Edward Hawker Edward Hawker ( 7 November 1782 – 8 June 1860 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . Born the son of a naval officer in 1782 , Edward Hawker was first entered in the books of a warship when just four years old . His actual seagoing service did not begin until 1792 , after which he saw action in some of the early engagements of the French Revolutionary Wars . Commissioned a lieutenant at thirteen , he served with several relatives both in the West Indies and in the waters off the British coast . A commander at twenty - one , he captained his own ships at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars . Posted again to the West Indies , he endured several mishaps , including running his ship aground , and then having it struck by lightning and damaged . His travails with the weather there continued after his promotion to post - captain , including a severe hurricane that dis - masted his ship and nearly sank her . He was a successful frigate captain in the Caribbean , capturing a number of enemy privateer s , and served at the capture of Guadeloupe in 1810 . Rewarded with the command of ships of the line , he spent most of his time in North American waters or the Caribbean towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars and during the War of 1812 . The end of the wars after 1815 left little opportunity for active service , but Hawker briefly commanded a ship as flag captain to the Earl of Northesk , and eventually reached flag - rank himself . He spent his retirement as a correspondent for " The Times " , and died an admiral in 1860 , one of the last surviving commanders of the wars with France . Family and early life . Edward Hawker was born on 7 November 1782 , the son of Captain James Hawker , who had served during the American War of Independence . Hawker was nominally entered onto the books of the 28 - gun by her captain , Prince William Henry , the future King William IV , in May 1786 . Hawker was just four years old at the time , making this a fictitious entry to allow him to gain " sea time " and seniority . He did not begin his actual naval service for another six years , until he was ten years old . Serving during the French Revolutionary Wars , Hawker was aboard at the Action of 7 May 1794 , when his ship captured the French frigate " Atalante " , and took her captain , Charles - Alexandre Linois , prisoner . Hawker was commissioned a lieutenant in 1796 , at the age of thirteen , and went out to the West Indies with his brother - in - law , Captain Charles Boyles , and served on several of his ships . He later served as a lieutenant aboard HMS " Garland " , and aboard the 18 - gun sloop , under the command of another brother - in - law , Michael Seymour . Hawker ' s ships were active in operations against French and Spanish privateer s and merchants , and he assisted in the capture of two large privateers . He then became first - lieutenant of the 32 - gun , and commanded her boats in a successful cutting - out expedition against a Spanish privateer . Hawker then left active service for a period on half - pay during the Peace of Amiens . Napoleonic Wars . Hawker was back in action with the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars in 1803 , having been promoted to commander . He was given a small hired 4 - gun cutter named " Swift " in June 1803 and sent to patrol off Martinique . He carried out an attack against two French schooner s , capturing both , but was forced to abandon his prizes after French troops appeared . He briefly took charge of the brig in August 1803 , but was soon transferred to the sloop HMS " Mignonne " . His service in command of " Mignonne " was eventful , in June 1804 she ran ashore off Lucca , Jamaica . As she was being towed to Port Royal by HMS " Desiree " , she was struck by lightning on 9 July . Three seamen were killed and several injured , while " Mignonne " sustained some damage . Hawker was advanced to post - captain on 6 June 1804 and appointed to command the 74 - gun . In August 1804 " Theseus " , flying the flag of Rear - Admiral James Richard Dacres , made a cruise north of San Domingo in company with the 74 - gun . The two ships were caught in a severe hurricane on 4 September , and both were almost completely dis - masted . " Theseus " s boats were destroyed , and Hawker ordered a number of the guns to be thrown overboard . At one point there was of water in the hold , and it was only through continued pumping that both ships were able to weather the storm and return to Port Royal . Hawker left " Theseus " in late 1804 , and in March 1805 commissioned the 32 - gun . Hawker spent two years cruising in the West Indies and off the coast of North America , making voyages to the Halifax Station , and on 9 June 1806 captured the 18 - gun French brig " Observateur " in the West Indies . Hawker was apparently involved in another hurricane some time after this , as " Tartar " was ordered to return to Britain to undergo repairs for damage sustained . Hawker remained in the West Indies however , transferring into the 36 - gun in September 1807 . He continued to serve off North America , and in early 1809 escorted a convoy from Halifax to Barbados . On his voyage he came across the 16 - gun French brig on 16 January , which put up a brief resistance before surrendering with three men killed and twelve wounded . Hawker had further success at the end of the year , chasing down and capturing the 16 - gun " Bernais " off Guadeloupe on 14 December . Two men were wounded on " Melampus " , and one man killed and several wounded on " Bernais " . Hawker remained active off Guadeloupe into 1810 and supported the invasion and eventual capture of the island between January and February that year . On of his final successes in the Caribbean was the capture of the 20 - gun privateer " Fantôme " on 28 May 1810 , while in company with . Hawker then returned to Halifax and was based there until paying " Melampus " off in 1812 and returning to Britain to take his new command , the 74 - gun . War of 1812 . Hawker commissioned " Bellerophon " on 11 February 1813 , and preparations were made for " Bellerophon " to become the flagship of Vice - Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats , the newly appointed Governor of Newfoundland . " Bellerophon " transported Keats to St . John ' s , and then sailed south to Bermuda as a convoy escort . Returning to St John ' s in the summer , she captured several American ships , including the 16 - gun French privateer " Genie " . She spent the rest of the year patrolling off Cape Race , before returning to Britain with a convoy in November . 1814 was spent on similar duties , " Bellerophon " escorted a convoy to St John ' s between April and June , and then patrolled off Cape Race until December . She then moved to the Nore , and on 9 April 1815 Hawker was superseded by Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland . Hawker ' s next command was the 58 - gun , " Bellerophon " s replacement as Keats ' s flagship , and Hawker returned with her to Newfoundland , where he remained until Keats ' s posting expired . Later life . Despite the end of the wars with France in 1815 , Hawker had some further service in the navy . He became flag - captain to William Carnegie , 7th Earl of Northesk , the Commander - in - Chief at Plymouth , in 1827 , and from September 1829 commanded Northesk ' s flagship , the 120 - gun guardship . Hawker went on half - pay with the expiration of Northesk ' s posting in 1830 , and in 1837 Hawker was promoted to flag - rank . He spent his retirement as a correspondent for " The Times " , writing under the byline " A Flag Officer " , and became a vice - admiral in 1847 and a full admiral in 1853 . One of the last of the Napoleonic - era officers by the late 1850s , he succeeded to one of the good service pensions on the death of Admiral Frederick Aylmer , 6th Baron Aylmer in 1858 , and died two years later at Brighton , Sussex on 8 June 1860 at the age of 77 and with the rank of admiral . He had married Joanna Naomi , née Poore and had several children . Two of his sons , Charles and George , emigrated to Australia and became prominent citizens there .