James Richard Dacres ( 1749 – 1810 ) James Richard Dacres ( February 1749 – 6 January 1810 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Seven Years ' War , the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . He eventually rose to the rank of Vice - Admiral . Family and early life . Dacres was born in Gibraltar in February 1749 , the eldest son of the secretary of the garrison Richard Dacres , and his wife Mary Dacres , née Bateman . He had a younger brother , Richard Dacres , who also embarked on a naval career . James Richard entered the navy in February 1762 , joining the 28 - gun frigate , which was then under the command of Captain Herbert Sawyer . Shortly afterwards , on 21 May that year , the " Active " in company with captured the Spanish register ship " Hermione " . The " Hermione " had been bound from Lima carrying a cargo of gold coin , gold , silver and tin ingots , and cocoa and when captured became the richest prize taken during the war . The " Active " s share of the prize money came to £251 , 020 12s , which meant that even an ordinary seaman received the sum of £485 3s 4d . Dacres moved aboard Captain William Hotham ' s 32 - gun , following this with service aboard Captain John Elliot ' s and Commodore Richard Spry ' s 60 - gun . Spry appointed Dacres as lieutenant to the 32 - gun under Captain Phillips Cosby on 17 March 1769 . American War of Independence . With the outbreak of the war Dacres was appointed as second lieutenant aboard the 32 - gun , under Captain Philemon Pownoll . He sailed with the " Blonde " to Quebec as part of the escort for a troop convoy . In June 1776 he was appointed by Commodore Sir Charles Douglas to lead a naval detachment to Lake Champlain . There he took command of the 12 - gun schooner " Carleton " , which formed part of Captain Thomas Pringle ' s flotilla . He took part in the battle of Battle of Valcour Island on 11 October 1776 and after the victory General Guy Carleton sent Dacres back to Britain with the despatches . He was made master and commander on 25 November 1776 after his return and was appointed to command the 14 - gun . He transferred to the 18 - gun and commanded her off the Leeward Islands . " Ceres " patrolled the Caribbean and the American coasts , and on 9 March 1778 and in company with she chased two American frigates , and , eventually engaging the " Alfred " and forcing her to surrender . He went on to capture the French privateer " Tigre " on 18 October 1778 ; but the " Ceres " was herself engaged and captured by the 36 - gun French frigate " Iphigénie " off St Lucia on 17 December 1778 . The " Ceres " was escorting a troop convoy at the time , and Dacres acted to decoy the French frigate away from the convoy , eventually forcing the French to pursue the " Ceres " for 48 hours , allowing the convoy to escape . Dacres was subsequently exchanged and returned to England , whereupon he was made acting - captain of the 74 - gun , afterwards being transferred to the 28 - gun . He was not confirmed as post - captain however until 13 September 1780 , when he was given command of the 20 - gun , stationed in the Downs . He transferred to the frigates and towards the end of the war . French Revolutionary Wars . The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 led to Dacres returning to sea aboard the 64 - gun and taking part in the bombardment and capture of Fort Bizothen at Port - au - Prince . His crew however suffered from high levels of sickness and Dacres was despatched back to Britain as a convoy escort . After his arrival he was appointed to command the 90 - gun as part of the Channel Fleet under Lord Bridport . He was present at the Battle of Groix on 23 June 1795 , but was not actively engaged . Vice - Admiral William Waldegrave went on to hoist his flag on the " Barfleur " , retaining Dacres as his flag captain . He and the " Barfleur " sailed to join Sir John Jervis ' s fleet in the Mediterranean . Dacres was involved in the recapture of from the French in early 1796 , and was still in command when the Battle of Cape St Vincent took place on 14 February 1797 . Dacres subsequently returned to Britain aboard the hired cutter " Flora " and received command of the 80 - gun , sailing her to the Mediterranean . Dacres remained aboard the " Foudroyant " until February 1799 . Flag rank . Dacres was promoted to Rear - Admiral of the Blue on 14 February 1799 , two years to the day after the battle of Cape St Vincent . He was further advanced to Rear - Admiral of the White on 1 January 1801 , and was then appointed as second in command of the Plymouth command . With the Peace of Amiens he became Commander - in - Chief , Plymouth . With the resumption of the war he was appointed second in command on the Jamaica station , serving under Sir John Thomas Duckworth and flying his flag in the 36 - gun " Franchise " . He soon became considerably wealthy from the spoils of prize warfare , being promoted to commander of the station in 1805 , Vice - Admiral on 9 November 1805 and remaining in the post until 1809 . Family and later life . Dacres had married Eleanor Blandford Pearce , of Cambridge , on 1 August 1777 during a period in Britain while in command of the " Ceres " . The marriage took place at Totnes , Devon and subsequently produced two sons . Both had substantial naval careers , the elder , Barrington Dacres became post - captain , the younger , James Richard Dacres rose to be a Vice - Admiral . Dacres retired from active service in 1809 having amassed considerable wealth from his time in Jamaica . He did not live long to enjoy it though , dying on 6 January 1810 at the age of 60 after a fall from his horse .