Edward Stirling Dickson Vice - Admiral Edward Stirling Dickson ( 1765 – 28 January 1844 ) was a Royal Navy officer who served in the American Revolutionary War , the French Revolutionary Wars , and the Napoleonic Wars . Early career . He joined the Royal Navy in 1772 , at the age of seven , and first saw service at the Battle of Sullivan ' s Island in 1776 aboard , which ran ashore and was destroyed to keep her from being captured . He was transferred to and was present at the capture of New York , and then transferred into the where he assisted in the capture of the French frigate " Prudente " . In 1780 , at the age of 15 , he was appointed Lieutenant , and appointed to the captured frigate . He later served aboard at the relief of Gibraltar . French Revolutionary Wars . He was wounded at the Glorious First of June in 1794 , where he was the second lieutenant of the third - rate . He was then assigned to the West Indies , commanding the cutter ; he led the ship against a much more powerful French privateer , and was promoted to take command of the brig as reward . He advised the local commander , Admiral Henry Harvey , that Trinidad was ripe for capture , and helped lead the fleet which captured the island in 1797 . During his service in the Caribbean he captured a privateer whilst protecting a convoy to St . Kitts , and led a force which captured the fortifications on Margarita Island in December 1798 . He then led a boarding attack on a privateer in the harbour , and whilst his force captured the ship , he himself was severely wounded in the head . He was promoted to post - captain , and rewarded with a sword from Thomas Picton , the Governor of Trinidad . Napoleonic Wars . In 1804 , commanding , he led a force which captured the West African island of Gorée ( now in modern Senegal ) , and then commanded a squadron blockading St . Malo . In 1809 he was ordered with the " Inconstant " to the Isle de France ( Mauritius ) , but she grounded north of the Cape of Good Hope . His solution to this problem - repeatedly heaving the keel out and righting her when the tide came in - was admired by Admiral Bertie as an excellent feat of seamanship . By 1811 he was in command of the , fighting at the defence of Cadiz , and led a force at the siege of Tariffa , for which he received the thanks of the Admiralty . On 27 August 1812 he was transferred to command the , which had had a succession of temporary commanders since her former commander Temple Hardy had been taken ill in May . He commanded her during a blockade of the port of Toulon . He was transferred to command the HMS " Rivoli " on 22 February 1814 , which saw extensive service in the period after Napoleon ' s escape from Elba . Whilst blockading Naples , he attempted to capture two ships - of - the - line by boarding them in the harbour , and later intercepted and captured the French frigate " Melpomene " , which was attempting to bring Napoleon ' s mother and sister to France . This action , on 30 April , was the first French ship to surrender during the Hundred Days . He later was assigned to command the expedition against Portoferraio , and the final capture of Elba , giving him the distinction of striking the first and the last French tricolour s of the Hundred Days . Later career . After the French surrender , he served on a diplomatic mission to Tunis , and was later appointed to command the second - rate . He was appointed a Rear - Admiral of the Blue on 23 July 1830 , which ended his seagoing service , and a Vice - Admiral of the White on 23 November 1841 .