Charles Stirling Sir Charles Stirling ( 28 April 1760 – 7 November 1833 ) was a vice - admiral in the Royal Navy . Early life and career . Charles Stirling was born in London on 28 April 1760 and baptised at St . Albans on 15 May . The son of Admiral Sir Walter Stirling , he was born into a family with a long and proud naval tradition . Stirling joined the Royal Navy and was promoted to Captain in 1783 . On 11 August 1789 he married Charlotte Grote at Greenwich , London . He was involved in the famous battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794 , and took part in the July 1801 Battle of Algeciras as captain of the 74 - gun HMS " Pompée " . Later that year he was appointed Commissioner at Jamaica Yard . Admiral . Stirling was recalled to England in late 1804 , and on arrival was promoted to Rear Admiral and given command of the 98 - gun , which had been one of the famous ships involved in the Glorious First of June battle , and was now the flagship of the Rochefort squadron . Stirling immediately arranged for his nephew James to transfer to his ship as a midshipman . James Stirling would remain under his uncle ' s command until 1808 , and would be enormously influenced by his uncle , both professionally and personally . On 22 July 1805 , Stirling took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre under Sir Robert Calder , during which his squadron attacked the combined French and Spanish fleets off Cape Finisterre . In July 1806 he was given command of the ship and order to convoy General Samuel Auchmuty ' s troops to Buenos Aires , where he would relieve Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham , who , with troops under William Carr Beresford , had captured Buenos Aires in the first of a series of British invasions of the Río de la Plata . By the time he arrived , Buenos Aires had been retaken by the Spanish , so after relieving Popham and transferring to Popham ' s ship , the , Stirling aided Auchmuty in a successful attack on Montevideo . He was later praised in both Houses of Parliament and in the British press for his good judgement . Shortly after the capture of Montevideo , Stirling was relieved and ordered to take up the office of Naval Commander - in - Chief at the Cape of Good Hope . He was recalled to London after about 5 months . On 31 July 1810 , he was promoted to Vice Admiral , and given the Freedom of the City of London . He also received a sword with " gallant and meritorious conduct at the capture of the Fortress of Monte Video " inscribed on the hilt . Stirling took an extended period of leave , but in October 1811 returned to active service to take up an appointment as Commander - in - Chief of the squadron at Jamaica . When war broke out with America , he was placed under the command of Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren in September 1812 , and led his squadron in harassing American shipping and conducting coastal raids in the Bermuda area . Court martial . In June 1813 Stirling was relieved and ordered to return to London . On arriving in London late in 1813 , he learned that he had been recalled to face charges of accepting payment for protecting foreign seamen . The specific charges were contained in a letter written by Commissioner Wolley at Jamaica , who claimed " that His Majesty ' s Naval Service had been brought into disrepute in consequence of it being spoken of publicly that ships of war were hired out to convoy vessels going to the Spanish Main . " Wolley cited a specific incident , when Stirling was said to have received $ 2000 for the hire of His Majesty ' s sloop . Aspects of the charge were dismissed , but the verdict that was handed down in May 1814 was " that the charge had been in part proved . " Although it was agreed that Stirling ' s actions were excusable on humanitarian grounds , he had acted against regulations . He was retired on half pay , and barred from further promotion . Stirling appealed in July and won a number of concessions : a restoration to Flag Officer status and the right to continue to be addressed as " Senior Vice Admiral of the White " . The admiralty , however , refused to return him to active service . Later life . Stirling ' s wife died on 25 March 1825 at Woburn Farm , Chertsey , Surrey . Stirling was reported as seriously ill in September 1833 , and he died at Woburn Farm on 7 November 1833 . Cultural references . Charles Stirling appears as a character in the book Master and Commander by Patrick O ' Brian . Further reading . The following sources were not consulted in the writing of this article :