Lord Henry Paulet Lord Henry " Harry " Paulet KCB ( 1767 – 28 January 1832 ) was an officer in the Royal Navy who saw service in the American War of Independence , the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . Born into the British nobility as a younger son of the Marquess of Winchester , he rose through the ranks and had gained his own command by the early stages of the French Revolutionary Wars . He was involved in a number of famous engagements during his career , such as the capture of the French frigate " Gloire " in 1795 , though he narrowly missed out on seeing direct action at two of the most significant naval battles of the wars with the French . The first was the Battle of Cape St Vincent , where he had left Jervis ' s fleet a few days previously , the second was the Battle of Copenhagen , where he remained with Sir Hyde Parker ' s reserve squadron . He nevertheless rose through the ranks to reach vice - admiral , despite an incident that saw him court - martialled and dismissed , only to be reinstated by the intervention of the King ; and a tendency to eccentricity . He married towards the end of the wars with France , and had several children . Paulet served as one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty from 1813 , and was installed as a Knight Commander of the Bath in 1815 , but ill - health forced his retirement from active service shortly afterwards , and he eventually died of cancer in 1832 . Family and early life . Henry Paulet was born in 1767 , the younger son of George Paulet , 12th Marquess of Winchester , and a brother to Charles Paulet , the future 13th Marquess of Winchester . Paulet joined the navy as a midshipman during the later years of the American War of Independence . He spent 11 years at this rank , during which time he was present at Admiral Sir George Rodney ' s victory at the Battle of the Saintes . He was made junior lieutenant aboard at Spithead in early February 1789 . The " Crown " then became flagship of Commodore William Cornwallis , who sailed with a squadron to India . Paulet reached Tenerife with the ship , but on the squadron ' s arrival there he was transferred to the frigate in exchange for one of the " Phoenix " s lieutenants . Paulet completed the voyage to India with the " Phoenix " , but shortly after his arrival he learnt that he was not to be taken back aboard the " Crown " . He was invalided back to Britain aboard the East Indiaman " Houghton " . Promotion and command . Paulet was promoted to full lieutenant in 1791 and appointed to , though he was moved to in April 1792 . On 20 February 1793 Paulet received a promotion to master and commander , and command of the sloop . He commanded the " Nautilus " as part of John Laforey ' s naval force that captured Tobago on 15 April 1793 . He was promoted again to post - captain on 9 January 1794 and was given command of by Sir John Jervis . Paulet served as flag captain to Commodore Charles Thompson at the capture of Martinique . Command of HMS " Astraea " . After this success , Paulet returned to Britain and was given command of the 32 - gun fifth rate , cruising in the English Channel under the orders of Sir John Colpoys . While sailing in thick fog on 10 April 1795 three sails were spotted through a break . Identifying them as enemy frigates Paulet gave chase to one of them . He closed the distance , and after foiling an attempt from the French ship to rake the " Astraea " , Paulet came alongside and the two ships exchanged broadsides for nearly an hour before the French ship struck . She was discovered to be the 42 - gun " Gloire " , with 275 men aboard . She had suffered casualties of 40 killed and wounded , while " Astraea " , of 32 guns and 212 men , had only eight wounded . For this feat Paulet was awarded the Naval Gold Medal . Command of HMS " Thalia " . Paulet ' s next command was the 36 - gun frigate HMS " Thalia " , attached to Lord Bridport ' s fleet . He was present at the Battle of Groix , afterwards taking on board the fleet ' s flag captain , William Domett , and one of the captured French captains . The " Thalia " almost ran onto rocks while rounding Ushant , but Paulet was able to get her off safely . While returning to the fleet two frigates were spotted in the distance , which Domett feared might be French . In reply Paulet pointed to the guns on the maindeck and said ' Never mind Domett , those are 18 - pounders , and hit hard . ' Paulet and the " Thalia " continued to serve in the Channel until January 1797 , when they were sent with Rear - Admiral William Parker to reinforce John Jervis ' s fleet prior to the Battle of Cape St Vincent . " Thalia " was not present at the battle though , having been attached to the Mediterranean Fleet a few days earlier . While in the Mediterranean he captured the 16 - gun corvette " Espoir " , and several French and Spanish privateer s . It was about this time that an incident occurred that temporarily clouded his career . In a moment of anger he struck one of the " Thalia " s lieutenants , Robert Forbes . He was brought to court - martial on 12 June 1798 aboard , and the offence being proved , the court had no choice but to dismiss him from the service . In view of the mitigating circumstances , the court recommended that Paulet be considered for clemency by King George III . The King was pleased to follow the recommendation and reinstated Paulet in the service . Paulet then received command of the 74 - gun . He went with Sir Hyde Parker to the Baltic in 1801 and while he and the " Defence " were present at the Battle of Copenhagen , they were kept with Parker ' s reserve squadron and took no part in the fighting . The " Defence " was paid off with the conclusion of the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 , though the resumption of hostilities led to Paulet ' s return to service as captain of . He commanded her in the blockades of the French and Spanish ports , and by 1806 he was in the West Indies . In August that year the " Terrible " was caught in a hurricane , completely dismasted and almost wrecked . Personal and later life . Paulet was something of an eccentric . On one occasion , while his ship was moored at Spithead , he asked his admiral for permission to take leave to visit London . This was refused , with the comment that Paulet could travel as far on land as he could get in his barge . Thus challenged , Paulet loaded his barge onto a cart and went off to London anyway . He became a Colonel of Royal Marines on 1 August 1811 , and advanced to rear - admiral on 12 August 1812 . He replaced William Johnstone Hope as one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in 1813 , holding the position until being forced to retire in 1816 due to ill health . On 2 January 1815 , Paulet was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath , and in 1819 was promoted to vice - admiral . On 26 October 1813 , he married Anna - Maria Ravenscroft , with whom he had two sons and three daughters . Increasingly ill during his last years from cancer , that it was believed had been brought on by a fall against a slide of one of the carronade s aboard the " Terrible " , Paulet died on 28 January 1832 at his seat of Westhill Lodge , Tichfield , Hampshire . He was buried in the family vault at Amport on 3 February . His eldest son Henry Charles Paulet was created a Baronet in his honour in 1836 ( see Paulet Baronets ) .