Robert Barlow ( Royal Navy officer ) Admiral Sir Robert Barlow GCB ( 25 December 1757 – 11 May 1843 ) was a senior and distinguished officer of the British Royal Navy who saw extensive service in the American Revolutionary War , the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars . He made his name in small ship actions , especially fighting French frigates , of which he captured three . In his later career Barlow served as comptroller of the Navy and was influential at the Admiralty right up to his death . Although born to a middle - class family , Barlow and his siblings made names for themselves and two of Barlow ' s daughters married into the naval aristocracy . Early career . Robert Barlow was born in 1757 in Covent Garden to wealthy mercer William Barlow and his wife Hilaire . The couple had numerous children , including Robert ' s elder brother George Hilario Barlow who later became Governor - General of India . Robert joined the Navy as a teenager and was promoted lieutenant in 1778 , serving on HMS " Courageux " in the American Revolutionary War . In her , Barlow participated in the capture of the French frigate " Minerve " and also was part of the fleet which relieved the Great Siege of Gibraltar . After the peace in 1783 , Barlow married Elizabeth Garrett of Worting , Hampshire . The couple had a close relationship and numerous children . Between 1786 and 1789 , Barlow commanded the revenue cutter HMS " Barracouta " , transferring to the larger brig HMS " Childers " on the same service in November 1790 . French Revolutionary Wars . On 2 January 1793 , Barlow took " Childers " into Brest to reconnoitre the port due to the growing hostility between Britain and the First French Republic . Tensions had been mounting for months since the French Revolution and the opening of the French Revolutionary Wars the previous year between France , Prussia , Austria and Sardinia but Britain and France were not yet at war when Barlow entered Brest . Within minutes of his arrival , one of the formidable forts overlooking the harbour mouth opened fire on his diminutive craft with 48 lb shot . One of the first balls fired struck a gun on " Childers " deck and split the cannon in two . Barlow beat a hasty retreat without suffering any casualties and reported the attack to his superiors . One month later Britain and France were at war ; in his excursion to Brest , Barlow had received the first shots of a 23 year conflict . Two weeks after war was declared , Barlow secured an early victory with seizure of the privateer " Patriote " off Gravelines . This was the first naval engagement of the wars and his success secured Barlow a promotion to post captain in the frigate HMS " Pegasus " . " Pegasus " was attached to the Channel Fleet under Lord Howe and acted as a repeating ship for the admiral ' s signals . Barlow was still in this position at the battle of the Glorious First of June , when he relayed Howe ' s orders to the rest of the fleet . Despite a mixed reaction from many of Howe ' s captains the battle was a success and Barlow was upgraded to the frigate HMS " Aquilon " as a reward for his service . In 1795 , Barlow moved to the new frigate HMS " Phoebe " and in her captured the French frigate " Néréide " in December 1797 . Four years later in the Straits of Gibraltar , Barlow repeated the feat by capturing the French frigate " Africaine " , which was transporting French soldiers to Egypt and had over 400 aboard , at the Action of 19 February 1801 . In a close contest , " Phoebe " forced her opponent to surrender and caused over 300 casualties to " Africaine " for just 13 of her own . For this second victory , Barlow was knighted and given command of the ship of the line HMS " Triumph " in the Mediterranean until 1804 . Napoleonic Wars . The Napoleonic wars were a less active period for Barlow , who served as Lord Keith ' s flag captain for a time and then as deputy controller of the navy before moving as superintendent of Chatham Dockyard . During this period he showed great skill as an administrator and improved services where ever he was stationed . Barlow continued on shore service until 1823 , when he was retired as a rear - admiral . He had been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath three years before . He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in January , 1819 . Barlow enjoyed a lengthy retirement in Canterbury and in 1840 was restored to naval service in order to receive a belated promotion to full admiral and advancement to Knight Grand Cross . He died at the archbishop ' s palace in Canterbury in May 1843 . His wife had predeceased him by 26 years , but two of his daughters had married well , wedding George Byng , 6th Viscount Torrington and William Nelson , 1st Earl Nelson .