Robert Moorsom Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom KCB ( 8 June 1760 – 14 April 1835 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence , the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars . His very active service career was especially highlighted by his actions in 1805 at the battle of Trafalgar , where his ship HMS " Revenge " was severely damaged and Moorsom was himself seriously wounded . Life . Born into a seagoing family at Whitby in Yorkshire in 1760 , Moorsom was late to the navy , only joining aged 17 , a good four years later than most of his contemporaries . He made up for his late arrival with exhaustive service , which included action at the Great Siege of Gibraltar and at the battle of Cape Spartel . He was made lieutenant rapidly in 1784 following commendations from an action against a French convoy to America two years before , and then profited by the build up to war in 1790 when he was granted promotion to Post captain . His service in the Revolutionary Wars was unremarkable , maintaining position in the blockading fleets of several ports where there was small opportunity for glory or action , especially in ships of the line , which he had soon graduated into . Following the Peace of Amiens , Moorsom took over the newly built " Revenge " and was placed under Admiral Collingwood ' s command in the Mediterranean , accompanying his admiral to Cadiz and thence to the battle of Trafalgar in October 1805 . At the battle , " Revenge " was situated far to the rear of Collingwood ' s division , but due to her recent construction she was a very fast and agile ship and thus was able to overtake two ships in front of her , aiming at the Spanish flagship " Principe de Asturias " but missing her and becoming embroiled in a duel with the smaller " San Ildefonso " which drifted off damaged . The " Revenge " next engaged the " Achille " and dismasted her leaving her vulnerable to attack from following ships who later sank her . The French " Aigle " was next , " Revenge " ramming her and damaging her so she too drifted off from action . Finally reaching the " Principe de Asturias " , the " Revenge " was dwarfed by her enormous opponent , and was significantly damaged by the broadsides from the bigger ship , splinters from which badly wounded Moorsom and killed or wounded over 70 of his crew . " Asturias " was later driven off by the aid of HMS " Dreadnought " and HMS " Thunderer " , who rescued the badly holed and slowly sinking " Revenge " . By a miracle of seamanship , the " Revenge " was returned to Gibraltar despite the raging storm and Moorsom was one of the first officers dispatched home , sent to recuperate from his wounds . He was richly rewarded for his heroic actions in the battle but due to the surge in promotions which the battle brought combined with his injuries he was unable to find a ship and never returned to the sea as a captain . He was instead given numerous shore jobs , including carrying the great banner at Lord Nelson ' s funeral , appointment to rear - admiral and a position with the Lords of the Admiralty and following the end of the war a career in backbench politics ( as MP for Queenborough 1812 - 1820 ) , as Surveyor - General of the Ordnance . Promoted through the rank . Robert Moorsom died peacefully in 1835 as a full Admiral of the Blue and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and was buried at St Peter ’ s Church , Cosgrove , Northamptonshire , where a memorial plaque to him and his wife Eleanor ( sister of cotton milling entrepreneur Jonathan Scarth ) can still be seen . Robert ' s legacy included his talent for poetry and drawing which he passed on to his two sons , Vice Admiral Constantine Richard Moorsom 1792 - 1861 and Captain William Scarth Moorsom , an early railway engineer .