Robert Calder Admiral Sir Robert Calder , 1st Baronet , KCB ( 13 July 1745 – 1 September 1818 ) was a British naval officer who served in the Seven Years ' War , the American Revolutionary War , the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars . Early life . He was born in Elgin , Scotland , the third son of Sir James Calder and Alice Hughes . His father was the 3rd Baronet Calder of Muirton , who had been appointed Gentleman Usher of the Privy chamber to the queen by Lord Bute in 1761 . His elder brother , who succeeded to his father ' s baronetcy , was Major General Sir Henry Calder . Career . Calder was educated at the grammar school of Elgin , and entered the Royal Navy in 1759 at the age of fourteen . As a Midshipman he received £1 , 800 in prize money for his part in the capture of the Spanish treasure ship " Hermione " on 21 May 1762 , and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant . At that rank he served aboard the " Essex " , under Captain the Hon . George Faulkner , in the Caribbean . Promotion came slowly , and it was not until 1780 that he attained the rank of Post - Captain . He commanded the frigate HMS " Diana " under Admiral Richard Kempenfelt , and acquitted himself honourably in the various services to which he was called , but for a long time had no opportunity of distinguishing himself . In 1796 he was appointed Captain of the Fleet to Admiral John Jervis , and saw action at the battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797 . After the battle he was selected to carry the dispatches announcing the victory back to Britain , and was knighted by George III on 3 March 1797 for his services . He also received the thanks of Parliament , and was created 1st Baronet Calder of Southwick on 22 August 1798 . In 1799 he was promoted to Rear - Admiral ; and in 1804 , now a Vice - Admiral , was despatched with a small squadron in pursuit of a French force under Admiral Ganteaume , conveying supplies to the French in Egypt . In this he was unsuccessful , and returning home at the peace he struck his flag . In the War of the Third Coalition ( 1805 – 1806 ) he was in command of the squadrons blockading the ports of Rochefort and Ferrol , in which ( amongst others ) ships were being prepared for the invasion of England by Napoleon I . Calder held his position with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy , and refused to be enticed out to sea . On its becoming known that Napoleon intended to break the blockade of Ferrol , as a prelude to his invasion , the Admiralty ordered Rear - Admiral Charles Stirling to join Calder and intercept the Franco - Spanish fleet on their passage to Brest . The approach of the enemy was concealed by fog ; finally on 22 July 1805 the fleets came into sight . The allies outnumbered the British ; but Calder ordered his fleet into action . The ensuing battle was battle of Cape Finisterre : fifteen British ships had engaged twenty French and Spanish ships and captured two . The British losses were 39 officers and men killed and 159 wounded ; the allies lost 158 dead and 320 wounded . After four hours , as night fell , Calder gave orders to discontinue the action . Over the following two days the fleets remained close to one another , but did not engage again . Calder decided to protect his newly won prizes , while the French Admiral Villeneuve declined to force another engagement . Villenueve left the area on the 24th , sailing to Ferrol , and eventually Cádiz , instead of resuming his course to Brest . Villeneuve had failed in all his objectives : he had landed no troops in Ireland , and the plan of linking with the fleet at Brest , driving off the British Channel squadrons , and supporting Napoleon ' s invasion of Britain came to nothing : the Armée d ' Angleterre waited uselessly at Boulogne as before . In the judgment of Napoleon , his scheme of invasion was baffled by this day ' s action ; but much indignation was felt in England at the failure of Calder to win a complete victory . In consequence of the strong feeling against him Calder demanded a court - martial . Nelson was ordered to send Calder home , and allowed him to return in his own 98 - gun ship the " Prince of Wales " , even though battle was imminent . Calder left in early October 1805 , missing the battle of Trafalgar . The court - martial was held on 23 December 1805 , and resulted in a severe reprimand for Calder for not having done his utmost to renew the engagement , at the same time acquitting him of cowardice and disaffection . Calder never served at sea again . In the natural course of events he was promoted to Admiral on 31 July 1810 , and by way of public testimony to his services , and of acquittal of the charge made against him , was created a Knight Commander , Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815 . He was appointed Commander - in - Chief , Plymouth in 1810 . He died at Holt , near Bishop ' s Waltham , in Hampshire , in 1818 . Family . In 1779 he married Amelia Michell ; they had no children .