuit of prizes. ( The Cargo of Rice , The Penalty of Failure , The Man Who Felt Queer , The Man Who Saw God , The Spanish Galleys , The Examination for Lieutenant , Noah's Ark )
• Mr. Eccles– The first lieutenant of the ship, described as grey-haired with "surprisingly young blue eyes." He commands the launch. ( The Man Who Felt Queer , The Man Who Saw God , The Spanish Galleys )
• Mr. Chadd– A lieutenant on the ship. It is implied that he may be the second lieutenant. He commands one of the gigs. ( The Man Who Felt Queer , The Spanish Galleys )
• Mr. Bolton– The third lieutenant on the ship, known for his bellowing voice. He appears to command the longboat. ( The Cargo of Rice , The Penalty of Failure , The Man Who Felt Queer , The Man Who Saw God , The Frogs and the Lobsters , The Spanish Galleys , The Examination for Lieutenant , Noah's Ark )

Warrant Officers and Petty Officers

• Mr. Soames– The sailing master, who gives Hornblower and the other midshipmen their lessons in sailing and navigation. He commands the cutter. An older gentleman with vast experience at sea, Pellew relies on him. He is killed when a Spanish galley rams the cutter. Hornblower is made acting-lieutenant to fill his spot in the watch. ( The Cargo of Rice , The Man Who Felt Queer , The Spanish Galleys )
• Mr. Waldron– The boatswain. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Mr. Mallory– A midshipman of over two years' seniority. He commands the second gig in the cutting out of the Papillon . ( The Man Who Felt Queer )
• Mr. Kennedy– Another midshipman on the ship. Friendly to Hornblower, the two often engage in light-hearted banter. ( The Man Who Felt Queer , The Frogs and the Lobsters )
• Mr. Bracegirdle– A well-to-do midshipman friendly to Hornblower. He is good humored and frequently loans clothing to Hornblower for special occasions. ( The Man Who Saw God , The Frogs and the Lobsters , The Examination for Lieutenant , Noah's Ark )
• Mr. Low– The ship's surgeon, frequently drunk. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Mr. Wales– The carpenter. ( The Spanish Galleys )
• Muggridge– The surgeon's mate. A gambler, drinker, and trouble-maker. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Partridge– The bosun's mate. Involved in gambling. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Jackson– Coxswain of the jolly boat, and Hornblower's designated replacement if he falls in small boat action. He is captured with Hornblower on La Reve and is presumably imprisoned by the Spanish. ( The Man Who Felt Queer , The Spanish Galleys , The Duchess and the Devil )

Seamen

• Matthews– A senior seaman who acts as petty officer of the prize crew for Hornblower on the Marie Galante . ( The Cargo of Rice , The Penalty of Failure )
• Hunter– Another seaman on the prize crew of the Marie Gallante . ( The Cargo of Rice , The Penalty of Failure )
• Hales– A member of the jolly boat crew who has an epileptic seizure and is struck in the head by Hornblower to maintain silence in the attack on the Papillon . He is either killed by the blow or captured by the French with the jolly boat. ( The Man Who Felt Queer )
• Oldroyd– A member of the jolly boat crew and Hornblower's division of the ship's company. ( The Man Who Felt Queer , The Man Who Saw God , The Spanish Galleys )
• Bromley– A member of the jolly boat crew. ( The Spanish Galleys )
• Franklin– A member of the jolly boat crew killed seizing one of the Spanish galleys. ( The Spanish Galley )
• Styles– One of the men of Hornblower's division with mysterious boils on his face. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Finch– Another man in Hornblower's division, who claims to see God in the mizzen-top, and the devil in the cable tier. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Lewis– A member of the ship's company caught gambling by Hornblower. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Douglas and Herbert– Crew members stationed in the mizzen-top when in action. ( The Man Who Saw God )
• Maxwell and Jordan– Crew members detailed to the Caroline during its quarantine. ( Noah's Ark )

Other Characters

• The Marquis de Pauzauges– A brigadier general in the French emigre army, leading a small expedition sent to seize the town of Muzillac in support of landings at Quiberon Bay. He is prim and proper, but seemingly more attentive to revenge against his enemies than the activities of his army. ( The Frogs and the Lobsters )
• The Earl of Edrington– A major of the 43rd Foot commanding a small battalion sent to assist a French emigre invasion. His personality is cold and formal, but he is an effective commander of infantry. ( The Frogs and the Lobsters )
• Captain "Black Charlie" Hammond– Commander ofHMS Calypso , who sits on Hornblower's examination board for lieutenant. ( The Examination for Lieutenant )
• Captain "Dreadnought" Foster– Commander of theHMS Dreadnought

  , who sits on Hornblower's examination board for lieutenant. With Hornblower, he saves the prison-hulk Santa Barbara from a fire ship. ( The Examination for Lieutenant )

• Captain Harvey– the dockyard post-captain, who sits on Hornblower's examination board for lieutenant. ( The Examination for Lieutenant )
• Mr. Chalk– A lieutenant of the Goliath , leading a press gang, who plays whist with Hornblower, Simpson, and Caldwell. He is Hornblower's partner when the latter challenges Simpson to a duel for an accusation of cheating. ( The Even Chance )
• Mr. Caldwell– A midshipman of the Goliath , who plays whist with Hornblower, Simpson, and Caldwell. ( The Even Chance )
• Captain Neuville– Commander of the slaver Pique , which captures the prize crew of the abandoned Marie Galante . ( The Penalty of Failure )
• Mr. Tapling– A member of His Majesty's diplomatic service responsible for relations with the Bey of Oran. ( Noah's Ark )
• Mr. Duras– His Majesty's Consul at Oran, pro tem. He dies of plague. ( Noah's Ark )
• Sir Hew Dalrymple– Military governor of Gibraltar. He and his wife host a dinner part where Hornblower meets the would-be Duchess of Wharfedale. ( The Duchess and the Devil )
• Mr. Hunter and Master's Mate Winyatt– Hornblower's warrant officers on La Reve . Presumably imprisoned with him in Spain. ( The Duchess and the Devil )
• Kitty Cobbham– An actress posing as a duchess to secure safe passage back to England. Her transport is entrusted to Hornblower on La Reve and when captured she devises the plan to allow the dispatches to be carried through. Her testament to Hornblower's character and abilities is critical to his promotion to lieutenant. ( The Duchess and the Devil )