Peter Puget Peter Puget ( 1765 – 31 October 1822 ) was an officer in the Royal Navy , best known for his exploration of Puget Sound . Mr . Midshipman Puget . Puget ' s ancestors had fled France for Britain during Louis XIV ' s persecution of the Huguenots . His father , John , was a successful merchant and banker , but died in 1767 , leaving Puget ' s mother , Esther , with two sons and three daughters . In 1778 , twelve - year - old Peter entered the navy as a midshipman and served on the following ships : Lieutenant Puget and the " Discovery " . " ( See also : Vancouver Expedition ) " Upon returning to England , Puget was assigned to HMS " Discovery " , temporarily as a master ' s mate , and then commissioned as her 3rd lieutenant on 11 June 1790 to assist in its fitting out for an exploration of the South Pacific . During the Nootka Crisis , however , it was used as a depot vessel . When the crisis ended with the Treaty of Nootka Sound , the mission changed ; the first priority was to physically accept possession of the Sound from the Spanish . An accurate survey the North American Pacific Coast , and other surveys , were important secondary missions . Because the Admiralty , following the Mutiny on the " Bounty " incident , had ordered , as a precaution against mutiny , that ships no longer make such long voyages alone , the armed tender HMS " Chatham " was assigned to the expedition , and HMS " Daedalus " was to bring supplies a year later . In 1791 , " Discovery " and " Chatham " sailed to Cape Town , Australia , Tahiti and the Sandwich Isles before starting a detailed survey of the Pacific North American coast , from the Columbia River to Alaska . Many features were named after friends or persons of influence . When it was hoped that the Georgia Strait and Admiralty Inlet might lead to the Northwest Passage , Vancouver anchored the ships near modern - day Seattle , Washington and sent Puget in command of two rowing craft to survey south ( 20 – 27 May 1792 ) . In recognition of Puget ' s work , Vancouver named the south end Puget Sound ; it is unlikely that either man realized this name would over time encompass the whole region . Puget was also involved in the exploration by small boat of the Columbia River ; his name was applied to the tiny Puget Island opposite the Indian village at Cathlamet . Puget was given command of " Chatham " when her first captain was murdered in Hawai ' i and his replacement was sent with dispatches back to England . Commander and captain . While only a lieutenant - in - command of " Chatham " , Puget served with distinction for the rest of the survey . He assisted Vancouver in negotiations with the Spanish at Nootka Sound . In 1795 , the two - ship squadron returned to England by way of Cape Horn , capturing a Dutch East Indiaman along the way . Once home , Puget was confirmed in the rank of Commander . In February 1796 , Commander Puget was given the tiny " Adelphi " with which to protect a supply convoy to Gibraltar . To protect the return convoy , he fitted out an armed freighter , the " Esther " , using his own funds . On the return voyage , he captured a Spanish merchantman and sent it ahead with a prize crew . Then his convoy was attacked by French frigate " La Bellona " , and Puget interposed his tiny vessel to let the other ships flee . Puget then bribed the French captain ( pointing out that he was unlikely to collect much in prize money ) and brought his command home . Ironically , the British Admiralty found a way not to pay Puget prize money on the merchantman , although it did cover his expenses , including the bribe . In 1797 , Puget was given command of the sloop - of - war HMS " Raven " and joined the fleet of Sir John Jervis . Jervis put him in charge of the " San Nicholas " , a Spanish ship - of - the - line , still crewed by Spaniards ; Puget suppressed a mutiny and delivered the crew to Lisbon . In 1807 , Puget played a decisive role at the Second Battle of Copenhagen . He led an inshore squadron of shallow - draft vessels ( including two bomb ketches ) to disable the Danish gunboats and to cover the army ' s seaward flank in a manoeuvre similar to Nelson ' s action in the First Battle of Copenhagen . However , British public reaction to the second attack was unfavourable , since it was an attack on a neutral country ; no fame was attached to Puget ' s success . Shore career . Thereafter , Puget settled into family life , living in Bath for reasons of health . He was gazetted a Companion of the Bath in 1818 and , according to the rules of seniority , he was commissioned Rear Admiral of the Blue on 19 July 1821 . The " Bath Chronicle " memorialized him : Personal life . Peter Puget married Hannah Elrington on 6 February 1797 . They had seven sons and four daughters . Their eldest son , Peter Richard Puget , went to America and became an actor . Other sons served in the British Army or Navy , one of whom ( William David ) retired as a captain . The daughters all married and it is through one of them , Eleanor Catherine , came the only known descendent of Peter and Hannah Puget . Hannah Puget never remarried , died on 14 September 1849 , and is buried next to Peter , in the church yard of Woolley , near Bath . The original sarcophagus is heavily weatherworn , and has been supplemented by a bronze plaque donated by the Seattle Historical Society .