Daniel Pring Daniel Pring ( c . 1788 – 29 November 1846 ) was an officer in the British Royal Navy . He is best known for the part he played in the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States . He was born near Honiton in Devon . He entered the Navy in 1800 , and evidently took part in the abortive British invasions of the Río de la Plata , as in 1807 he was appointed Lieutenant and commander of the schooner , taken as a prize at Montevideo . His promotion to Lieutenant was confirmed in 1808 . In 1810 , he married Anne , maiden name unknown . In 1811 , he was serving aboard HMS " Africa " , the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer , the commander in chief of the North American station based at Halifax , Nova Scotia . The following year , he transferred to , the flagship of Sawyer ' s successor , Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren . He was one of three Lieutenants ( the other two being Robert Finnis and Robert Heriot Barclay ) detached by Warren to the naval establishment on the Great Lakes , with the acting rank of Commander . The Admiralty however had independently appointed Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo as Commodore to command on the lakes . During the early part of 1813 , Pring served as commander of HMS " Wolfe " , which carried Yeo ' s broad pendant . Later in 1813 , Pring was appointed to the naval establishment on Lake Champlain , based at Ile aux Noix in the Richelieu River . He was temporarily superseded by Commander Thomas Everard ( who was senior to Pring ) during several destructive raids against American outposts and depots on Lake Champlain during the late summer of 1813 . During the early months of 1814 , Pring commanded gunboats which played a part in the Battle of Lacolle Mills . In the spring of 1814 , the Americans constructed a substantial flotilla on Lake Champlain , which outmatched Pring ' s force . In response , the British laid down the fifth rate frigate HMS " Confiance " . This was a ship which required a Post Captain in command , so Pring was superseded by Captain George Downie . Pring took charge of the 16 - gun brig " Linnet " . During the Battle of Plattsburgh , Pring anchored the " Linnet " across the head of the American line of battle and did great damage , but Downie was killed and the " Confiance " and two other British armed vessels were forced to surrender . Left isolated and unable to escape , Pring fought on until the " Linnet " was battered almost to the point of sinking . In his report , Pring paid tribute to the gallantry of Downie , and also to the care paid to the prisoners and wounded by his opponent , Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough . As was customary after any defeat , Pring faced a court martial between 18 and 21 August 1815 aboard HMS " Gladiator " , but was exonerated and honourably commended . The next year , he was promoted Post Captain . He briefly commanded the naval establishment on Lake Erie , but this was soon closed down . Pring then went on half pay for 20 years , living at Ivedon Penn near Honiton . In 1836 , he returned to active service , in command of the frigate HMS " Inconstant " . From 1841 until 1843 , he commanded the second rate ship of the line HMS " Thunderer " . In 1845 , he commanded the 76 - gun ship of the line , HMS " Imaum " , and was appointed Commodore on the Jamaica station . He died late in 1846 at Port Royal , Jamaica , possibly of yellow fever . He and his wife apparently left no children .