Sir Graham Hamond , 2nd Baronet Admiral of the Fleet Sir Graham Eden Hamond , 2nd Baronet GCB ( 1779 – 1862 ) was a British Royal Navy officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars . He was the only son of Sir Andrew Snape Hamond , Bart . , F . R . S . , and was born in Newman Street , London , on 30 December 1779 . He entered the navy as a Captain ' s Servant on board his father ' s ship HMS " Irresistible " ( 74 ) on 3 September 1785 , at the age of 5½ , his name remaining on the ships books until March 1790 . In January 1793 , when a 12 - year old midshipman in HMS " Phaeton " , he assisted in the capture of " Le Général Dumourier " and other ships , and received his portion of a large amount of prize money . On board HMS " Queen Charlotte " ( 100 ) , the flagship of Earl Howe , he shared in the victory of 1 June 1794 . Becoming a lieutenant on 19 October 1796 ( two months before his 17th birthday , two years before the legal minimum age ) he served in various ships in the Mediterranean and on the home stations . His first sole command was in the HM Sloop " Echo " ( 18 ) , in which vessel in 1798 he was employed in the blockade of Le Havre , and on different occasions took charge of convoys . He was made a Post - Captain on 30 November , and in the following year , when in command of HMS " Champion " ( 24 ) , was at the blockade of Malta , where he occasionally served on shore at the siege of Valletta . In HMS " Blanche " ( 36 ) he was present at the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801 , and on the Sunday following the action held the prayer - book from which Nelson read thanks to God . From 21 February to 12 November 1803 Hamond commanded HMS " Plantagenet " ( 74 ) , and captured " Le Courier de Terre Neuve " and " L ' Atalante " . In 1804 he took charge of HMS " Lively " ( 38 ) , and with that frigate captured , on 5 October , three Spanish frigates laden with treasure ( London Gazette , 1804 , p . 1309 ) , and on 7 December the " San Miguel " , another treasure ship . He was at the reduction of Flushing in HMS " Victorious " ( 74 ) in 1809 . After this period he was invalided for some years until 1824 , when in HMS " Wellesley " ( 74 ) he conveyed Lord Stuart de Rothesay to Brazil . Being advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on 27 May 1825 , he was ordered to England in HMS " Spartiate " ( 74 ) , charged with the delivery during the voyage of the treaty of separation between Brazil and Portugal to the king of Portugal , who on its reception created him a knight commander of the Tower and Sword , an order , however , which , as it was not obtained for war service , he was not permitted to wear . His last employment was on the South American station , where he was commander - in - chief from 16 September 1834 to 17 May 1838 . He attained the rank of Vice Admiral on 10 January 1837 , of Admiral on 22 January 1847 , and of Admiral of the Fleet on 10 November 1862 . He was gazetted C . B . on 4 June 1815 , and K . C . B . on 13 September 1831 . On 12 September 1828 , on the death of his father , he succeeded as the second baronet , and on 5 July 1855 he was raised to a G . C . B . He died at Norton Lodge , Freshwater , Isle of Wight , on 20 December 1862 . He married , on 30 December 1806 , Elizabeth , daughter of John Kimber of Fowey , Cornwall , by whom he had two sons , Andrew Snape , who succeeded him as third baronet , was a Vice Admiral in the navy , and died on 21 February 1874 , having taken the name of Græme - Hamond , and Graham Eden William , commander R . N . , and three daughters . Lady Hamond died on 24 December 1872 .