ARMY AND NAVY

Biographical Notes
 
Edward Clayton Hoar was born in Rowlands Castle. He first served in the Merchant Service of the Navy. When only 16 years old he joined the Navy in America to fight for the abolition of slavery in the cause of the North. On 19 May 1863 he joined the cadet ship Macedonia at New York and left her at Newport to join The Ohio in Boston harbour. Later he volunteered for service on board The Sasacus in the blockade of the north coast of Carolina and in Albermarle Sound and Rosnoke River where in 1864 he had his left hand crushed by a pivot gun during an action in which the confederate gunboat, Bombshell, was captured. Here in collusion with another vessel the bows of the Sasacus were stove in and she was ordered back to Newburn, Carolina later proceeding to Norfolk, Virginia.
 
Before paying off in June 1864 he served on the guardship Brandywine and in the following month joined the Kensington until the end of the civil war. He finished duty in May 1865. He came to Portsmouth and spent most of his years here. He married Ann in 1867. They had ten children and lived at 29 St Vincent Road until they died. At his funeral a flag of the United States of America covered his coffin. He died 21 April 1932 and she died 9 September 1934.