Sir Peter Parker , 2nd Baronet Sir Peter Parker , 2nd Baronet ( England , 1785 – 31 August 1814 , Fairlee , Maryland ) was an English naval officer , the son of Vice - Admiral Christopher Parker and Augusta Byron . Biography . Parker was the descendant of several Royal Navy flag officers . His father was the son of Admiral Sir Peter Parker , and his mother the daughter of Vice - Admiral John Byron . Educated at Westminster School , he entered the Royal Navy in 1798 , serving under his grandfather and his grandfather ' s friend , Lord Nelson in " Victory " . He rapidly rose through the ranks , and was promoted in May 1804 to Commander . The next year he took command of the brig " Weazel " . The " Weazel " was the first British vessel to sight the Franco - Spanish fleet leaving Cádiz , an action that precipitated the Battle of Trafalgar . For this service he was promoted Captain . Parker was briefly a Member of Parliament . He was returned unopposed as a Tory for the Irish borough constituency of Wexford at a by - election held on 3 March 1810 . He resigned the seat in 1811 and was replaced at a by - election on 1 July 1811 . In 1810 , he was given command of the frigate , which he commissioned . Within weeks of commissioning she was involved in the suppression of a mutiny aboard " Africaine " . The notoriously brutal Captain Robert Corbet had been appointed to command " Africaine " and the crew had protested and refused to allow him to board . The Admiralty sent three popular officers to negotiate with the crew and ordered " Menelaus " to come alongside . If the crew of " Africaine " refused to agree with the appointment of Corbet , Parker had been ordered to fire on the ship until they submitted . The crew eventually agreed to allow Corbet aboard and " Menelaus " did not have to fire on " Africaine " . In the summer of 1810 , Parker sailed for the Indian Ocean to reinforce the squadron operating against Île de France , where he participated in the capture of the island in December 1810 . In 1812 , " Menelaus " was part of the blockade of Toulon in the Mediterranean and operated against coastal harbours , shipping and privateers off the southern coast of France with some success . In 1813 , the frigate was transferred to the Atlantic for service convoying merchant ships to Canada in the War of 1812 . " Menelaus " was subsequently employed in raiding American positions along the Maryland coastline , destroying a coastal convoy in September . In 1814 , Parker was ordered to operate against French ships in the Atlantic and recaptured a valuable Spanish merchant ship in January . In 1814 , following the French surrender , " Menelaus " was sent to Bermuda . From there Parker joined the British forces in the Chesapeake Bay under Admiral Sir George Cockburn and took part in the blockade of Baltimore . A bold and efficient commander , he became known for his ferocity in destroying American farms and property along the Chesapeake . Having for several days raided Kent County , Maryland , he landed a shore party and attempted a night attack on a detachment of Maryland militia at Fairlee , Maryland on the night of 30 August 1814 . Unexpected resistance from the militia precipitated the Battle of Caulk ' s Field ; while British and American sources differ on the result of the battle , Parker was one of the casualties . Leading his marines , he was hit in the thigh ( as his grandfather had been at the Battle of Sullivan ' s Island ) , but unlike his grandfather , Parker died on the field of a severed femoral artery . Parker ' s body was sent to Bermuda , and subsequently interred at the family vault at St Margaret ' s , Westminster , a public funeral with military honors being held on both occasions . He was eulogized by his first cousin , Lord Byron . Family . Parker married Marianne Dallas , daughter of Sir George Dallas , 1st Bt . . They had three sons : References . Naval career Political career