Charles John Moore Mansfield Captain Charles John Moore Mansfield ( 1760 - 1813 ) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War , the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars . Unlike many of his dashing companions of this period , Mansfield is notable for his reticent social life which contrasted sharply with his dashing and action - filled military career . Early life . Mansfield was the son of a dockyard officer at Plymouth Dock in the parish of Stoke Damerel , Devonport , now part of Plymouth , Devon , born on 15 November 1760 and christened on 13 December , He joined the navy at the age of eleven in 1772 as Captain ' s Servant to Captain Feilding in HMS " Kent " , then a guard - ship at Plymouth . American Revolutionary War . After the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , he transferred to HMS " Foudroyant " in 1775 under Captain John Jervis ( later Earl St Vincent ) , who two months later rated him Midshipman . In March 1776 Mansfield transferred to the frigate Diamond which sailed for North America where he saw action . While in America , Mansfield was made lieutenant on 25 November 1778 , when only 18 , two years earlier than the official minimum age of 20 , joining the ship of the line HMS " Albion " as a junior lieutenant . In March the following year he transferred to the 74 - gun ship HMS " Sultan " in which he was in action at the Battle of Grenada the following year and the Battle of Martinique a few months later . At the start of 1780 , Mansfield was made first lieutenant of the newly captured frigate HMS " Fortunée " which was present as a repeating frigate at the disastrous Battle of the Chesapeake which lead to Cornwallis surrendering his army . In January 1782 Mansfield was again in action at the Battle of Frigate Bay during Hood ' s unsuccessful attempt to relieve Saint Kitts , and where Mansfield successfully made it through enemy lines under the cover of darkness to gain intelligence from the besieged British fort on Brimstone Hill . Peacetime and Marriage . Mansfield returned to England at the end of 1782 , and at the start of 1783 briefly served as first lieutenant of the frigate " Monsieur " before joining the newly built HMS " Irresistible " in which he served during the peacetime for five years before returning ashore in 1788 . A few months later he married Anna Spong on 21 August 1788 at the Church of St . Edmund , Lombard Street , London . Their first child Seymour Herbert Mansfield was born on 5 December 1789 , in Rochester . He died in 1802 , aged 12 . Their second child , Mary Mansfield was born in January 1792 , and their third child , James Hawkins Hughes Mansfield , was born on 5 April 1794 . During this time little is known of his life , as he left no journals or records and atypically of a young naval officer did not make a stir in society . After two years ashore he joined HMS " Lion " as first lieutenant in 1790 as war threatened to break out again , moving next to HMS " Assistance " , and then to HMS " Stately " . French Revolutionary Wars . Soon after war was declared , Mansfield was then promoted on 19 July 1793 to Commander and took over the sloop HMS " Megaera " in which he made Post - Captain on 4 October 1794 . Appointed to HMS " Sphynx " , Mansfield moved to HMS " Andromache " soon afterwards and in her was able to capture a large Algerian corsair with 24 - guns after a fierce engagement on which 64 Algerians and two British sailors were killed . He transferred to HMS " Dryad " in 1799 and remained in her until after the peace in 1802 . Napoleonic Wars . At the conclusion of the Peace of Amiens he was given the ship of the line HMS " Minotaur " , a veteran ship which had fought at the Battle of the Nile . Soon after taking command he was involved in the capture of the French frigate " Franchise " in the English Channel and briefly served as Admiral Collingwood ' s flag - captain in the same ship . Mansfield was also at the Battle of Trafalgar two years later , where although the slow speed of the Minotaur delayed his entry into the battle , Mansfield took a proactive role defending the Victory against the counterattack by Rear Admiral Dumanoir ' s squadron , and performed diligently with much success in forcing the surrender of the " Neptuno " , and taking 25 casualties . The Minotaur remained off Cadiz for the following year , returning to Britain at the end of 1806 with Mansfield suffering from debilitating rheumatism . In the spring of 1807 he was flag captain to Rear Admiral William Essington , third - in - command at the bombardment of Copenhagen , where he benefited from the prize money for the captured ships in the harbour , but was forced to retire from active service through ill - health on his return at the end of the year . Illness and Death . Although a man in his position could have been expected to have received promotion and rewards at the end of the Napoleonic Wars Mansfield never survived long enough , dying at Rochester after a period of illness in 1813 . His memorial raised to him in St Margaret ' s Church in Rochester makes a succinct record of his life : TO THE MEMORY OF Captn CHARLES JOHN MOORE MANSFIELD ROYAL NAVY Who during a Period of 40 Years arduous Service established the character of an Honorable and Gallant Officer . In the Year 1793 he was made Commander and was afterwards raised to the Rank of POST CAPTAIN . While commanding the Andromache he was attacked by an Algerine Frigate under Spanish Colors , which he captured after a long and desperate engagement . For many years he commanded the Minotaur , and had the Honor of capturing the El Neptuno a Spanish 80 Gun Ship in the ever memorable engagement of TRAFALGAR Soon after this Period , worn down by fatigue he retired into the bosom of his Family , and , after a long and afflicting illness , calmly resigned his Soul into the hands of his Maker On the 23d day of April 1813 , Aged 52 Years .