Sir Edward Buller , 1st Baronet Sir Edward Buller , 1st Baronet ( 24 December 1764 – 15 April 1824 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . Buller was born into a prominent West country family in 1764 and began his naval career twelve years later , serving with Lord Mulgrave during the American War of Independence . He initially saw action at the Battle of Ushant in 1778 , before travelling to the East Indies with Sir Edward Hughes and participating in several of the engagements with the Bailli de Suffren . Appointed to his first command during his time off India , Buller narrowly survived a hurricane and a hazardous journey back to Britain . He commanded a sloop off the North American coast after the end of the war , and received his promotion to post - captain in 1790 . Buller spent the early years of the French Revolutionary Wars escorting convoys and serving on the Cape of Good Hope , before returning to Britain and spending some time ashore , and some time at sea commanding ships in the English Channel . He embarked on a political career during the Peace of Amiens , being elected Member of Parliament for East Looe in 1802 , a seat that had been controlled by the Buller family for a number of years , and which his father and brother had both previously represented . The outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars in 1803 led to Buller ' s return to active naval service , commanding in the blockade of the French and Spanish ports . He was with Sir Robert Calder ' s fleet at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805 , at times bearing the brunt of the fighting , and helping to capture two Spanish ships . He afterwards served in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean , taking part in several daring operations before ill health obliged him to return home . He was promoted to rear - admiral in 1808 and accepted a dockyard position the following year . He served in this role until 1812 , when he was promoted to vice - admiral . He received no further active employment from the navy , though he continued his political career , representing East Looe continually until 1820 . He was also recorder for the borough from 1807 until his death in 1824 at the age of 59 . Family and early life . Edward Buller was born in Admiralty House , Whitehall , Westminster on 24 December 1764 . He was the second son of John Buller and his wife Mary , daughter of Sir John St Aubyn . The Bullers were a prominent family in Cornwall and Devon , and Edward ' s father was member of parliament for East Looe , a Lord of the Admiralty and later a Lord of the Treasury . Edward was sent to be educated at Westminster School in 1774 , and jointed the navy in 1777 , at the age of 12 . He became a midshipman aboard Lord Mulgrave ' s 74 - gun , and took part in the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1788 . Buller received his commission as lieutenant in 1782 and joined the 64 - gun under Captain Samuel Graves . The " Sceptre " went out to the East Indies as part of Sir Edward Hughes ' fleet , and Buller saw action at most of the subsequent engagements between Hughes and the Bailli de Suffren , being wounded during one of them . Acquitting himself well under fire , Buller was promoted to master and commander on 26 April 1783 and given command of the 18 - gun sloop . " Chaser " was present at the Battle of Cuddalore in June , and was at sea off the Coromandel Coast in November when she became caught in a great hurricane that swept the area . For some time it was feared by those on shore at Madras and Bombay that " Chaser " had foundered with the loss of all aboard , but Buller had managed through skilful seamanship to navigate the Gulf of Mannar , a passage previously thought unsafe for navigation , and so survive the storm . Soon after this Buller sailed the " Chaser " back to Britain , a passage made hazardous by her worn out state , but she arrived safely , whereupon Buller paid her off . North America . Buller was then appointed to command the 16 - gun sloop and sent to North America to combat smuggling operations there . He also used his time to make detailed surveys of the harbours and anchorages along the coast . In April 1789 news reached Buller that a large merchant vessel had been wrecked on the Isle of Sable , and that a number of the crew had survived , but were now stranded on the island at risk of starvation . Buller requested and was given permission to attempt a rescue mission , and despite the risk involved , anchored the " Brisk " off the shore and for three days attempted a landing , hampered by the sandbanks and shoals . Despite firing signal guns , no sign of any shipwrecked men could be found and after realising that the initial reports were probably groundless , Buller returned to Halifax . French Revolutionary Wars . Promotion to post - captain came on 19 July 1790 , with an appointment to command the 28 - gun . Buller returned to Britain and paid her off at the end of the year , and was given command of the 24 - gun in 1792 . He served in the English Channel , before being transferred to take command of the 44 - gun . While escorting a convoy of 13 Dutch merchants from Nova Scotia to Britain he was intercepted by a French squadron , and narrowly escaped . The merchants were released from his protection after being escorted past the danger , but were then promptly rounded up by British cruisers following the embargo placed on Dutch property . Buller was appointed to command in 1795 and joined Captain William Essington ' s HMS " Sceptre " in escorting the India fleet to the Cape of Good Hope . During the voyage a Spanish squadron was spotted , consisting of a ship of the line and two frigates . Initially mistaking them for French ships Buller and Essington bore up to attack them , but broke off when the Spanish raised Spanish ensigns . The British captains were unaware that Spain had allied with France and was now at war with Britain , a fact known to their Spanish counterparts , and so unknowingly passed up the opportunity to attack the Spanish ships , which were heavily laden with specie from the Caribbean . Arriving with the convoy at the Cape of Good Hope , Buller spent some time on the station and was present with Lord Keith ' s fleet when the Dutch squadron surrendered at Saldanha Bay . He was then compelled to return home to attend to personal matters , and transferred into the 64 - gun for the voyage home . Unable to take up a sea - going command due to his personal affairs , Buller accepted command of the Sea Fencibles based from the $ 3 to Cawsand Bay . Buller returned to sea in 1799 , taking command of the 74 - gun in the English Channel . He transferred to the 74 - gun in April 1801 , and took part in the blockade of the French ports of Brest and Rochefort . Napoleonic Wars . Buller went ashore during the Peace of Amiens , and was elected as Member of Parliament for East Looe in 1802 , but with the outbreak of hostilities again in 1803 , was appointed to the 80 - gun and employed in the blockade of the French and Spanish Atlantic ports . He was made a Colonel of Marines on 28 April 1805 , and was assigned to the fleet under Sir Robert Calder and took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre on 22 July 1805 . During the battle Buller found himself isolated from the rest of the fleet due to the patchy fog and failing light , and was surrounded by five enemy ships . He fought them off , forcing the Spanish 84 - gun " San Rafael " to strike , and afterwards sending the " Malta " s boats to take possession of the Spanish 74 - gun " Firme " . " Malta " had suffered considerably during the battle , having her mizzen top mast and mizzen sail yard shot away , and her mizzen and main masts damaged . Her rigging and sails were cut up , with her casualties amounting to five dead and forty wounded . Buller remained with " Malta " into 1806 , and in August was placed with Sir Thomas Louis ' squadron to escort troops for a secret expedition . Before the force sailed news reached them that a French fleet had put to sea under Jérôme Bonaparte . Louis ordered the troops to be disembarked , and immediately set of in pursuit . Since Louis ' assigned flagship , was not yet ready to take his flag , Buller offered the " Malta " as a replacement , and Louis accepted . The British force was unable to bring Bonaparte ' s fleet to battle before they escaped back into Lorient , but on 27 September they encountered the 44 - gun French frigate " Président " , returning from the Caribbean where she had cruised with L ' Hermite ' s expedition . " Président " was chased down by the British squadron and forced to strike her colours . During the cruise " Malta " sprang her mainmast and was sent back to Britain by Louis to effect repairs . The " Malta " , with Buller still in command , went to sea again in early January 1807 with orders to join Lord Collingwood ' s fleet in the Mediterranean . Collingwood placed Buller in command of the inshore squadron , where he continued to distinguish himself . In one particular instance he destroyed the beached transport " Mary " , which had run aground carrying stores for 25 , 000 troops , and which Buller burnt to prevent them falling into enemy hands . On another occasion while " Malta " was refitting at Gibraltar , Buller learnt that a Portuguese frigate had been wrecked on the Spanish coast . Buller at once went out and attempted to save the crew , working for several hours in pounding surf and twice being swept away , but refusing to leave until there were no more men to be saved . Perhaps because of these exertions , Buller became seriously ill with a fever , but recovered to resume his station . His health had been weakened however , and he applied to be superseded , returning to Britain later in 1807 . Flag rank and later life . Buller was promoted to rear - admiral on 28 April 1808 , and was created a baronet on 30 October 1809 . He was appointed second in command at Plymouth in late 1809 , holding the position until autumn 1812 , during which time he was promoted to vice - admiral on 12 August 1812 . While at Plymouth Captain Robert Corbet , a man notorious for his harsh discipline and , at times , tyrannical behaviour was appointed to a new ship , " Africaine " . The crew of " Africaine " at first refused to hear his commission , forcing the commander at Plymouth , Admiral William Young , to bring another ship alongside and run out her guns to prevent any mutinous actions . Buller was appointed to investigate the matter , and one day while sitting near Buller at table , Corbet was heard to remark ' The service will not be good for any thing until captains can flog their lieutenants if needful , as well as the ship ' s company ; absolute power over all in the ship is the thing . ' Buller replied ' Why then , admirals must in justice have the power of flogging captains - have a care , Corbet , and don ' t come under my orders , for I won ' t spare " you " ! ' Buller received no further active employment after this . He continued to hold the seat of East Looe until 1820 , and in 1807 succeeded his brother , John Buller as recorder for the borough . Sir Edward Buller died at his seat of Trenant Park on 15 April 1824 at the age of 59 . The baronetcy became extinct upon his death . Family and issue . Edward Buller married Gertrude van Corlandt in Halifax on 15 May 1790 . They had one son , John St . Aubyn Buller , who died in infancy ; and one daughter , Anna Maria Buller , who married James Drummond Elphinstone . James and Anna Maria ' s son became William Buller Fullerton Elphinstone , 15th Lord Elphinstone .